QSR1840/1/5/3-4/a

Deposition of Thomas Shelton of St Paul Bedford, butcher - Thomas Teedon and James Ames charged with stealing potatoes

28 October 1839

From: 1839 To: 1840

He employed Thomas Teedon to dig potatoes in a field in the parish of St Paul Bedford, and James Ames to dig gravel in the same field on Wednesday 9 October. He was suspicious and went roung by Biddenham to meet them on their return from work about 6.15pm. He also employed William Ames, son of James Ames to dig gravel with his father and they were all there together. James Ames was walking some yards before the others. He carried a basket containing potatoes. He admitted taking a few. They turned back and met the others - William Ames was carrying a sack with something in it. They came back with him, and he emptied the potatoes from the basket into the sack and locked them up in his barn. There was between 1 and 2 bushels in the sack and about 1/2 peck in the basket. They offered to pay for the potatoes but he refused. The potatoes matched his other potatoes in quality, and his name was on the sack.

item

Teedon, Thomas,
Ames, James,
Shelton, Thomas,
Ames, William

stealing, potatoes, butcher, gravel, Bedford St.Paul, BIDDENHAM