QSR1842/3/5/39/a

Depositions - Henry Catlin and Meshack Gollins

27 May 1842

From: 1842 To: 1842

Ellen Donelly aged 10 years or thereabouts, daughter of James Donelly of Canning Street, St Paul, Bedford, hawker – on the Queen’s birthday, 24th May, she and other children went round “queening”. They collected money and got 5 shillings and 3 half pence. There was one silver sixpence, and the rest was in pennies and half pence. The Queen (Harriet Clare) took care of the money and put it in this bag [producing one]. Catlin and Gollins first met them on St Peters Green about 6.30pm and swore at them. They pulled the flowers off the garland but did nothing else then. They met them again later, when they took the flags away, took the bag from the Queen and shook some of the money out of it onto the ground. Catlin took the bag. When they had emptied the bag they both picked up the money and went away with it. They only opened one side of the bag. The other side was clasped and the money in that side (1s 8 1/2d) was not taken. [Response to question by Catlin’s father] There were more than the two prisoners but no one else meddled with them. The money they collected was to be shared between five of them – herself, Susan Clare, Harriet Clare, Anne Clare and Ann Loft Susan Clare, daughter of William Clare, one of the constables of the borough of Bedford, aged 11 years old – she went queening on the Queen’s birthday with Ellen Donelly and other girls. Catlin and Gollins met them where the new street is being made in the six and forty. Catlin took the money away from the Queen. The money was in a reticule which the Queen carried. There was 5 shillings and three half pence – she knows because she counted it from house to house. When Catlin took the reticule he took the money out of one side of it and then threw the reticule on the ground. They could not open one side but shook the money out of the other side onto the ground. She did not see them pick it up – she was frightened and ran away. Harriet Clare the Queen is very little – she is only six years old. Sophia Haydon, daughter of Michael Haydon of Well Street, St Paul, Bedford, pensioner – she was with Ellen Donelly, Susan Clare and others on the Queen’s birthday. What Ellen Donelly and Susan Clare have said is all true except that Catlin and Gollins did not meet them in St Peters Square, it was some other boys. She saw Catlin take the bag from the little Queen and shake the money on the ground. She did not see it picked up. She was not to have any share in the money.

item

Catlin, Henry,
Gollins, Meshack,
Donelly, Ellen,
Donelly, James,
Clare, Susan,
Clare, Harriet,
Clare, Anne,
Clare, William,
Loft, Ann,
Haydon, Sophia,
Haydon, Michael

Bedford St.Paul, Bedford Canning Street, Bedford Well Street, stealing, money, celebrations, CHILDREN