Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue
  • Reference
    QSR1842/4/5/61-62/a
  • Title
    Depositions - Samuel Heley and George Woodcraft, charged with stealing ducks from William Rollings
  • Date free text
    18 October 1842
  • Production date
    From: 1842 To: 1842
  • Scope and Content
    William Rollings of Eaton Bray, farmer - he knows the prisoners. Woodcraft lives at Eaton Bray and Heley at Edlesborough. Last Saturday 15 October about 6.45pm he saw his ducks in his rick yard but did not count them. He had five ducks, and saw them all safe in the pond about 12pm when he did count them. On Sunday morning he missed them all. He gave notice to Walters the policeman and due to suspicion he entertained against Heley and Woodcraft he and he policeman watched and searched Heley and Woodcraft's houses. In Heley's house they went upstairs. Jabez Thorn went into the house with them. Heley's wife tried to prevent the policeman going into the bedroom. She pushed him back. The policeman asked if she had any ducks there. She said she had not. He and the policeman both went into the bedroom and found in a dish one dead duck and half of another, with no head, feathers or legs. He returned to Eaton Bray and went to the White Horse where he saw two ducks' heads to one of which he can swear. He is sure it was the head of one of his five ducks. He knows it because it had a blemish on the top of the eye - the eye had been knocked out. It was the head of a white duck like his. Charles Walters, police constable no.31 - last Sunday morning he went to Woodcraft's house in Eaton Bray and found Heley with him sitting together by the fire. He looked in the back place and saw half a duck in a plate. It was picked but not cooked. He told the prisoners he would take them into custody for stealing Mr Rollings' ducks. He then went upstairs and saw 2 more ducks picked in a dish standing on the floor of Woodcraft's bedroom, and in another basin he found two ducks' heads, some ducks' entrails and 3 ducks' feet. He also found a short frock torn and with feathers and blood on it. Mr Rollings' father who is the parish constable called and two prisoners tried to escape. He went down to assist and handcuff them both. There was no one in the bedroom when he went down and no one could have gone up to the bedroom before he returned without him knowing as there is only one door. He returned to the bedroom after he had secured the prisoners and took possession of the ducks. He now produces one of the two ducks' heads, which Mr Rollings identifies as his. He left the head in the charge of Rollings the constable while he went to Hertford. After the search at Woodcrart's he went to Heley's house at Edlesborough where he found William Rollings outside. He went in with Rollings and Jabez Thorn and went upstairs. The woman pushed him back but he went into the bedroom with Rollings and found a duck and a half covered over in a dish. He took possession of the ducks which he now produces. When he went to Hertford he delivered them to Rollings. The half found at Heley's was the left side - that found at Woodcraft's was the right. He believes they are parts of the same duck. John Rollings of Eaton Bray, constable - he is the father of the prosecutor. Last Sunday morning he went to Woodcraft's house with Walters the policeman and Jabez Thorn. They found the two prisoners there. He stood at the door and Charles Walters went into the back house and returned with two ducks in a dish. He helped to handcuff the prisoners. He followed Walters upstairs and saw 2 ducks' heads, some entrails and three or four ducks' feet in a small plate at the top of the stairs. He took the plate and its contents to Jabez Thorn. He then took the prisoners and what they found to the White Horse where his son identified the ducks by the missing eye and a scab above the eye. While they were at the public house his son brought another duck and a half to him and said he had found them at Heley's house. He locked all the items in a cupboard at the public house and kept the key in his possession until yesterday when he unlocked the cupboard adn compared the two half ducks together, which fitted exactly. In Woodcraft's house he found a quantity of feathers hanging about inside the chimney but cannot say what feathers they were. Sarah Ward, wife of Thomas Ward of Eaton Bray, labourer - at about 10pm on Saturday whe was returning home and saw two men close to Mr Rollings premises. Heley was one [Heley here said "yes I was there going along the road"]. She did not know the other man because he stooped, she thought to prevent her seeing. Thery were not more than two yards apart. The man she did not know had a darkish pack on but not so dark as the pack the prisoner Woodcraft now has on.
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