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Bicycle-Man from the ‘Pru’

Charles Edgar Brine (20) was, on the face of it, a quite respectable agent for the Prudential Insurance Company and had recently moved from Blandford to Wimborne. However, he also had a duplicitous sideline involving the sale of bicycles.      

In June 1891, Charles Edgar Brine appeared before Wimborne magistrates charged with stealing two bicycles valued at nineteen pounds. The first bicycle he had ‘borrowed’ from Frank King, a Wimborne machinist, to go on a ride with a friend. He said his friend was so impressed with the machine that he had kept it for a period and would probably offer to buy it. Brine said he would send King a telegram when he heard from the friend. None was received but Brine insisted he had sent one. In fact he had already sold the bicycle for just three pounds. He told the buyer he had sold it for a friend who was short of money.

The second bicycle he had bought himself on hire purchase having paid a deposit of two pounds, Eleven pounds & eleven shillings (£11.55) was its full price. Despite paying no further instalments, he sold it on for five pounds ten shillings (£5.50). 

Wimborne Magistrates committed Brine’s case to be heard at the next meeting of the Dorset Quarter Sessions. They also held over two further charges involving the sales of other bicycles in Blandford and Poole in case he was acquitted on the first two cases. 

At Dorchester, Charles Edgar Brine pleaded guilty and was imprisoned for twelve months. The magistrates described this as a serious case and it was noted Brine had  been convicted previously for similar offences. 

Upon his release from prison he moved to Northamptonshire where he was soon in trouble again. Charles Edgar Brine was charged with the theft of three shirts, six undervests, nine ties and some other items from a Kettering outfitter valued at eight shillings and three pence (41p). Ironically, the  Northampton Mercury of 9th December 1892 described Charles Edgar Brine as a ‘respectable looking man.’

(Source: Blandford Express - 4th July 1891.)



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