QSR1841/4/5/35/a

Depositions - James Halfhead charged with stealing a cask from Thomas Revis

2 October 1841

From: 1841 To: 1841

Thomas Revis of Olney, auctioneer - he had a sale by auction at the Rose Inn Bedford on Monday 27 September when he sold a cask to John Vickers. The goods he sold were the property of the assignees of Mr Charles Woolston but were in his custody for the purposes of sale. John Vickers of the Nags Head, Wells Street, St Paul Bedford, victualler - at the sale at the Rose he bought among other lots several casks. When he went for the casks on Tuesday morning he missed a 30 gallon cask with both the end hoops off. It was marked B D cut in large letters close to the bung about the middle of the cask. On Wednesday morning from information he received he went to Halfhead's house in Gravel Lane. Halfhead was not at home and he told Mrs Halfhead he had come for the barrel. He returned home and less than 1/4 hour later as he sat at dinner Halfhead brought the barrel to him on his shoulders. He is sure it was the barrel he missed, though it was altered in appearance as if it had been rolled in a dungheap. The lot ticket (number 79) was gone. Halfhead said he found it on the dungheap at the back of Mr Jordan's shop. He gave 3s 6d for the cask, but it is worth about 7s 6d. George Jordan of Castle Lane, St Paul Bedford, blacksmith - he saw James Halfhead about 6pm on Monday in his father's shop at the bottom of the Rose Yard. Halfhead told him not to say anything about the barrel. He knew what Halfhead meant as he saw a barrel in the Rose Yard which had then gone. When he heard a barrel was missing he told Mr Vickers what Halfhead said.

item

Halfhead, James,
Revis, Thomas,
Vickers, John,
Jordan, George,
Woolston, Charles

stealing, auctioneer, victualler, blacksmith, Bedford Nags Head, Bedford Rose Inn, Bedford Wells Street, Bedford Castle Lane, Bedford Gravel Lane, Olney, Bedford St.Paul