QSR1851/2/5/2

Depositions of George Gibbs, tailor, Thomas Grant, miller, John Deacon, marine store dealer, and William Edwards, police constable, all of Leighton Buzzard In the case of Henry Wybrow, 14 years old, labourer of Leighton Buzzard accused of stealing lead from a Baptist Chapel.

17 March 1851

From: 1851 To: 1851

George Gibbs: a tailor of Leighton Buzzard and also a Trustee of the Ebenezer Baptist Chapel. On 18 March, the deacons of the chapel informed him that lead had been stolen from the chapel roof. He informed Constable Edwards. The lead appeared to have been worked backwards and forwards and torn off forcibly. Last Michaelmas, the chapel had been repaired and the lead put on the roof to keep out the rain. He believed the value of the lead 5 shillings. Thomas Grant: the mill her worked at was near the chapel. On 17 March, between 3 and 4 o'clock, he saw the prisoner kneeling on the lower roof of the chapel. He watched him for some time and saw him make a cutting action. He thought at the time he was stealing lead and Grant went closer to see. He saw Wybrow break something off and replace it with pieces of slate. He knew the prisoners identify. Next day he advised his master of what had taken place. He had seen the boy get off the roof and but he got away before Grant could reach him. John Deacon: on the afternoon of 17 March, the prisoner came to the shop and asked him to buy a piece of lead. He gave the prisoner 2 pence halfpenny for it. The prisoner was a stranger to him. William Edwards: on 18 March he was advised by Gibbs of the missing lead. Grant identified Henry Wybrow as the person who had taken it. At first the prisoner denied it but on being taken into custody he said that he had stolen the lead. Wybrow had sold it to deacon to play 'pitch and hussle'.Statement of the accused : stated that he should not have thought about playing 'pitch' but the boys down the north end were always bothering him to play.

item

Wybrow, Henry,
Grant, Thomas,
Deacon, John,
Edwards, William,
Gibbs, George

LEIGHTON BUZZARD, stealing, lead, games, Baptist chapels