QSR1839/3/5/18/a

Deposition of Mary Brooks, aged 13, daughter of James Brooks of Cople, collector of turnpike tolls - Thomas Brown accused of assault

15 April 1839

From: 1839 To: 1839

About 9 weeks ago on Thursday night she was going home from Cople Gate to Roxton Gate after seeing her father at Cople Gate. A little beyond Willington a boy she did not know came out of a gate "very sudden". He had a dog. Her younger brother Abijah Brooks who is 3 years younger than her was with her. The boy told her brother to run on or he would kill him. Her brother seemed frightened and ran. She tried to run but the boy would not let her. He held her by her shoulder. She screamed. She saw a man and a boy coming along the same close the boy came out of. After she screamed he threw her down on the road, stooped over her and tried to hold her down. She struggled hard to get up - he struck her in the face, knocked her down and made her nose bleed. The boy ran away into the gate, then came back and set the dog on her, which tore a hole in her cloak - he called the dog off. She went on homewards, and at this point saw the man and the boy in the field. She overtook her brother who was waiting for her by the hedge side. A little later Mr Robinson's cart caught them and they ran behind it. She did not tell the man in the cart what had happened. There was blood on the road where the boy knocked her down. After she got past the boy a good way he called "bitch" after her. She has since seen the boy twice at her house - his name is Thomas Brown.

item

Brown, Thomas,
Brooks, Mary,
Brooks, Abijah,
Brooks, James,
Robinson

assault, COPLE, WILLINGTON, Cople Gate, Roxton Gate