Not guilty
The accusation backfired when the Yorkes took Ellen to court for theft and Ellen was found not guilty by the jury; a sign of the times perhaps?
Discover more about Ellen Penketh’s story on our guided tour, ‘A Housekeeper’s Tale’ and decide for yourself who was guilty in this sorry story.
Tessa Boase
Ellen Penketh is featured in Tessa Boase’s book ‘The Housekeepers’ Tale’ on sale in Erddig’s shop which draws on new sources to tell extraordinary stories of women who ran some of Britain’s most prominent households. Besides Ellen’s tale, there is an unwanted pregnancy, a forbidden love affair and a prison sentence.