Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue
  • Reference
    QSR1841/4/5/36-38/a
  • Title
    Depositions - Henry Smith, James Parker and Jane Smith, charged with stealing a half pint pewter mug
  • Date free text
    6 October 1841
  • Production date
    From: 1841 To: 1841
  • Scope and Content
    Elizabeth Bazley of Ravensden, widow - she keeps the White Lion beer shop at Ravensden. About 9.30pm the previous night the 3 prisoners came to her house together. They had a quart of ale between them. James Parker ordered it and paid for it. While they were in the hosue she missed the half pint mug. They left the house about 10pm. She saw the mug a few minutes before they came in. Jane Smith and Henry Smith left the house for a little time while they were drinking the beer. She was not in the room with them the whole time. No other person came in the house while they were there except a little girl who came in with them. When they left she called in the man who lives next door. Her sister lives with her. She is sure the mug produced is the one she lost. When the constable brought the prisoners to her house Jane Smith said "it was me as taken the mug and not the young men". The mug is worth 1 shilling. Robert Mayes, constable of Ravensden - from information received the previous night from Stephen Farrer he went with him to the hovel where the prisoners lay. He searched Jane Smith and found the half pint mug now produced. Jane Smith said "I taken the mug these lads had nothing at all to do with it". The other 2 prisoners said they did not take it and did not know that Jane Smith took it. He took the prisoners to Mrs Bazley's house and heard Jane Smith say several times that she took the mug. When he first went into the hovel Jane Smith denied having taken it. John Peacock of St Cuthbert Bedford, cooper - he went with Mayes to the hovel to assist in searching the prisoners. Farrer and Mayes held up Jane Smith and the mug dropped from her. At first she denied taking it. When they found it she confessed. They made a great noise in searching her. The two other prisoners pretended to be asleep, though he does not think it could be possible the noise was so great. They were in the hovel 10 minutes before they could make Smith and Parker get up. When Mayes first began to search the woman he saw her put something underneath her. He could not see what it was.
  • Level of description
    item
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