Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue
  • Reference
    QSR1841/4/5/23/a
  • Title
    Depositions - Catherine Elizabeth Boston, charged with stealing a watch and 4 promissory Bedford Bank notes for £5 each from William Stapleton
  • Date free text
    26 August 1841
  • Production date
    From: 1841 To: 1841
  • Scope and Content
    William Stapleton of Hop Pole Yard, Cauldwell Street, St Mary Bedford, labourer - on Saturday 14 August he missed four £5 notes of Mr Burnard's Bedford Bank and a silver watch with a chain and key from a locked box which stood in his chamber a little way from his bed. He had not seen the watch for 2 or 3 weeks - it had lost the glass so he did not carry it about. He is great uncle to Catherine Boston. She lives in Parish Court at the back of Hop Pole yard, but in the week he lost the notes and watch she lodged next door but one to him in Hop Pole Yard. His daughter Mary Stapleton, a person of weak mind, lives in the same house as him but no one else. Boston used occasionally to go to his bedchamber to make his bed, and did so in the course fo the week in which he lost his money and watch. He never sent her to his box. He used to hide the key on a shelf in a corner of his bedroom behind a bobbin wheel. He never opened the box before her nor told her nor anyone else where the key was. He never allowed anyone to go to the box except himself. When he missed the notes and watch he found the box locked as usual and the key in the place where he always left it. He thinks the lock must have been picked. The cloth in which the notes were wrapped up was undone when he missed the notes. About 3 months ago he missed 4s 6d from his breeches pocket which hung in his bedroom. Soon after that he missed 19s 6d from the pocket of his other breeches which hung on the opposite side of his bed. William Cosford of Hop Pole Yard, Cauldwell Street, St Mary Bedford, pensioner from Greenwich Hospital - after the notes were lost he was present when the prisoner told his wife she had been given a beautiful present of a brooch and a sovereign. He said she was very lucky. A few days afterward he heard her say she had another present of 8 sovereigns. Her father is a labouring man. She has been out at service. Godfrey Levy the elder of Conduit Street, St Pauls Bedford, jeweller and watchmaker - about 2 or 3 months ago he was at Cole's house in Hop Pole Yard. He was called in as he went by. He swapped a watch for a pair of ear rings with a young woman. He valued the watch at 7s 6d and gave her 4s or 4s 6d besides the ear rings. He thinks the young woman was Boston but cannot swear to it. A little girl, a daughter of Coles, was present. It was a doubled case old fashioned silver watch with no glass. There was a steel chain and 2 keys to it. He had it repaired by Mr Haines the watchmaker in St Mary's and later sold it to Cox the potman he thinks for 10s. He later received the watch back in exchange for another and has since sold it again to a stranger. The young woman told him that her uncle gave her the watch, that it was an old family concern and she did not wish to part with it, but wanted a few shillings for her supper and some ear rings. The ear rings are those produced by Clark the constable. Maria Irons of Parish Court, St Pauls Bedford, spinster - she knows Catherine Boston. She was brought up next door to her. About 3 weeks or a month ago a very handsome basket came directed to Catherine Elizabeth Boston from Northampton. Boston can't read writing so asked her to read the direction when the basket came. She saw Boston open the basket in her [Irons] mother's house. There were several articles of clothing and a sovereign and gold brooch in the basket and a letter which she read (now produced, marked A). The little needle box and pouch now produced were in the basket. A fortnight ago tomorrow Boston came to their house with the letter now produced marked B and asked her to read it - her sister took the letter and read it out. She saw 8 sovereigns in the letter. Boston said she received it from a friend. She saw the earrings now produced in Boston's ears both yesterday and that morning - Boston slept at their house last night. After this she heard it was said she had taken her uncle's money and watch. She heard Boston had gone up the Kempston Road and went after her. She met her as she was getting over the stile by the Infirmary. She told Boston of the scandal and Boston told her not to get into trouble on her account. Boston said "I'll go somewhere". She went with her some way. Boston told her she had money to get anything if she wanted it. Then Clarke came and apprehended her. Boston had told her the previous day she would go to London when she had an opportunity. Boston told her she had bought the earrings off a Jew, but did not mention his name. James Clark, constable of Borough of Bedford - from information received he went in pursuit of Boston that morning and met her on the Mile Road between Elstow Great Tree and the turn to Harrowden. He told her a robbery had been committed and she must go back with him. Cosford went with him and mentioned where the robbery had been committed. The young woman Irons who was with the prisoner said she knew nothing about it. Boston said nothing. At his house he asked Boston what money she had in her possession. She gave him the pink purse now produced containing a brown purse with 2 sovereigns and 2 shillings; a sixpence and 3 halfpence were in the pink purse. She was going to give Maria Irons her keys, but he took them and searched a box at her father's house in the presence of her sister, in which he found the letters marked A and B, the directions marked P6 in red ink, and the needle box and brooch.
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