Kentish Drovers

From the Maidstone Journal, 19 February 1788.

Maidstone, February 19.

The following very singular burglary and robbery happened a few nights ago, and may be depended on as a fact - two fellows in the dress of seamen found means to get into the house of John Higgins, the sign of the "Kentish Drovers," at Trossley, in the middle of the night, and unheard by any of the family, made their way into the chamber when the man and his wife were in bed and asleep; the man being awakened by the coming into his room inquired of them what they wanted, to which they answered "his money and his plate," he had neither, he told them, but, not satisfied with his barer assertion, they proceeded to search by the help of a candle which they found burning in the room, and turned over every box and trunk, and searched with the greatest deliberation every drawer, but not finding anything worth their carrying away, accept a new round frock and a shirt, they tied those articles up in a handkerchief, and then insisted upon the man's getting up and dressing himself, and making him go downstairs, they ordered him to draw them some beer and bring some bread and cheese, with which having sufficiently regaled themselves they showed him the window, which by taking out a pane of glass they had opened, and by that means got into the house - then ordering him to open the fore door and let them out they took their leave of him, assuring him that it was not their intention to pay him a second visit - the poor woman, who is pregnant and very near her time, was under terrible apprehensions, and much frightened all the time they were in the house, and has never since recovered the shock.

From the Maidstone Journal, 3 March 1789.

DIED.

A few days since, died, at Trossley, Mr. John Higgins, master of the "Kentish Drovers," in that place.