This is a different report - it is a later report of continuation of the case perhaps??? from 1852.
Christine if you do a pdf of this as well please may I have a copy? Thanks so much.
This is important to read.
The sums of money involved are humongous. It appears Thomson was embezzled out of thousands of pounds.
It appears in this second report case, that Mellish was embezzling wages from the employees as well reporting them as having wages paid when in fact they were off sick and did not receive a penny.
Reference Number: t18520510-502
502. THOMAS ROBERT MELLISH and JAMES DOUGLAS were indicted for unlawfully conspiring to cheat and defraud Frederick Hale Thomson, and others, their masters.
MESSRS. CLARKSON, BALLANTINE, and DEARSLRY conducted the Prosecution.
https://www.oldbaileyonline.org/browse.jsp?name=18520510scroll down to number 502.
1) It seems from this account that Powell and sons definitely made at least one inkwell, and that Mr Thomson did the silvering:
'...
Q. When you first became acquainted with him, had he not an inkstand which belonged to Mr. Lund, which he was desirous of having silvered on your plan?
(Mr Thomson speaking here)
A. Some inkstands were sent, as I understood, by Mr. Lund, for me to try the process of silvering on, which I did—I cannot say whether Mellish brought them, but he knew of their being there—I believe he was
busy about them for Mr. Lund before I engaged him
—it was found that that inkstand, which was not a double hollow one, could not be so silvered as that the silver should resist the operation of the ink within it—Mulish did not then invent the double hollow inkstand which was afterwards silvered—I suggested it myself, in consequence of silvering Mr. Lund's inkstands and finding them fail—I suggested the idea of the double hollow to Mr. Mellish, and he, after a considerable period, did get one made at Messrs. Powell's by my direction—I then silvered it over; that answered—I believe Mellish was working for me at the time—I believe it was not before—I cannot quite recollect, but to the best of my belief he was working for me, carrying out this at Messrs. Powell's—I hired him to go to Messrs. Powell's.
COURT. Q. When was your first introduction to him by Mr. Powell? A, In the autumn of 1849; I had never seen him before—it was after that that this conversation took place about the inkstand—I believe it was after I had entered into the verbal agreement with him—I took him for the very purpose of making the inkstand and other things—I have no doubt in my own mind it was after, for I hired him especially to go to the glass house—before he came, I had been in the habit of silvering glass, but not enclosing it in the glass.'
2) It seems that the Thomson and Mellish patent was never put into operation anyway:
(this is Thomson speaking)
'...
in Aug. 1850, Mellish and I became joint patentees of an invention for improvements in cutting, staining, and silvering glass—it was understood if I look the patent out and paid for it, that he merely as my workman should assign it for a consideration—I asked him to fulfil the engagement he had made, and he declined to resign his interests in the patent—
I may perhaps state that the patent was never completed, for the machinery to carry it out bad never been made- ...'
3) More evidence here that Thomson and Varnish glass was being made at Powell's
Varnish speaking here about Mellish
'...
in the evening he would go down to Messrs. Powell's glass works, and be there perhaps half the night, getting things made under his own inspection—they were things which he had designed, made drawings of, and carried out—that was perhaps three or four times a week—he was also obliged to examine every article which had been made under his direction by the outdoor workmen, and see that it was properly made and determine the price to be properly charged for it—he was constantly occupied in the business—...'