QSR1852/4/5/21

Depositions of John Crawley, butcher of Hockcliffe, Thomas Mitchell, labourer of Hockcliffe, Thomas Roberts & John Roberts, infants, Rebecca Mitchell, wife of George and William Clough, police sergeant of Hockcliffe. In the case of Ann Mitchell accused of receiving 11 pound weight of Mutton.

18 October 1852

From: 1852 To: 1852

John Crawley: about 8 o'clock on the night of 2 October, he was in Battlesden with a cart with some mutton on it. He stopped opposite the prisoner’s door. He called at the at the prisoners door and sold his wife some pork. There was no candle in the house and he did not see the prisoner. The prisoner’s wife had a little child in her arms and said that all the other children were in bed. After serving the wife he drove off to Milton and when he arrived there he missed a breast of mutton out of the cart. Shortly after he going to show a customer the hind quarter of some mutton and missed that from a basket which had been in the cart. He saw nobody at his cart when he had been in Battlesden and it was very dark night. He did not stop between Battlesden and Milton. The basket was heavy and could not have been moved by a child. On 3 October he advised Sergeant Clough of the loss and went with him to the prisoner’s house. The police constable searched the house and found the mutton. Crawley identified it as that he had lost. Thomas Roberts: was about 11 years of age and the prisoner was his mother by her former husband. He lived with his mother. On 2 October the Crawley, the butcher, came to his mother’s house. Before Crawley came his mother told him she would like some of his meat and to take some from his cart. He remained in the lane until the cart came and took out 2 pieces of meat, one out of the flat and one from the basket. His brother John was with him and he gave the meat to him and they took it into the barn near the house. They waited until the cart had driven off and then took the mutton into the house to their mother. She cut up the meat and put it away. He and his brother went to bed. There was candle alight before they went to bed and it was alight when they took the meat to their mother. Rebecca Mitchell: wife of George living at Milton. The prisoner was her daughter and one the 4 October she went with her to Holcutt and on their return the prisoner said she would tell her how they had come by the meat. She told her that her son Thomas had taken it from the cart and John had brought it in. William Clough: in consequence of information received he went with the prosecutor to the prisoner’s house at Battlesden. He asked the prisoner wife if there was any mutton in the house, and she replied 'no'. The house was searched and fresh mutton found in a cupboard downstairs and another piece, recently salted, was found under a tub. They left the prisoners house and returned in about an hour. The prisoner then said her child had found the mutton in the road. Thomas Mitchell: a labourer living at Hockcliffe. The prisoner’s husband was his brother. On 3 October he went to his brother’s house and saw the prisoner. He asked her where his brother was and she said they had him in custody over a piece of meat. She said he knew nothing of it and her youngest boy (John) had found it. The following Monday he saw the prisoner again and she said it was her son Thomas who had brought the mutton into the house, but she begged him to say nothing of it. Tom was old enough to be taken to prison but John was too young. John Roberts: lived with his mother in Battlesden. He remembered Mr Crawley coming along and his brother Thomas got into the cart, took out some meat and gave it to him. They took it into the barn and when Mr Crawley had gone they gave it to their mother. She cut it up and put it in a dish. They went to bed soon after. They had a candle when they went to bed.Statement of the accused - Ann Mitchell: Crawley was not at her house at 8 o'clock but at about 5 past 7 o'clock. He asked her to light a candle but she said she had none. The child brought in the meat but she never told him to steal it.

item

Mitchell, John,
Michell, Ann,
Mitchell, Thomas,
Mitchell, Rebecca,
Roberts, Thomas,
Roberts, John,
Crawley, John,
Clough, William

BATTLESDEN, Holcott, Hockcliffe, Milton, stealing, mutton, butcher