QSR1851/1/5/30-31

Depositions of: William Heley, labourer of Totternhoe, Thomas Heley, labourer of Totternhoe, James Tompkins, retail beer seller of Chalgrave, William Clough, police sergeant of Hockcliffe Elizabeth Heley, wife of William, Mary Woods, wife of Richard Woods licensed victualler of Hockcliffe. In the case of James Hedges & Elizabeth Brooks of Chalgrave, accused of uttering counterfeit coin.

4 December 1850

From: 1850 To: 1851

Elizabeth Heley: keeps a small grocer shop in Totternhoe. On 22 November, the male prisoner came to her shop and asked for an ounce of tobacco. He laid down a 5 shilling piece, and she gave him his change. She suspected the coin and compared it to another and found the colour different. She consulted a neighbour who said it was bad money. She went down to the village to see if she could see the prisoner, but he had gone. Thomas Heley: on 22 November, he was the 2 prisoners pass the barn in which he was working and they went towards Mrs Heley's shop. He wondered to himself if the young thin woman was the prisoner’s daughter or wife. He was later asked to look at the 5 shilling by Mrs Heley and agreed it was bad. He went with Mrs Healey's husband to Hockliffe to look for the man. They went to the Swan and asked the landlord if he had seen the prisoners. He said they were in bed together. William Heley: after being told of the coin by his wife, he started after the prisoners, with his brother Thomas. They traced the prisoners to Hockcliffe and informed Sergeant Clough of what had taken place. James Tompkins: he kept a beer shop in Wingfield, Chalgrave. On 22 November the prisoners came to his house and drank 3 pints of beer and eat. They did not stay long. The female prisoner laid down a 5 shilling piece, and his wife gave them change. On looking at the 5 shilling he believed it to be bad, and went after the prisoners. He met them going towards Hockcliffe. He challenged the male prisoner, who said he knew the coin to be good as he had it from his master. The female prisoner had walked on. The male prisoner and Tompkins went after he. Hedges told her that Tompkins thought the coin bad and she replaced that coin with a good 5 shillings. Tompkins left them. Mary Woods: wife of Richard, the keeper of the White Swan at Hockcliffe. On 22 November the prisoners came to the house and went to bed together. Soon after Clough came to enquire after the man and woman. At his request she went and searched the female prisoner. She found 5 shilling piece in her frock. William Clough: on 22 November having received information, he went to the White Swan where he found the couple in bed together. He searched the male and found 2 pence upon him. He directed the landlady to search the female and she found a 5 shilling piece and 4 shillings in silver.Statement of the accused: James Hedges: had been working at Royston until 20 November. He had been doing piece work on the Cambridge line. He stayed that night at a public house about 2 miles outside Royston. He then moved on to Hitchin, stopping at another public house, and then coming to Totternhoe via Luton to see someone he knew. He finally arrived at Hockcliffe. He was given 18 pence by a man on the road. Elizabeth Brooks: Hedges gave her the money to put in her pocket. He gave her the 5 shillings and went to buy tobacco with the other. They stopped at Tompkins house. He followed her and told her the money was bad. She had 4 shillings and 4 pence and Hedges gave her the remainder to repay Tompkins. Tompkins told her not to buy anything else with the bad money and she agreed. As she went up the road she thought she threw away the bad five shilling but it was dark and wet and afterwards she thought she may have discarded a penny instead. She did not realise she still have the bad 5 shilling went the landlady searched her.

item

Brooks, Elizabeth,
Hedges, James,
Heley, William,
Heley, Thomas,
Tompkins, James,
Clough, William,
Heley, Elizabeth,
Woods, Mary

passing counterfeit coin, TOTTERNHOE, CHALGRAVE, Royston, beer seller, victualler