QSR1853/3/5/17/a

Depositions of James Wilkerson, farmer of Roxton and William Beach, police sergeant of Great Barford. In the case of William Papworth accused of stealing 16 pounds weight of wool.

16 June 1853

From: 1853 To: 1853

William Beach: was on duty in Roxton on the night of 15 June when he saw the prisoner come across some allotment fields on the High Road. He saw the prisoner was carrying something in a bag. He went up to the prisoner and asked him what he had, and he said "nothing much". He searched the bag and found it contained wool. Beach asked what he was going to do with it. Papworth said he was going to take it to a man called Dean who lived in Roxton. Beach suggested there was no man called Dean in Roxton and Papworth said he had only come to Roxton the previous day. Beach told Papworth he was taking him into custody on the suspicion of stealing the wool. Papworth said it was just a few claggings from around his shears which his master allowed him to take. Beach said he would go to his master to see if he allowed the prisoner to take the wool and Papworth said other masters allow their shepherds to take wool to wind round their shears but he did not know if his master allowed it. The prisoner said he would get the sack for it. They went to Mr Wilkerson’s house who said "Shepherd, you are a rogue as I have told you before". James Wilkerson: the prisoner had been in his service about 13 years and he had never been allowed to take a single ounce of wool. He had never been allowed to take the clagged wool.

item

Papworth, William,
Wilkerson, James,
Beach, William

stealing, ROXTON, Great Barford, farmers, shepherd, wool