QSR1851/1/5/38

Depositions of Thomas Ellliott, farmer, William Hills, police constable, Samuel Mardlin, yeoman and Robert Mardlin, yeoman all of Blunham. In the case of Thomas Johnson accused of stealing a fowl.

21 December 1850

From: 1850 To: 1851

Samuel Mardlin: on 25 December about half past eleven, he heard his fowls making a noise as if disturbed. He took a candle to his henhouse where he saw the prisoner Johnson, lying on a stack of billet which was placed to one side of the hen house. He called but Johnson would not come down. So he called for a key and lock, but the prisoner then came down. The fowl was bought to his house, but was not quire dead. When he asked the prisoner what he was doing in the hen house he said he was going to lodge there. He said that Johnson did not have permission for this. Thomas Elliott: is neighbour to Samuel Mardlin and their premises joined at the barn. His fowls mixed with Mardlin’s. The fowl produced was his property and there was no other like it in the parish. Robert Mardlin: His father went to the hen house about quarter past eleven. Johnson had come down from the henhouse just before he arrived with the lantern. He found the fowl on the billets almost dead. The recognized the fowl as one which used to roost in their hen house but it did not belong to is father. He thought the hen had been killed by chocking or strangling. William Hills: took the prisoner into custody and put him in the cage. he said he knew why he had been charged.

item

Elliott, Thomas,
Mardlin, Samuel,
Mardlin, Robert,
Johnson, Thomas,
Hills, William

BLUNHAM, stealing, fowl