Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue
  • Reference
    QSR1841/1/5/20/a
  • Title
    Depositions of David Two, William Risely, Edward Billington, Henry Brittain, Thomas Craft and Joseph Harris - Thomas Freeman alias Dimmock charged with stealing one bottle of wine
  • Date free text
    7 December 1840
  • Production date
    From: 1840 To: 1841
  • Scope and Content
    David Two of Marston Moretaine, carrier - on Saturday December 5 he saw two hampers of wine in his cart in the High Street, St Paul's, Bedford at about 4pm. They were put in his cart for him to carry to Mr Inskip's at Marston. He left the Hop Pole about 8.45pm. He drove to Inskip's house and put the hampers in a lean-to as directed by Inskip's servant Martha. They were delivered in the same state they were in when he left the Hop Pole. He was informed the previous day that one bottle was missing, but he did not miss it himself. He cannot say how the hampers were fastened. He knows the prisoner - he rode part of the way to Bedford with him in his cart on Saturday morning.He did not see him after he saw the hampers in his cart in the High Street. The cart was under the ostler's care at the Hop Pole. He was quite sober. William Risely of Gravel Lane, St Paul's, Bedford, wine porter - on Saturday between 3 and 4pm his master Joseph Browne delivered 72 bottles of port wine to him to pack in two 3 dozen hampers. He tied down the hampers with cord in the usual way and delivered them to Edward Billington, Mr Edward Foster's man. He helped Billington put them into a cart at the door and saw him drive off with them. He is sure there were the right number when he delivered them to Billington. They were to go to Mr Inskip at Marston by Two's cart. It was Two's cart he helped to put the hampers into. Edward Billington of St Mary, Bedford, ostler at the Hop Pole in St Mary's - on Saturday between 3 and 4pm he went to Joseph Browne's the wine merchant by order of David Two the carrier and collected the two hampers of wine. On his way down the High Street he met David Two and told him he had got the wine. Two told him to take it to their yard. He took it to the Hop Pole Yard. He left the horse standing in the cart and went about his other work about the yard and stables. The cart was out of his sight. He saw Freeman come in the yard with David Two in the morning. Freeman went past the cart as they were loading it at Browne's. About 5pm he saw Freeman come into their yard with a sow. About 7pm he saw Freeman standing against the cart. The other ostler asked him what Freeman was after. He took no further notice of Freeman as he was busy sweeping his yard. About 9pm he saw Freeman in the Hop Pole tap room. Henry Brittain of St Mary, Bedford, ostler at the Hop Pole - he saw Billington drive David Two's cart into the Hop Pole Yard. As it was getting dusk he saw Freeman in the yard. Freeman asked him where David Two was. He said Two was gone up town and would soon be back. Between 7 and 8pm he saw Freeman go to the offside of the cart but did not see him do anything. A minute later after he had gone about 6 yards from the cart Freeman turned back, went to the near side and got into the cart. He did not see what Freeman did. He asked Billington about Freeman - Billington said he knew him and that he was "as harmless as a dove". About 30 to 45 minutes later he saw Freeman and four other men in the house in the tap room. Freeman sat near the gas light. Some of the other men said in Freeman's hearing that they had been tasting the bottle of wine in his pocket. He saw Freeman put a bottle to his mouth and apparently drink out of it. He said nothing to Freeman and did not look at the bottle. He heard Freeman say it was wine he got in the kitchen. Freeman was drunk. Thomas Craft , constable of the borough of Bedford - last Saturday about 11pm he was on watch in the South Ward. He saw Freeman being put out of the Angel. He helped to get him out. Freeman was very drunk. Freeman told him they had ill-used him, broken his bottle and spilt his wine. The next morning on his round he found the fragments of a wine bottle in the street. Joseph Harris, ostler at the Angel Inn, Bedford - he saw Freeman in the Angel. Freeman seemed fresh. He broke a window and was riotous. At his mistress's order he assisted in putting him out. He fell when they put him out and he heard the breaking of glass. He saw parts of a broken bottle lying close by where he fell. He swept them to one side and threw the bottom of the bottle by the drain.
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