QSR1853/1/5/43/a

Depositions of Jeremy Smith, yeoman of Biggleswade, George Morley, police constable of Biggleswade and Ann Holmes, spinster of Biggleswade. In the case of George Holmes accused of stealing 3 trusses of hay.

22 December 1852

From: 1852 To: 1853

Jeremy Smith: occupied some meadow land in Biggleswade. The land contained a haystack, the produce of his land, by the side of Langford Lane. It was the same side of the road as the Nags Head public house. He left the rick on the evening of 20 December and there were 5 trusses of hay lying on it. The following morning he missed a truss. It had littered as it was taken and he followed this to the back of the Nags Head, which was kept by the father of the prisoner. He had previously lost 2 trusses in the same way, and had traced them in a similar direction. George Morley: he went with Smith to the rick and traced marks of hay over the hedge, along the lane and to the Nags head. He went into the stable and found half a truss of hay which Smith believed to be his. He then went up into the loft of the barn and found 3 more trusses of hay. The prisoner was not at home. When he returned later, he asked Holmes how he had come by the hay and he said he did not know. Morley asked Homes if he had the hay for 2 months and he replied he thought he had. When later taken into custody Holmes said he believed the hay had been there 12 months. Holmes, the father, was ill in bed. The son lived at the house and kept no servants, but the son kept a pony. Ann Holmes: sister of the prisoner. Her father had been kicked by a pony the previous week and had been in bed since. This was with the exception of an hour a day when he would come down and set the fires, but he did not leave the house, and could not stand on his leg. Her brother looked after the pony and the hay had come from her uncle John at Pinchgul [?] Hall near Hitchin. Her father fetched it on Christmas Eve. About the same time he had half a ton from James Housden. They had also had 3 trussed (one at a time) from Samuel Bury.

item

Holmes, George,
Smith, Jeremy,
Morley, George,
Holmes, Ann,
Bury, Samuel,
Housden, James

BIGGLESWADE, Biggleswade Nags Head, Hitchin, hay, stealing, yeoman