QSR1842/1/5/20/a

Depositions - Frederick Hobbs

9 November 1841

From: 1841 To: 1842

James Howard of St Paul, Bedford, ironmonger - Frederick Hobbs is a trimmer in the service of his father who is an iron founder and smith. The previous Saturday he paid Hobbs his wages in one of the shops in his father's yard. At the time Hobbs had with him a large basket, which he always brought with him on Saturday nights when he was paid. His father's coals are kept in two places - one for the house near the kitchen and one for the manufactory about 12 yards from the tin shop. The previous afternoon 8 November due to information received he went to Hobbs who was at work in one of his father's shops and asked where he took the coals from on Saturday night. He remarked it was very unlikely that Hobbs would bring coals out of White Horse Street to his house as it was in the opposite direction to Hobbs' own, and told Hobbs he would inquire into it. After inquiring with Mr Green he went again to Hobbs and wished Hobbs to go with him to where he bought the coals. He told Hobbs he suspected him of taking his father's coals. Hobbs declared he was innocent. They went to Horatio Green who declared that he had not sold Hobbs any coals on Saturday and was not at home that hnight. Hobbs disagreed, said Green knew he sold him the coals and repeated his assertion of innocence. He has not missed any coals from his father's stock, but they have so much and it is continually being disturbed that a small quantity would not be missed. Hobbs did not tell him at first that he bought the coals from Green, but that he bought them at a yard in White Horse Street and took them to Green's house. Horatio William Green of White Horse Street, Bedford, huckster - he knew the prisoner but not by name. He had never sold him any coals. Jane Payne of Grey Friars Walk, Bedford, spinster - she was at Mr Howard's premises the previous Saturday. She saw Hobbs come down the yard with a basket on his arm. When he got down the yard Mr John Howard asked him to help William Day fetch something in from over the road. Hobbs refused. They had words and Mr John Howard insisted on Hobbs doing it. Hobbs consented and Mr John Howard asked Hobbs to give him the basket to hold. Hobbs said he would not but would take the basket up the yard. Mr John Howard said he should not. She asked Hobbs if she should take his basket. Hobbs gave it to her and told her to take care of it. The basket was so heavy it hurt her arm. While Hobbs was gone she looked into the basket and there was a large lump of coal in it. When Hobbs returned she gave him the basket. Yesterday afternoon Hobbs came to her and abused her very much and said she told Master James Howard that he stole some coal from the yard. Hobbs said his wife was not at home so he bought a 1/4 of a hundred of coals himself and that was what she saw in the basket. There was not a 1/4 of a hundred of coals in the basket. James Sweeting of St Paul's Square, Bedford, tin plate worker - he works for Mr Howard in the shop where the men are paid. Last Saturday just after he received his wages Hobbs dropped a shiling on the floor. He helped Hobbs to look for it. Hobbs' basket stood on the floor. He moved the basket a little way. The basket was open and he looked inside. It felt light and he is sure there was nothing in it except a dirty cloth. He did not see which way Hobbs went. His way to leave the premises was by the passage by the side of the shop into the High Street. Going that way he would pass both the plaes where Mr Howard keeps coal. William Day of Grey Friars Walk, Bedford, labourer - he works for Mr John Howard. Hobbs had been at work at Mr Howard's all afternoon up to the time he was paid. He is sure Hobbs could not have gone to White Horse Street that afternoon without his knowledge. When Hobbs was paid he saw him go down the entry. He asked Hobbs to help him carry in a chaff machine. Hobbs refused. He fetched Mr John Howard to order Hobbs to help him. After some altercation Hobbs did help him. He saw Hobbs give his basket to Jane Payne. He knows nothing about the coal. Frederick Hobbs - he went home on Saturday night from Mr Howard's. He took his basket as usual and went to his wife in Dane Street and told her he had no coals in the house and he wanted some money to get some. He took his money from his wife and said he would not be able to get any that night at the wharf, so would go into White Horse Street where he had been before. He did not know Mr Green's name. He went into Horatio Green's and he gave him the coals and as he came away with them he called in at Mrs Redman's. she gave him a pottle of potatoes on his coals. He got the coals before he went to Mr Howard's shop. Mary Ann Redman of White Horse Street, Bedford - Hobbs came to her house for 1/2 a peck of potatoes last Saturday night, but she cannot say whether hit was before or after six. He had a basket with him. She saw something in it and asked if it would hurt to put the potatoes on it. He said it was nothing but coals. She saw one large piece of coal in the basket. She put the potatoes on the coal. She thinks it was not much after 6 when he came, but really cannot say.

item

Hobbs, Frederick,
Howard, James,
Green, Horatio William,
Payne, Jane,
Howard, John,
Sweeting, James,
Day, William,
Redman, Mary Ann

Bedford St.Paul, Bedford White Horse Street, Bedford Dane Street, stealing, coal, ironmonger, iron founder, tin plate worker