QSR1853/4/5/9,10/a

Depositions of William Bradshaw, plate layer, of Sandy and Henry Ison Jebbett, Superintendent of Police. In the case of Reuben Spring & George Edwards accused of placing stones on the iron rails of the Great Northern Railway.

14 September 1853

From: 1853 To: 1853

William Bradshaw: a plate layer working for the Great Northern Railroad. He was at work on the railway in July, although he could not recall the day. He saw 2 boys and he watched them on their hands and knees leaning over the outside rail of the up line. When he got within 50 yards of them they got up and went away. He called for them to come back and went to see what they had done. He found 4 stones on the outside rail of the up line. Each stone was about the size of a walnut. Spring said it was not him that had put the stones there but the other boy. Bradshaw had not caught the other boy and he had kept out of Bradshaw’s way ever since. He preferred the charge against the boys as his employers though it should not be allowed to go unpunished. Henry Ison Jebbett: on 14 September he took the prisoners from Bedford to Biggleswade under a magistrates warrant on the charge of laying stones on the Great Northern railroad. As they were being conveyed, Edwards began to talk about putting the stones on the line and said he had put on one stone and Spring he put on the others. Jebbett asked him the size of the stones and Edwards replied “the size of walnuts”. Spring told Edwards that he had put on as many as he had.

item

Spring, Reuben,
Edwards, George,
Bradshaw, William,
Jebbett, Henry Ison

SANDY, Great Northern Railway Company, CHILDREN, platelayer