QSR1842/2/5/3

Depositions and examination - William Shepherd charged with stealing lead

21 March 1842

From: 1842 To: 1842

Robert Clarke of Leighton Buzzard, mealman - he lives with his sister Rebecca Hart of Leighton Buzzard, widow. She keeps a little grocer's shop there. On Tuesday 15 March when he was opening the shutters of the shop he missed a small piece of wood which he usually uses to keep the shutters from rattling. He also saw small pieces of paint or putty by the window which led him to look up. He saw some lead had been taken away. The long piece of lead now produced was taken off the top of the window and door way on Saturday by John Purser. The house is his sister's property. She is 70 years of age and is infirm and very deaf. William Cook, apprentice to Mary Purser and John Purser who are plumbers at Leighton Buzzard - on Saturday morning 19 March William Shepherd came to his master and mistress's shop with a small quantity of lead. He saw Shepherd talking to his mistress. She then called him to weigh the lead. It weighed 10 3/4 lbs. The price for that quantity of lead would be 5s 4d, and he later heard his mistress say she had paid for it. He unrolled the lead, then went and told his master who it was that had brought it to the shop. Afterwards he went with his master to Mrs Hart's house and helped in patterning the lead he had received from Shepherd with other lead on the top of the window of her shop where some had been taken and found the 3 pieces he received from Shepherd matched. He has no doubt the lead he now produces comes from the top of the window and door of Mrs Hart's house. The 3 small pieces produced are the pieces Shepherd brought for sale. John Purser of Leighton Buzzard, plumber - he manages his mother's business. On Saturday his apprentice William Cook came to him and said he had been buying some lead and when he unrolled it it appeared to have been freshly cut from somewhere. Cook showed him the 3 pieces of lead. He thought they appeared to have been taken from the top of a window. Mrs Hart had previously sent word to his mother that some lead had been stolen from her window and he suspected this might be some of it. He went with Cook and patterned the pieces with the lead over the window of the shop and found they matched. He cut off the side which patterned with the 3 pieces, which is also now produced. There has been lead stolen from several places in Leighton within the last few weeks. William Shepherd - on 14 March James Dimmock came to his house and asked him to buy some lead. He refused. Dimmock said he had two pieces of 30lbs each. He is a rag and bone merchant. Jamed Dimmock asked him another day to buy some little bits of lead which he had had for half a year. Dimmock said he came by them honestly. Dimmock asked him again on Friday night to buy the lead and he gave him 6d upon it. After he had it weighed he gave Dimmock the rest of the money. When he said what he did to Sherwood he was in such a confusion he did not know what he said, never having been in trouble before. James Sherwood of Leighton Buzzard, parish constable - on Saturday he took Shepherd into custody. He told him the charge. Shepherd said he had bought the lead he sold to Mr Purser from Mr Wheeler. On inquiry of Mr Wheeler he found the lead he sold to Shepherd was very narrow bits. Shepherd later said he had found the lead in a drain at the back of his house. Afterwards he said he bought it of Dimmock and of White. He did not ask Shepherd any questions and cautioned him not to say anything.

item

Shepherd, William,
Clarke, Robert,
Hart, Rebecca,
Cook, William,
Purser, Mary,
Purser, John,
Dimmock, James,
Sherwood, James

LEIGHTON BUZZARD, stealing, lead, mealman, grocer, plumber, rag merchant, parish constables