QSR1853/4/5/20b,23b

Depositions of Harriet Matthews, singlewoman of Leighton Buzzard and Thomas Worsley, police constable of Leighton Buzzard. In the case of Martha Lovell & William Barrett accused of stealing a leather bag & 7 pairs of black handled knives and forks.

13 October 1853

From: 1853 To: 1853

Harriett Matthews: a single woman and keeper of a jewellers shop in Leighton Buzzard. The 2 prisoners came to her shop and asked for a wedding ring. They paid for it. The male then asked to look at a pocket knife, which he also purchased. Whilst they were in the shop, she missed a parcels of knives and forks and told the prisoners of it, saying it was a mysteriously thing. The female prisoner said she had nothing but her black bag. She reminded the female prisoner that she had looked in some parcels of knives and she had been quite sure the parcel was on the counter when they entered the shop. She begged them to look for the knives and suddenly heard a heavy parcel drop. The female prisoner picked up the parcels of knives and forks seeming surprised and said they had lodged against her bag. The prisoners left the shop. Soon after she missed a black bag. She informed the Constable who brought the prisoners to her house. The constable produced a black bag which he said he had taken from the prisoners. Thomas Worsley: Harriett Matthews advised him of her suspicions that the prisoners had stolen a bag. He went in pursuit and found the prisoners together in a public house in Chelsea near Leighton. There was a bag on the seat between them. He took them to the prosecutors and showed her the bag, which she identified. Martha Lovell said she had bought the bag on a stall next to Joe Patons, but later said she had bought it from a woman on the road. Statements of the accused: Martha Lovell – she bought the bag from a poor woman in Leighton that afternoon. She walked to Soulbury and then returned. William Barrett – he did not know if she had stolen them or not. He met her on the road earlier that afternoon.

item

Lovell, Martha,
Barrett, William,
Matthews, Harriet,
Worsley, Thomas

stealing, cutlery, LEIGHTON BUZZARD, Soulbury, jeweller