Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue
  • Reference
    QSR1853/1/5/34
  • Title
    Depositions of James Small, gamekeeper of Soulbury, Joseph Farley, police constable of Heath & Reach, Rebecca Fowler, wife of John and Maria Holt, wife of Benjamin, a publican. In the case of James Ellis accused of stealing an artifical bird.
  • Date free text
    10 December 1852
  • Production date
    From: 1852 To: 1853
  • Scope and Content
    James Small: a gamekeeper to Col.Hanmer residing at Soulbury. On 4 December, he put out some artificial birds in the Kings Wood. About half past 7 the same evening he heard a shot in the wood, and another about 5 the next morning. After it got light, he went to the wood to see whether a peasant had been killed. He missed an artificial bird. Rebecca Fowler: she saw James Ellis come down from a tree in her garden, which was opposite the Blacksmith shop in the middle of Heath & Reach. About an hour later she saw a bird stuck up in the tree. Next day she saw James Ellis go up the tree and come down again. When she went out again, the bird had gone. She did not authorise him to go up the tree. Her husband had no acquaintance with the prisoner. Joseph Farley: he saw a bird made to represent a pheasant stuck up a tree in the middle of the village of Heath & Reach. He went to the Duke's Head garden and took the prisoner into custody on the suspicion of stealing an artificial bird. The prisoner said he knew nothing of it. The Duke's Head was about 30 yards from the tree where the bird was. Maria Holt: the prisoner came into the tap room of her husband’s public house and she saw him put wood chips on the fire. She asked him what he was doing and he said "Hold your tongue I am only putting some chips on the fire". She said no more.Statement of the accused: he knew nothing of the bird. Fowler told him to go up the tree but did not say why.
  • Reference
  • Level of description
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