QSR1853/4/5/18

Depositions of Harriet Robins, singlewoman of Leighton Buzzard, George Hawkins, grocer of Leighton Buzzard and Thomas Worsley, police constable of Leighton Buzzard. In the case of Thomas Robins accused of stealing 7 gold rings worth 80s.

5 October 1853

From: 1853 To: 1853

Harriet Matthews: a single woman of Leighton Buzzard where she kept a jewellers shop. On the morning of 8 October she was in the yard of the premises and could see into her shop. The shop had been opened about 10 minutes previous by her brother. No one had been in. She remarked to her neighbour Mr Hawkins that she had left nobody in her shop, and he immediately observed that there was someone in it. She looked and saw the head of a man with a cap on. She ran to the shop and found the prisoner standing between the counter and the door. When he saw her, he said he wanted a sixpence pocket knife like the one he had in his hand. She told him she had none for sale at that price, and showed him some other knives which did not suit him. She suspected from his appearance and manner that he was up to no good. He left and went down the street. In consequence of her suspicions she checked her ring drawer and saw several were missing. She ran to Mr Hawkins and said a young man had stolen her rings and she pointed out the man to him. Mr Hawkins pursued him. George Hawkins: a grocer living next door to Harriett Matthews in Leighton Buzzard. He was in the prosecutor’s yard with her around 8 o’clock and she observed she had left no one in the shop. He could see into the shop and could see someone was in there. Matthews went into her shop and he returned to his house. Shortly afterwards she ran into his shop and said she had been robbed of some gold rings and pointed out the man who she believed had taken them. Hawkins followed him and when the prisoner heard him running behind him he stopped and asked what Hawkins wanted of him. Hawkins took him back to Matthews shop and she accused him of taking her gold rings. The prisoner looked confused and offered to be searched. Just before Hawkins had reached him he had sent he prisoner make a move with his hands as if to throw something away. It had been near the railings at the front of Mr Ridgeway’s house in the High Street. On the request of the prosecutor he went and advised her brother of the robbery, and then returned with the brother to the spot where he had seen the accused make the movement with his hands. They searched and found 7 rings, which were collected by Constable Worsley. Thomas Worsley: he was called upon to search the prisoner and found a knife, pocket handkerchief and a farthing in money. He took him into custody and was shown the spot where the prisoner had stopped and inside the railing he picked up 7 rings. Statement of the accused: he had not seen the rings before.

item

Robins, Thomas,
Matthews, Harriet,
Hawkins, George,
Worsley, Thomas,
Ridgeway

stealing, LEIGHTON BUZZARD, Leighton Buzzard High Street, grocer, rings, jeweller