Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue
  • Reference
    QSR1851/2/5/3/a
  • Title
    Depositions of Mary Smith, wife of William, of Wilden, Henry Ison Jebbett, police superintendent, St Peter's Bedford and Susan Fuller, spinster of Wilden. Wiliam Beach, police sergeant. In the case of William Goodman of Wilden accused of breaking & entering Evidence also refers to Benjamin Hartop as the joint accused - commited in the Ephiphany 1851 session
  • Date free text
    1 November 1850
  • Production date
    From: 1850 To: 1851
  • Scope and Content
    Mary Smith: lived with her husband William in Wilden. On the night of 13 October, she left home around 7 o'clock. She fastened the only door, with an iron pin. She left nobody in the house except the children who were in bed. Some cake, butter, coffee, sugar and meat were in the house when she left. She returned with her husband, who she had met shortly after leaving the house, about 11 o'clock. She found the door open. She stuck a light and found cake crumbs by the door along with a box Lucifer’s matches, sprinkled amongst the cake. She noted the cake, butter, sugar, meat had gone, and the cloth which had covered the cake was on the floor. Susan Fuller: lived with her mother and father next door to the Smith’s in Wilden. On 13 October, after she had gone to bed, 2 lads came to the door. They were George Edwards and Samuel Fensom. She left the house with Edwards. She saw William Goodman about 3 chains from Mary Smith's house. Goodman, Fensom and Edwards went away together. On 24 October she went to Goodman's house and told him about the housebreaking. He told her he hoped she would say nothing about seeing him that evening. She said that she would say nothing unless forced. Her window had broken on the same night and Goodman said he would pay something to it. Henry Ison Jebbett: on 31 October, whilst moving the prisoners from Barford to Bedford, they both talked of the robbery and expressed sorrow for it. They thought it might be settled. Susan Fuller had told them it could be settled by them each passing 5 shillings, and that she had to make up 15 shillings to take to Police Sergeant Beach by Wednesday and nothing more would be said about it. They said that Wilden Feast night, they went in the company of Edwards and Fensom to Fullers house. They called Fuller's girls up and Master Fuller got up and let Fensom and Edwards. They went next door and put their shoulder to the door and the door fell in. They went inside and helped themselves to some plum cake. Jebbett asked if they took any mutton, and they replied they had only taken plum cake and they thought it was part of Fuller's house. William Beach: apprehended Goodman and told him of the charge. He said had had suspected Beach would come and Susan Fuller had told him it could be settled by him and Hartop paying 5 shillings a piece. Beach cautioned him and he said he would tell the truth about it all. Goodman said that on the night of Wilden feast, he, Edwards, Fensom and Hartop had left and gone to Fullers house. Fensom and Edwards went into the house and whilst they were they Hartop went next door and put his shoulder against the door. It flew open. Goodman went in after him. He took some plum cake and gave some to Hartop. The told beach he knew of nothing except the cake. Beach appended Hartop on the same day and charged him. Hartop said he'd tell him all about it. He said they he had left Wilden feast with Edwards, Fensom and Goodman. They had gone down to Fuller house, where Edwards and Fensom had gone it. He went next door and put his back against a door, and fell it. Goodman took the cake and Hartop ate a piece about the size of his finger. He said Goodman had told him it could be settled if he paid 5 shillings. He said he had thought it part of Fullers house and knew of nothing except the cake.
  • Level of description
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