Berwick Quarter Sessions court was a Royal Court of Justice that was held four times a year in the town. In most places assizes courts tried more serious crime such as murder, rape and highway robbery and were held twice a year. However, Berwick had the right to try these serious cases and impose the death penalty at its Quarter Sessions. In the 1730s petty sessions courts were introduced to try minor (or petty) crimes.

Berwick Quarter Sessions tried Peter Gentle in 1787. He was accused of stealing oats and barley from his employer. Margery Thompson, of Spittal, told the court that Peter had tried to sell her some of the grains. Gentle claimed that Thompson was mad and that he was not guilty.

The court found Peter guilty and sentenced him to transportation. As this notice shows, he broke out of the Berwick jail on 23 October 1787. A 10 guinea reward was offered for his capture.

The notice of Peter’s escape appeared in both Newcastle and Edinburgh newspapers, but we do not know if he was recaptured.

Before 1971 Britain used pounds (£), shillings (s) and pence (d). 12 pence were equal to 1 shilling and 20 shillings were equal to 1 pound. In this advertisement the reward was offered in guineas; 1 guinea was equal to £1 and 1 shilling. 10 guineas in 1787 is worth over £1500 in 2020.