On Saturday, April 7th, 1798, Robert Hollingworth and George Ledger were executed at the Tyburn without Micklegate Bar, for highway robbery at York.
Hollingworth and Ledger, the former a labourer, and the latter a shoemaker, both of Rotherham, had long been the terror of the neighbourhood, particularly to persons attending market leaving after dark for the country. They had robbed at different times, in the neighbourhood of Rotherham, Mr. William Wing, of Kimberworth Park; Mr. Spurr, of the Ewes; Mr. Matcham, of Ravenfield; Mr. Hinchcliffe, of Rotherham Mr. Wood, of the Haugh; Mr. Whitehead, of Whiston ; Mr. Shaw, of Whitwell; Mr. Wildsmith of Ravenfield; and Mr. Parker, of Brinsworth.
Hollingworth confessed to these different robberies, also to breaking into the shop of William Thompson, shoemaker, at Tinsley, and taking a quantity of hide and calf leather. These two were never seen together in the day time, and were, as was generally thought, perfect strangers to each, other. That two men — one a stout tall man, and the other a broad-set man, were well known as being the parties who committed the robberies, and it was also believed that they were Rotherham men. This game they carried on several years, without being in the slightest suspected; for Ledger, the lesser, kept a shoemaker's shop at the bottom of the Shambles, and was always at work, although a great cock-fighter. The other, also, was at no time seen idling or slinking about, and was never known to be in Ledger's shop. Though these robberies were frequent, and carried out with such desperate determination, the authorities were totally at fault, and seemed to suspect any one but the right men. That which led to their capture was, the stopping of William Nicholson, a carrier, on Thorne Common, near the Red House, at the dead hour of the night. This man made a stout resistance, being a very powerful fellow and good game. He and his dog held them at bay a considerable time, and a most terrible and bloody fight took place, after which the robbers deemed it prudent to retire. In the scuffle, Hollingworth's hat fell off, as did also Nicholson's; and each got the other's hat. Nicholson, called them up at the Red House (occupied by Mr. Matthew Ellis) and presented a woeful appearance, being covered with blood and dirt. He then discovered that he had changed hats with one of the robbers, and early the next morning it was handed over to the authorities, who soon discovered, from the hatter's name, from whom it was purchased. The hatter, on being applied to, recollected selling such a hat to Hollingworth. They immediately sent a person with it to Hollingworth's wife, and on the question being asked if she knew it, she at once said it was her husband's. Hollingworth was arrested at his work the same day, and thinking to save himself, impeached his companion. When the constables went to arrest Ledger, who was hard at work in his shop, he was talking to several people upon the all engrossing subject of the robbery, which had spread like lightning first thing in the morning. Thomas Raper, of the Ickles, who was waiting for him finishing mending his shoes, one of the parties in the shop when the constables entered, said his colour came and went very quick; and Ledger declared he did not know such a man as Hollingworth; that he was in bed at the time of the robbery; and, by his firmness, seemed to create doubts in the minds of the authorities at first, as to whether he was really the right man. However, both were committed to the assizes, and, but for a fresh piece of evidence, which seemed accidentally to arise, it was believed that Hollingworth's evidence would not have hung him. As has been already stated, they stopped Mr. Wm. Wing, some years before, on his way home from Rotherham market to Kimberworth, and robbed him of his money and watch. This watch was sold by Ledger, some time after, to a recruiting sergeant, who was about leaving the town. The sergeant happening to return to Rotherham at the time when the chief topic of conversation was the enumeration of the robberies, as confessed to by Hollingworth; and Mr. Wing's watch being frequently named, it struck the soldier, that on his leaving Rotherham several years ago, he purchased a watch from Ledger, which he then had upon him. On this being made known, Mr. Wing's watchmaker desired to see the watch, and said that if it was the one stolen it would have in it a wheel of a certain description, different somewhat to the rest of the works; and this being found to be as the watchmaker stated, corroborated Hollingworth's statement. and both received sentence of death.
After condemnation, it was found necessary to keep them in separate cells, for Ledger became so furious, bordering almost on madness, declaring he would murder Hollingworth, and even on their way to the gallows would have struck him had not the executioner taken the precaution to pinion him before he left the Castle.
Hollingworth was a native of Bramley, near Rotherham, where he married Mary Robinson in October, 1791. Mary resided here many years after his execution, and taught at a small school.
Some of the Hollingworth family sold their land at Wickersely/Bramley, as they obviously felt the embarrassment and shame and after 'hiding' for several years bought land at Bolton-on-Dearne in the early 1800s and remained there.