It is recommended to start with this book; Audacious Gold theft of 1855 - Revisited:

The Sutton family - 1855 -1926 - A brief description of historical interest, where the ancestors of Stephen Sutton lived and worked for the Lord of the manor and continues several years later.

The Great Gold Robbery 1855: is based on a true story. When England and France declared war on Russia, in March 1854, the bank of Huddleston & Bradford was chosen to arrange for the payment of British troops fighting the Crimean campaign. Gold was chosen as the ideal universal currency due to the variations of differing counties exchange rates.
The daring heist is accredited to Tester, Burgess, and Pierce. The gold was never found.
Little was known about William Pierce - Until now!

.For three generations the Sutton family have lived and worked in the manor of Hams Hall. On the face of it, it looks a very idyllic setting, but prior to the arrival of the railway, unemployment haunted the village. The estate and village are owned by the Lord of the manor Andrew Hamilton. Even today employees work up to twelve hours a day for as little as eighteen shillings a week. Many families still cannot afford the rent and it is not uncommon for two families to share a house. Most of the village tenant's adults and children illegally work at the open-face coalfield, out necessary - dependent on any income.
Quite often there could be as many as five people sleeping in a room only eight feet by six.

Tragedy strikes on several occasions - triggering a series of events affecting the lives of many linked to the estate.

Matthew O` Conner, the gamekeeper, surveyed the rising river through his field glasses - alarmed at how quickly the water had risen towards the open-coalface. He spotted something moving in the water, he refocused - realising that it was children being tossed around in the fast current. He fired three shots from his shotgun as a distress warning to gain attention

Charlotte Hamilton eldest, daughter of the Lord & Lady, attended by her maid Jane, is encouraged to visit an Aunt, in London for a month. `You will have plenty of time to refine yourself and find a good-looking and wealthy young man who can support you in the lifestyle to which you have well become accustomed! '
While in London they are unaware of the horrific night of the storm at Hams Hall when Lightning strikes the manor house and fire engulfs the building. During her vacation Charlotte falls in love and secretly marries William, without informing her parents. Charlottes maid, admitted to William that she loathed Lord Hamilton for abusing her father's loyalty as gamekeeper, mistreating, and abusing his good will, working outside in all weather and not rewarded him for the long hours that he works.

Jane with help from William sought revenge against the Lord of the manor.

As for William Pierce, His employer may believe that he has an unblemished character however they are unaware that he consorts regularly between shifts with criminals around a card table. He is set on throwing away the prospect of a good career on a whim of making a quick buck, without effort, through dishonest, unscrupulous, and ethically dubious means leaving a trail of crime in both UK and USA whilst on route to claim a plot of land inherited by Charlotte's late uncle.

Many years later Brian Sutton discovers buried in the grounds, an old rusty strongbox its contents revealing the identity of William Pierce.

What happened to the missing Crimean gold?

All will be revealed in Chronicles of Hams Hall - 2 Theft of the illicit Gain.