QSR1843/1/5/28-30

Depositions and examinations - William Caladine, Thomas Brown and Edward Beard

14 November 1842

From: 1842 To: 1843

Thomas Ray - yesterday afternoon about 2.15pm he left home with his wife and servant and they all went to Chapel. His servant Charlotte Read came out of the house last and he believes she locked the door after her. Charlotte Read returned home from Chapel before he did. When he got home at about 4.15 she explained in what way she found the house. He looked round but did not discover anything particular. There is a coachhouse about 20 or 30 yards from the back door which is within sight of the entrance to his premises from the gate. It was not locked. His house is in Chalgrave. He is a schoolmaster. There is no way of leaving his premises without coming into the turnpike road opposite Roberts's house or by getting over the hedge. Ann Read, singlewoman - she lives with Mr Roberts as his servant. Yesterday afternoon about 2pm she was standing against the living room window of her master's house when she saw the 3 prisoners go into the gate leading onto Thomas Ray's premises. They all went along the path leading round Ray's house to the back door and she lost sight of them. She continued to stand there about 10 minutes. As she did not see the prisoners come off the premises she thought Mr Ray was giving them something. She said to her master's son she thought Mr Ray was giving "them poor creatures" some hot broth or something as they seemed to stop. She sat down and about 5 minutes later saw Mr and Mrs Ray, their servant and school children pass by the window in the direction fo the Chapel in Hockliffe. She did not see the prisoners again until she saw them that morning in the Woburn cage. She is sure the 3 prisoners are the same persons she saw go onto Ray's premises. She is sure they did not leave the premises by the front while she was watching. Charlotte Read - she is servant to Mr Ray. Yesterday afternoon about 2pm she left her master's hosue with her master and mistress and the school children. They all went to Chapel. She was the last to leave the house and fastened all the outer doors except the school room door which they all went out of. She then locked that door and took the key with her. She had opened the window of the back parlour to let the smoke out after dinner. She pulled it down again before leaving the house but believes she did not fasten it. When she returned from Chapel she found the school room door locked as she left it. She found the window in the back parlour wide open, the kitchen door unbarred, the cellar door open and the safe door open. She went to the safe and saw some bread, about 1 1/2 lb of cheese, about 1 1/2 lb of mutton and a piece of plum pudding had been taken out of it. She is sure nobody could have taken these before they went out as the back door was barred and she was within hearing. William Clough, police constable no.40, stationed at Hockliffe - from information received about 9pm last night of Thomas Ray's premises being entered he came to Woburn in pursuit of 3 persons he had seen leave Hockliffe about 3pm. He found them sleeping in the cage at Woburn. They were the 3 prisoners. He directed the night watchman to detain them. They said they had come through Hockliffe from Dunstable. They said they had not stopped anywhere in Hockliffe. When he saw them they were near the Woburn end of Hockliffe about 1/2 mile from Thomas Ray's house. William Caladine - he went into the premises just to put a bit of rag on his foot as the skin was off and he came straight out again. He was not on the premises more than 5 minutes. The others went in he supposes because it rained. They stopped nowhere else in Hockliffe. He denies the charge of entering the house or touching anything belonging to him. They sat down in the chaise house. He comes from Nottingham. He is a whitesmith. Thomas Brown - "if I am to speak at all I must speak the truth" - it was him who got into the window and went through the back parlour door and to the cellar. He went nowhere else. It was necessity that drove them to it. They had only a penny loaf since last Friday morning or he would not have done it. He comes from Derby. He is a stoker in a foundry. Edward Beard - he was coming on the road and Calladine said he would go in that hovel and change his shoes. They went in with him. They stopped about 10 minutes and came out again. He denies taking any of the things away or that he entered the house. He stopped in Hockliffe a little while at the end of the town. He comes from Castle Donington. He is a blacksmith.

item

Caladine, William,
Brown, Thomas,
Beard, Edward,
Ray, Thomas,
Read, Charlotte,
Read, Ann

CHALGRAVE, HOCKLIFFE, WOBURN, Nottingham, Derby, Leicestershire Castle Donington, breaking & entering, bread, cheese, mutton, schoolmaster, police constable, whitesmith, stoker, blacksmith, parish cages, vagrancy