Mr George Ottaway had run a most successful jewellers and pawnbroking business at Rotherham for several years by December of 1892. Most of his business success came from the shops popular situation on Masbrough Bridge, which was just on the outside of the town. People wishing to pawn objects would be less likely to be seen, as those using pawnbrokers in the centre of the town itself. Also the building itself was of such a higgledy-piggledy nature which would seem to attract thieves. On the night of Thursday 2 December, pawnbroker George was away on business in London. He had therefore left the premises in the charge of his son Richard and a shop assistant, Thomas Smithers.

More than likely taking advantage of his fathers absence, Richard and Thomas decided to shut the premises early at 1 pm before going into Rotherham itself. They returned around ten o clock and shortly afterwards went to bed. Around 2 a.m. Richard woke suddenly after hearing the shop dog barking downstairs. He called the assistants attention to the sound, but Thomas commented that the dog barked easily at passers-by, so the pair gave little thought to getting out of bed and investigating. So it was around 8 am the following morning, when the two men were preparing to open the shop, when Thomas approached the front door. To his alarm he found that it had been unlocked from inside the building.

He called Richard’s attention to it and a careful search was made. Only at that point did both men realise that a most serious robbery had taken place. They found that entry into the building had been made through one of the sitting room windows, which was situated above the shop premises. This particular window overlooked an open passage leading to the back door, which was easily reached by a low roof covering a small extension. It was later found that the thieves had opened the window by simply inserting a sharp knife and pushing back the catch which kept the window closed. Inside was a room which was protected by an iron gate, however this was easily removed from the wood frame surrounding it.

Once inside, Richard found that the thieves had opened a large cabinet and taken drawers out from which several, valuable items were missing. These consisted of gold and silver watches, brooches, and gold chains, which had all been carried off. Thankfully the robbers had ignored the windows of the shop which also held expensive items, where nothing looked to have been disturbed. Richard and his assistant made an inventory and found that the thieves had absconded with stolen booty which was to the value of more than £500. This was a massive amount of jewellery to have been stolen.

The following day that Sheffield Daily Telegraph dated Saturday 3 December 1892 noted:

‘One of the most extensive burglaries committed in Rotherham for several years was brought to light yesterday morning. It was impudent in its character, and careful planning to avoid observation, which leads to the conclusion that cracksmen of more than ordinary experience have been at work’.

Sadly that was not the end to Mr George Ottaway’s troubles. On Friday 20 January of the following year a thief called William Thomas Clegg of Westgate, Rotherham was brought before the Rotherham magistrates. He was charged with stealing goods which had been hung on shop doorways and pawning them. In this manner Clegg had stolen a jacket worth 7s 6d from the shop doorway of Mr George Ottaway and pawned it at another shop in the town, claiming it to be his own. Nevertheless the shopman’s suspicions were aroused and Clegg was arrested and sentenced to a months prison. In court, George Ottaway asked for the costs of the jacket to be repaid back to him, but the bench refused.

The magistrates informed him that they considered that the hanging of good for sale on shops doors created a temptation for poor people. Therefore they suggested that all goods should be kept on the inside of the shops. This small theft however must have been the last straw for pawnbroker George Ottaway as by September of the same year his premises were advertised to be let as:

‘A large pawnbrokers sales shop and dwelling house in a good position, late owned by Mr Ottaway.’

Interested parties were advised to contact estate agent Mr W. Taylor, of Bridge Street, Rotherham. However the magistrates words had little effect as local shop keepers continued to hang goods on the outside doors of their shops.