Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue
  • Reference
    QSR1853/3/5/11/a
  • Title
    Depositions of Joseph Slatford, police constable of Luton, Norman Snoxall, police constable of Luton and Edward Godfrey, superintendent of police at Luton. In the case of Richard Atkins (alias William Johnson) accused of stealing a silver watch.
  • Date free text
    12 May 1853
  • Production date
    From: 1853 To: 1853
  • Scope and Content
    Joseph Slatford: had recently been appointed a police constable and was stationed at Luton. On 11 May about 11 o'clock, he put his clothes and a silver watch in an unoccupied cell at the police station. He returned about 7 o'clock and missed the watch. He enquired of Snoxall, another police constable and they went to the cell of the prisoner under confinement at the police station. Snoxall asked him about the watch, and the prisoner said he had it. The prisoner said he had hidden it in the bed and it gave the watch to Snoxall. Norman Snoxall: the prisoner was being held at the police station on a charge of suspicion of absconding with Sleaford Union clothes. About 7 o'clock Slatford came to him and told him of the missing watch. The door of the cell in which he had left his watch had not been locked. The prisoner had been confined in a cell three doors away. There was a corridor in front of the cells where the prisoners were occasionally allowed to walk. He went with Slatford to the prisoner and found him in bed. The prisoner was asked about the watch and took it out of the bed. He was asked why he had taken the watch and he said he did not know. Edward Godfrey: The prisoner was under confinement on the suspicion of absconding with Sleaford Union clothes, and was to be discharged, in consequence of them not hearing from Sleaford. The prisoners when confined are occasionally allowed to walk in the corridor, and he saw the prisoner walking there several times during the day. The prisoner had asked him when he was to be discharged and he was told on Wednesday. The prisoner said he wanted to get into Lincolnshire. There was a unoccupied cell which is used to put in any unclaimed property or property found on prisoners until there were committed or discharged.
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