QSR1785/81

Information of Ann Smith of Blunham, widow.

27 August 1785

From: 1785 To: 1785

"Who saith that she is a pauper of the said parish of Blunham and was a gleaning on Wednesday last being the 24th of this present month in the common fields of Blunham aforesaid in company with Mary Emery of the said Parish, spinster & several others that about 2 or 3 o'clock in the afternoon of the said day, whilst she & the rest of the said poor people were gleaning after the cart of Mr Matthew West of the said Parish, Farmer upon the lands of the said Mr West in the Mer-Furlong in Harnfield in the said Parish of Blunham, she this informant with the said Mary Emery and the other gleaners on account of a heavy shower of rain which then & there fell, were obliged to sit down and leave off gleaning. That during this period as they were lamenting one to another that they must go home without their usual quantity of grain or gleaning this informant on her oath saith that the said Mary Emery openly declared that she would not go home without her Bundle, and that there was Barley enough in the field, lieing upon the lands near to them, and that she would have some before she went home and not come for nothing, or words to this effect, and that she did in consequence of this resolution go upon the land of John Wilcher (another Farmer in the said Parish) adjoining to them, and thereof took about the Quantity of a couple of lapful of loose or mowed barly put it into an open sack (used occasionally for that purpose of carrying home their grain), which she had then with her, and that when she the said Mary Emery was told it was Master Wilcher's Barly, she returned for answer is it Wilcher's? and said she'd then make up her Bundle some where else, but that she the said Mary Emery never offer'd to replace this Barly which she took of Wilsher's but brought it home with her and then went to a land of Mr West and took some more Barly off that to make her load up. And that she appear'd to this informant to do it in a felonious and acious [?] manner in defiance of justice and with a wicked heart purposely and designedly to defraud the said John Wilcher of his said Property and not in a wanton jocon manner or what is commonly called playing the Rogue or in Fun." Signed with the mark of Ann Smith and by justice of the peace Phil Monoux.

item

Smith, Ann,
Emery, Mary,
West, Matthew,
Wilcher, John

gleaning, BLUNHAM, theft