QSR1851/4/5/17/a

Depositions of Thomas Holley, labourer of Bolnhurst and Charles Dale, police constable of Keysoe. In the case of John Fensham of Colmworth, accused of stealing a scythe.

14 October 1851

From: 1851 To: 1851

Thomas Holley: resided in Bolnhurst but occupied some land in Colmworth as well. On 2 August he was using his scythe in Capley Field in Colmworth. He placed it in a ditch close to the field that night. He saw it was still there the following night. On 5 August, he went to the field to use the scythe and could not find it. On 12 October, he was in a hovel belonging to the prisoner, where he saw one of the nib irons belonging to the lost scythe. He had used the scythe for 30 years and knew the nib iron by its colour and shape. He took the nib iron away with him. He then viewed an iron wedge, shown to him by Constable Dale and recognised that as one that was in the scythe when it was lost. Charles Dale: on 10 October he received information from Holley that he had lost his scythe in August and that he had found part of it. Dale went to the prisoner’s house and searched it. He found an iron wedge, later identified by Holley as his. The prisoner was apprehended and said that he had bought the nib and wedge amongst some other old iron.

item

Fensham, John,
Holley, Thomas,
Dale, Charles

COLMWORTH, BOLNHURST, KEYSOE, stealing, scythe