QSR1893/1/5/3a,4

Depositions of Tom Henry Coleman, Builder of Bedford; Charles Busby, Police Constable of Stotfold; Andrew Pickering, Police Sergeant of Arlesey and Jesse Skinner, Carter of Sandy. In the case against George Seymour and John Seymour accused of stealing building materials from Tom Henry Coleman to the value of £5 on 9th November 1892

23 November 1892

From: 1892 To: 1893

Tom Henry Coleman said: I am a builder I was building a caretakers house for Sandy Cemetery – the prisoner George Seymour was foreman of the works for me – the other prisoner John Seymour was employed as a labourer on the works – from what I heard I applied for a search warrant and in company with the police I went to the prisoner’s house at Stotfold on the 15th November – I found there the following articles [listed] 17 Brozeley tiles; 34 four inch Staffordshire squares for floors; 22 half tiles for floors; 4 pieces of moulded bricks marked Brown’s London; 14 slates 20 by 10; 2 six inch drain pipes; 3 four inch drain pipes; 1 stone slab; 93 Building bricks made by Love, Sandy; 5 fourteen feet laths; 27 five feet laths; 3 nine feet Malch Boards; 10 pieces of floor boards various lengths; 4 pieces of quartering; 1 piece of board 5 feet long; 2 distemper brushes; 1 washing off brush; 2 scaffold cords; 1 knot of sash line; 4 pieces of hoop iron; 3 nine inch tower bolts; 1 Norfolk Handle; 2 packets of Cannon’s size; 1 tin of Ochre; 4 tins of paint and eight brushes; 1 keg of White Lead; 1 can of Oil; 20lbs weight of nails; 1 bag of cement;2 bags of Lime (marked Crawley & Son, Cambridge); 1 scaffold pole – they are all my property and are worth £5. [cross-examined] George is in my employ and has been for three years – the things found would be reasonable and useful for a jobbing builder. Charles Busby said: I am a Police constable stationed at Stotfold. On Tuesday 15 November 1892 I went in company with PS Pickering and Mr Coleman to the house of the prisoner George Seymour at Stotfold with a search warrant and in a Barn adjoining his house I found: [listed] 17 Brozeley tiles; 34 four inch Staffordshire squares; 22 half tiles for floor; 4 pieces moulded bricks; 14 slates; 27 five feet laths; 3 pieces of Malch boarding; 10 pieces of floor boards; 4 pieces of Quartering; 1 piece of board 5 feet long; 2 distemper brushes; 2 scaffold cords; 1 knot sash cord; 3 pieces iron Hooping; 3 Tower bolts; 1 Norfolk handle; 2 packets of size; 1 tin of Ochre; 4 tins of paint and eight brushes; 1 keg of white lead; 1 can of oil; 20lbs mixed nails; 1 bag of cement; 1 bag of lime. Mr Coleman identified them as his property I then went to Sandy and apprehended the prisoner on the charge of stealing wood, bricks and lime and other building materials the property of his master from Sandy on the 9th November 1892 the property of his master and I said to him ”You need not say anything if you do it may be used against you.” The prisoner replied “I should like to see Mr Coleman as I was going to pay for them on Saturday.” On Thursday the 17th November I served John Seymour with a summons charging him with aiding and abetting his father in the theft – the father George Seymour was present – John Seymour said “I only went home with Father.” George Seymour said “They cannot do anything with you” and the son replied “You had better plead guilty.” George Seymour replied “I shall plead guilty over the things from Sandy but there are some things that don’t belong to Mr Coleman.” All the articles were found in the prisoner George Seymour’s barn – I didn’t search his house. Andrew Pickering said: I am a Police Sergeant stationed at Arlesey. On Tuesday 15th November 1892 I went in company with Mr Coleman and PC Busby to the house of the prisoner George Seymour with a search warrant I found in his barn adjoining the house: [listed] 17 Broseley tiles; 22 Half tiles; 34 four inch Staffordshire squares; 4 pieces moulded bricks; 14 slates; 27 five feet laths; 3 pieces Malch boarding; 10 pieces floor boards; 4 pieces Quartering; 1 piece of board; 2 distemper brushes; 2 scaffold cords; 1 knot of sash cord; 3 pieces iron hooping; 3 iron Tower bolts; 1 Norfolk Handle; 2 packets of size; 1 tin of ochre; 4 paint tins; 8 paint brushes; 1 tin of white lead; I can of oil; 20lbs mixed nails; 1 bag of cement; 1 bag of lime. In a stable belonging to prisoner I found 5 glazed drain pipes; 93 building bricks; 1 stove slab; 5 fourteen feet laths; 1 bag of lime; 1 scaffold pole. IN the back bedroom I found on the wall 1 washing off brush. Mr Coleman identified them all as his property. I took possession of them and conveyed them to Biggleswade Police Station. Jesse Skinner said: I was employed by George Seymour on behalf of Mr Coleman in carting lime to the Caretaker’s house. On Tuesday Nov 8th I saw George Seymour near my house between there and the works – He asks me if I would let his son Jack have my horse and cart to take a few things over to Biggleswade where he had a little job. I said I would if I went with him. On Wednesday 9th I saw George Seymour he said shall we go tonight – I said I will after I have done my other work. He said that will do – I went from Sandy station to my house about 5pm about 10 minutes after John came to me and said we are ready. John and I with the horse and cart went up to the new building house at the cemetery – George Seymour was there - it was then about ¼ after 5pm. George said these are the things we want to take – I turned the horse round and him and his son commenced to put bricks in the cart and 3 bags of what I took to be lime. I was in the cart first. George said to Jack you get up (I was not packing the bricks to his liking). George put some pieces of stone in behind – I took them to be flag stones. I put the tail board in the cart and then some pieces of wood were thrown on the top – We all three started off towards Biggleswade with the horse and cart – We got to the Oak Bar Biggleswade and turned up the back way – I said Where are we going. George said up here a little further – I said I’ll have some beer and we all had some at “Then Sun”. When we came out I asked him where we was going He said “Up here”. George Seymour led the horse all the way from there and kept right on up to the Yorkshire Grey Bar me and John went in and had pint of beer and George went on with the horse – we caught him up at the Dunton Turn. I said how much further have we to go – He said we shall be to the Plough directly, - We shall have some beer – We kept on – we did not call at the Plough when we got there – I said How much further we got to go – George said A little further – a little further on John pointed to some lights and said You see those lights that is our house, where we are going. We got to a public house in Stotfold John and I stopped then I said I would go no further – John had some beer and went off after his father who had gone on with the horse an cart and about 20 minutes after the father (George) brought the horseand cart back to me at the public house we had some beer together – the cart was then empty – George and I came back to Sandy and arrived here a little after 12 in the night – I drove to my house and George went to his lodgings next door – He paid me the same night my charge 4 shillings. [cross-examined by Mr Lockhart] It was not daylight – I don’t think the people could see what was being loaded there was a hedge – the building is close to the road except for the hedge – He had bought a copper from me on the night of the9th – He did not tell me he wanted these few bricks from Mr Coleman to fit the copper – I do not know how many bricks would be required to fit it. [Re-examined] The copper would hold about a bushel (4 Gallons) he paid 3 shillings and sixpence for it we took it to Stotfold in the cart. Statements of the accused: George Seymour: I reserve my defence John Seymour: I say the same

13 pages

item

Seymour, George,
Seymour, John,
Coleman, Tom Henry,
Busby, Charles,
Pickering, Andrew,
Skinner, Jesse

BEDFORD, STOTFOLD, ARLESEY, SANDY, stealing, building materials, builders, carter