Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue
  • Reference
    QSR1840/1/5/8/a
  • Title
    Depositions of William Arnold of Barton, labourer, Thomas Kefford of Hitchin, fishmonger, and Francis Fowler of Barton, yeoman, and examination of Samuel Wootley of Barton, charged with stealing a watch from John Mannings
  • Date free text
    1 November 1839
  • Production date
    From: 1839 To: 1840
  • Scope and Content
    William Arnold - he is employed by Mr Fowler and was largess drinking at the Coach and Horses at Barton with Mannings on the night he was robbed. Mannings went over to the Crown and about 3/4 hour later he followed him. He found Mannings drunk and urged him to come out. He saw Mannings take out a canvass purse with some silver in it to pay, then put the purse and the rest of his money back in his pocket. He took Mannings out - at the door he kicked against something and fell down. Just as he got him up Wootley and another man came up and asked who it was. He took Mannings across to the Coach and Horses and took him to lie down in the hovel - Wootley saw this. He returned to the Coach and Horses, then in about half an hour returned to check on Mannings. He found his smock frock turned up and his pockets inside out. A man named Bly was with him - Bly told him he had been robbed. Mannings felt in his pockets and found his watch was gone, and his money and knife and all. Thomas Kefford - he is a fishmonger and was at Shefford market on a Friday in mid-September. He had not been there before. his stall was near James Nicholls' and he saw Wootley trying to sell Nicholls a watch. Nicholls offered a sovereign for it. As he wanted a watch he went over and bought the watch from Wootley for a sovereign and a hundred of herrings and new [??]. He left the watch at Mrs Barrett's at Hitchin. Francis Fowler - Mannings and Arnold are labourers in his employment. He gave them leave to go down to Barton to drink their largess on Wednesday 11 September. He heard of the robbery the next morning and on Saturday 21 September went over to Hitchin and went with Spencer to Mrs Barretts at Hitchin. A little girl gave Spencer the watch now produced. Samuel Wootley - knows nothing at all about it.
  • Level of description
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