QSR1842/4/5/35/b

Depositions - Robert Collier

13 September 1842

From: 1842 To: 1842

William Biggs of Bromham, miller [further information] - the sample he now produces is a sample of the fine pollard called dan taken from his stock at the mill. Collier had the key of the place in the pig sties where a considerable quantity of dan was kept. Collier used to serve the hogs and used to fetch the dan as it was wanted from the mill. Collier would occasionally assist in measuring out pollard at the mill. George Church of Bromham, waggoner - he is waggoner to William Biggs. On Tuesday 16 August Mrs Brinkler of Stagsden showed him a meal tub with some pollard called dan hanging about the sides of it. She wanted to order more from his master's mill. She called it dan and he knew it to be dan. He had only been to Mrs Brinkler's once before on 11 August. In the evening of that day he met Collier at the mill who asked if he had been to Stagden. Collier seemed very angry with him for going there. He thought Collier seemed disappointed. He never took any dan out to Mr Biggs' customers. He has taken pollard out. Thomas Blincow of Stagsden, labourer - about 3 weeks ago he saw Collier at his house at Stagsden. Collier came with a cart from Mr Biggs's and brought him home some grist. He asked Collier if his master sold pollard. Collier said he would. He told Collier to bring him the finest pollard he could. About a week later Collier brought him two strikes of fine pollard. He saw Collier bring the pollard into the yard on his back and told him to shoot it into a bin - an old sugar cask where he always shoots his stuff for the pigs. He stood behind Collier but did not examine the pollard until about half an hour afterward when he went to serve the pigs. He then saw it was fine pollard. His wife paid Collier - he was not present. Collier came to his house the previous Saturday and asked if Mr Biggs had been to his house. He told Collier Biggs had. The sample produced by Biggs is very like the pollard brought by Collier. James Trueman of Bromham, miller - he is one of Mr Biggs millers at Bromham Mill. He has been his miller about 2 years. The fine pollard called dan made at the mill is never sold. It is kept for Mr Biggs' hogs.The dan was kept in the mill except what was wannted from time to time for the hogs which Collier used to fetch from the mill. Collier used to carry out 3 or 4 sacks of dan at a time and put it into a bin in the pig sty ready for the hogs. Collier had the key of that place. He never saw Collier carry out any dan except to the pig sty. There are three kinds of pollard - coarse pollard, fine pollard and dan, which is the finest of all. The coarse pollard and the fine pollard are usually sold. He remembers Church bringing back a bushel of fine pollard from Brinklows' which was returned. [Collier said here "I never took that pollard - I only took the dan"] Jesse Biggs of Bromham, miller - he superintends his father's business at Bromham Mill. He keeps his books and receives money for him. It is the duty fo the miller who loads the waggon or cart to give him the accout of all goods delivered out from the mill. He has no entry in teh books of any dan sold to Brinklow of Stagsden. The carter who carries out grist and other goods receives the money for them and accounts for it to him after his return, and he makes entries of all meny received in a cash book. When the waggoner or carter returns late at night the money is paid over and the entry made the next morning, but never later. He has no entry for any money received from Brinklow for pollard or dan. There is an entry of money recieved from him for grist about 3 weeks or a month ago. The dan is never sold but is kept for consumption by his father's pigs and stock. The dan is rarely kept in a bin but is generally in the sacks below. There could be no mistake, the quality is so different. They never give credit for any goods sent out by the grist cart except to the farmers who have large quantities. They are paid for on delivery. Collier never paid him for any pollard for Brinklow., and he does not remember Collier ever paying him any money under the hovel. Thomas Tillyard, police constable number 4 - he apprehended Collier on Saturday at Biddenham. Before he spoke to him Collier said he knew he had come abou the four bushels of pollard he took to Stagden. Collier said he paid Mr Jesse under the hovel and told him to be sure to book it.

item

Collier, Robert,
Biggs, William,
Church, George,
Blincow, Thomas,
Trueman, James,
Biggs, Jesse,
Tillyard, Thomas

BROMHAM, STAGSDEN, Bromham Mill, miller, waggoner, stealing, pollard, pigs