• Reference
    QSR1851/3/5/41/a
  • Title
    Depositions of William Scrivener, victualler of Houghton Regis, Mary Ann, his wife and John Keating, police constable. In the case of William Sharpe (the younger) accused of stealing bottles and ginger beer mixture
  • Date free text
    12 May 1851
  • Production date
    From: 1851 To: 1851
  • Scope and Content
    Mary Ann Scrivener: her husband kept the Unicorn Public House in Houghton Regis. On 9 May between 9 and 10 o'clock she saw William Sharp in the yard. he had been employed by her husband to wash ginger beer bottles. He had no business in the yard at that time. She went upstairs and watch through the window. Sharpe went to the outhouse and then to the Dunghill 3 times. She saw the prisoner had something in his hand but could not say what it was. She told her husband she thought something was wrong. William Scrivener: on 9 May the prisoner left the house and bid him goodnight about 10 o'clock. In consequence of what his wife told him, he went upstairs and looked out of the window. He saw the prisoner come up the alley by the house and into the yard, and then went straight to the Dunghill. Scrivener went to him and asked his business. He saw Sharpe pushing a glass bottle into the straw. As they were speaking a stone bottle fell from Sharpe’s smock frock. He said he was very sorry and would not have done it had it not been for other parties. He searched the Dunghill and found more bottles, 4 glass and 4 stone. John Keating: leading from information received he went to the Dunghill at Scrivener's house and found 4 stone and 4 glass bottles. He took custody of the prisoner and on the way to the cage he spoke to Scrivener and said he had only 2 of the bottles and would not have taken them if he had not been persuaded by others.
  • Level of description
    item