QSR1851/3/5/14-15

Depositions of Thomas Roberts, cattle dealer of Hockcliffe, William Placeham, lodging house keeper of Dunstable, Cornelius Sharpe, police consatble of Dunstable, William Clough, police constable of Hockcliffe, Elizabeth Placeham, wife of William, and Hannah Roberts, wife of Thomas. In the case of Joseph Blaze & George Nixon accused of stealing a ham

20 May 1851

From: 1851 To: 1851

Hannah Roberts: wife of Thomas a cattle dealer in Chalgrave. On 17 May she had a ham hanging in her room at her husband’s dwelling house. It was there at noon but she missed it between 1 and 2 o'clock. The front door was unfastened and she had been in the back of the house in the kitchen. She had heard nothing. On missing the ham she advised Constable Clough. Elizabeth Placeham: wife of William and keeper of a lodging house in Dunstable. On 17 May about 1 o'clock, Joseph Blaze and another man came to the house and engaged lodgings. Nixon arrived about 10 minutes later and asked after the men. She showed him to a room where the men were. Nixon spoke the men and said he could not keep up with them and then complained of the poor fire. She told him that when he paid for his lodging, he could have a better one. Nixon said he had no money but could offer a ham in exchange for one lodging. A ham was on the table in the room. She refused and told her husband. William Placeham: was advised by his wife of the men and went to the room they were in. A ham was on the table in 2 pieces. Nixon told him they had no money so would he take part of the ham as one lodging. He asked Nixon how he came by it, and Nixon said, from a friend in Towcester. He refused to have anything to do with the ham, and the men cooked it in the room and all part took of it. PC Shapre came to the house in the afternoon and Placeham told him of the ham. 2 of the men were upstairs and the other in the privy. When he heard of the enquiries that man took his coat and ran. The constable took the 2 men into custody. Cornelius Sharpe:on attending Placeham’s house he took 2 men into custody charged with stealing a ham. He found part of a ham in the lodging. Nixon said that he had not travelled with the other man more than 9 miles and had overtaken him and another man a mile this side of Hockliffe, but he had eaten part of the ham. William Clough: a police sergeant stationed at Hockliffe. Took the prisoner into custody from PC Sharpe, Blaze said he wished to make a statement. Blaze said that he had left Birmingham the previous Thursday and overtook Nixon, another man joined them and the 3 came on the road together then left Nixon behind, At Hockcliffe he called at Mrs Roberts to beg but not seeing anyone went on. The other man also stopped to beg but brought away the ham with him. The prisoner Nixon overtook them and they all went on to Dunstable, Nixon knew nothing of the robbery.Statement of the accused: Joseph Blaze - said he had no part in the robbery. He had called at a house seeking relief but could not be heard, so came away. The other man not in custody asked if he had got anything, and when he said no, the man said he would try. The man returned with a ham. Blaze told him to return it. In Dunstable they went to the lodging and as he was famished he eat some. George Nixon - he had left Birmingham on Thursday. He met Blaze who said he was going to London. They walked together all night and next day a Scotsman overtook them. Next day he came up with them a mile beyond Hockcliffe, and the Scotsman had a bundle which he said was a ham given to him. They walked together to the lodging house. They asked the landlady to give them lodging for some ham, she called her husband. The husband tried to deal with them for the ham. They ate the ham. He knew nothing of the robbery.

sub-file

Nixon, George,
Blaze, Joseph,
Roberts, Hannah,
Placeham, Elizabeth,
Placeham, William,
Sharpe, Cornelius,
Clough, William

CHALGRAVE, stealing, ham, sawyer, boiler makers