{"id":672,"date":"2018-12-11T20:37:47","date_gmt":"2018-12-11T20:37:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/crimesofthecenturies.com\/?p=672"},"modified":"2025-07-15T15:37:25","modified_gmt":"2025-07-15T14:37:25","slug":"joseph-timperon-jilted-love","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/crimesofthecenturies.com\/index.php\/2018\/12\/11\/joseph-timperon-jilted-love\/","title":{"rendered":"Joseph Timperon and his jilted love"},"content":{"rendered":"

Joseph Timperon broke poor Sally Simpson’s heart, in a tale that brings to mind the old song:<\/p>\n

O soldier, soldier, won\u2019t you marry me, with your musket, fife and drum?<\/p>\n

Oh no, sweet maid, I cannot marry you, for I have no coat to put on<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

For while Joseph Timperon was a butcher, not a soldier, he came up with plenty of excuses as to why he could not marry poor Sally \u2013 stringing her along for almost two decades.<\/p>\n

Promises, promises (excuses, excuses)<\/h2>\n

In 1828, a breach of promise case led to \u2018no little merriment\u2019 in court.<\/p>\n

Sarah Simpson (Sally Simpson), aged 58, sued\u00a0 <\/span>Joseph Timperon, aged 62, after he married a Miss Hannah Farish, aged 73\/74 on November 10, 1827, at Holme Cultram.<\/p>\n

Sally Simpson kept a shop in Wigton. Joseph Timperon was a butcher at Kilswick. And they\u2019d known each other about 19 years \u2013 during which time, he\u2019d often talked of marrying her.<\/p>\n

His first excuse not to was that her father was still alive, and would nor consent.<\/p>\n

Sally Simpson reminded him of his promise when her father died.<\/p>\n

His next excuse was that his sisters were not provided for, he could not turn them out of doors, and they would not accept her into the house.<\/p>\n

Sadly, while there were \u2018various other promises\u2019 of marriage after this, the excuses aren\u2019t detailed.<\/p>\n

Mr Blackburn, for Sally Simpson, said Joseph Timperon had told her it was totally false he was going to desert her for another. He\u2019d had the marriage licence for Hannah Farish in his pocket when he said it.<\/p>\n

For love \u2013 or money?<\/h2>\n

He\u2019d told someone else that licence was worth at least \u00a35,000: Hannah Farish owned property to that amount.<\/p>\n

Mr Blackburn also told the court the case was no laughing matter. Sally Simpson had been defrauded and suffered disappointment and misery.<\/p>\n

The court did laugh, however, when witness Thomas Storey described seeing Sally Simpson come out of her cottage (in about 1824) with a tub in her hand to feed the pigs. Joseph Timperon had sat her on his knee and said: \u201cIf ever I marry, I\u2019ll marry you, Sally Simpson.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sally\u2019s cottage was a single room, and her shop had things in the window: unspecified, but I think the suggestion was baked goods.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Eleanor Storey, Thomas\u2019 wife, backed up the story. As did Allan Bell, of Wigton.<\/p>\n

Sarah Scott, of Wigton, said Sally Simpson had asked her once if she had her cap ready. Sally wanted her to be ready to be her bridesmaid.<\/p>\n

Thomas Carruthers said Joseph Timperon was very respectable, with estate at Aldert, Whitelee, Kelsick, and a field at Waverton: his property before marriage was worth about \u00a3120 a year.<\/p>\n

Thomas Carruthers had paid Miss Farish about \u00a3116 a year for an estate. Joseph Timperon succeeded him as tenant\u00a0 <\/span>\u2013 and with half a year, married his landlady.<\/p>\n

Mr Courtenay, for Joseph Timperon, said the affair was too ridiculous for serious damages. His lordship (unnamed) suggested the jury might think a small sum in damages would meet the justice of the case.<\/p>\n

Sympathy \u2013 and a sensation<\/h2>\n

The jury took twenty minutes to come up with a verdict in favour of Sally Simpson, and said Joseph Timperon should pay her \u00a3350 damages.<\/p>\n

This causes \u2018a considerable sensation\u2019 in court.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I don\u2019t know what happened to lovelorn Sally Simpson. But the fickle Joseph stayed with his bride:<\/p>\n

1841 census, Broome Park, Holme Cultram<\/strong><\/p>\n

Joseph Timperon, 70, farmer Hannah, 75, two male and two female servants<\/strong><\/p>\n