QSR1853/1/5/7b

Depositions of William Pratt, farmer of Totternhoe, George Olney, cattle dealer of Houghton Regis, Thomas Worsley, police constable of Leighton Buzzard, Edward Johnson, shepherd of Totternhoe, and John Thorne, shepherd of Totternhoe. In the case of George Gibbins accused of stealing 2 ewes.

5 November 1852

From: 1852 To: 1853

William Pratt: a farmer of Totternhoe. The prisoner was one of his shepherds and had been employed since the previous Michaelmas. Around 21 June he had 2 sheep in his possession which he saw at Leighton market on 2 November. He had not missed them, but at the last harvest he had counted that he was 2 sheep short. They were not these 2 sheep, but 2 others since recovered. At Leighton market the sheep were in the possession of a man name Olney. He went and fetched the prisoner to Leighton. Pratt knew the sheep to be his due to a mark between their shoulders. The sheep were gone when he returned with the prisoner to the market, and suspecting they had been stolen by Gibbins, he gave him into the custody of the police. Olney told him he had bought the sheep from his shepherd (Gibbins). Pratt, Gibbins and the police constable drove to Hockcliffe where they found the sheep in the possession of Joseph Janes, a dealer. Pratt picked out his sheep from a flock of about 50. Janes was not at home but before he had left Leighton, Pratt had spoken to Janes who said he had purchased the sheep from Olney. Gibbins was taken into custody. Gibbins had no authority to sell sheep or keep his own with the flock. Pratt had allowed another shepherd, John Thorne to do this but another shepherd, Johnson, had no rights to keep sheep with his flock. The prisoner Gibbins had asked to keep sheep but had been refused by Pratt. George Olney: a cattle dealer of Houghton Regis. He knew George Gibbins well. On 27 October he bought 4 sheep off of Gibbins from a Totternhoe field. Gibbins told him he had bought 2 and had been keeping 2. On 2 November he drove these sheep to Leighton, where he met Pratt, who asked where he had the sheep from. Olney went on the sell these 4 sheep to Joseph Janes of Hockcliffe. He saw Mr Pratt again after he had sold the sheep and told him who he had sold the sheep to. Thomas Worsley: a police constable stationed at Leighton Buzzard. On 2 November he saw William Pratt and the prisoner at the Sun Inn at Leighton. Pratt accused Gibbins of stealing 2 of his sheep, and so he took Gibbins into custody. Gibbins said he had bred 3 sheep, about 4 years ago, at Mr Cooks at Brewers Hill near Dunstable. The other had been bred at Mr Gurney's at Totternhoe about 5 years previous. Worsley went with the men to Joseph Janes at Hockcliffe and the prosecutor picked 2 sheep out of the flock as his. Worsley later went to Brewers Hill and saw Mr Cook. He was told the prisoner had 2 lambs in 1849 there. Edward Johnson: a shepherd in the employment of William Pratt. He had been with him about 5 months as one of 3 shepherds. He had never heard the prisoner had authority to keep his own sheep in the flock. Johnson was not permitted to do so. John Thorne: had been a shepherd for William Pratt for about 12 months. He was allowed to keep 2 sheep in with the flock. The prisoner and Johnson were not allowed.Statement of the accused: said that they were his own sheep, and he would stick to that until the day he died. He told his master where he had them from.

item

Gibbins, George,
Pratt, George,
Battams, John

TOTTERNHOE, HOUGHTON REGIS, Hockcliffe, Dunstable Brewers Hill, Leighton Buzzard Sun, Leighton Buzzard Market, shepherd, stealing, sheep