Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue
  • Reference
    QSR1842/3/5/37/c
  • Title
    Deposition of James Goodall - Samuel Tompkins
  • Date free text
    25 & 27 May 1842
  • Production date
    From: 1842 To: 1842
  • Scope and Content
    He is 13 years of age. He is the [...] of Francis Goodall of Leighton, bricklayer. Yesterday afternoon about 2pm he was going to school with Henry Mason. As they were walking along the High Road in North End in Leighton Buzzard he saw Mason stoop and pick up something. Mason said "no few halves I have found a sovereign", showed it to them and then wiped it. He [Goodall] said it was a medal as he did not think it was a good one. He heard Mason drop it on a stone to try if it was a good one. It rang very well and he then had no doubt it was a sovereign. Tompkins then came up. He heard Thomas Claridge tell Tompkins that Mason had found a sovereign and asked him if it was a good one. Mason at first refused to let Tompkins look. After Tompkins said "honour bright" Mason let him take the sovereign out of his hand. Tompkins said it was only a bright farthing, put it in his pocket and walked away. They later met Tompkins coming back again. Mason threatened to tell his father. Tompkins then gave Mason a shilling and said he should be well satisfied, as he [Tompkins] had lost a sovereign and had been looking for it all afternoon. Mason, Claridge, Chamberlain and himself all came together from Chelsea and were all together when Mason picked up the sovereign. They had walked together all through the town. He is sure Tompkins was not about when Mason picked up the coin. James Goodall repeals his evidence above - he is quite sure Claridge was not looking about for anything on the ground when he first came up. Claridge was only walking along fast. He was within 2 or 3 yard of Mason when he picked it up. [First part of depositions of James Goodall retaken and 2nd part taken in presence of Samuel Tompkins on 27 May]
  • Level of description
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