QSR1840/4/5/16-17

Depositions and examinations - Jane Clare and Matilda Sinfield

27 August 1840

From: 1840 To: 1840

William Dawborn of Woburn, labourer - he works for Thomas Paxton. Last Saturday 22 August he was keeping away birds from his wheat in a Close in Woburn Parish. The wheat was in shocks. Several people came into the close, with William Burgess, Jane Clare and Matilda Sinfield among them. He saw Burgess go up to a shock of wheat and pull wheat in the straw out of the shock. He took two handfuls. He saw Jane Clare and Matilda Sinfield go to another shock of wheat and also pull wheat in the straw out of the shock. They were further from him than Burgess. He did not see how much they took. They all three took the wheat out of the Close. No wheat had been carted out of the close. Thomas Paxton of Potsgrove, farmer - on Saturday he went into the Close and found two shocks much pulled about. He believed more than 2 sheaves out of each shock had been taken. He asked William Dawborn who had been pulling the shocks about. He said the leasers [gleaners] had been in the close, and said that William Burgess, Jane Clare and Matilda Sinfield had taken wheat in the straw out of the shocks. He said others had wheat in their hands but he did not see them take it out of the shocks. Jane Clare - says she took a few ears of wheat out of the shock Matilda Sinfield - says she also took a few ears of wheat out of the shock

item

Clare, Jane,
Sinfield, Matilda,
Dawborn, William,
Paxton, Thomas,
Burgess, William

WOBURN, POTSGROVE, stealing, wheat, gleaning