QSR1880/3/5/9

Depositions of Joseph Lansberry, police constable of Ampthill, Elizabeth Holbrook, shopwoman of Ampthill and Thomas Billington, baker of Ampthill. In the case of Jane Brightman accused of stealing 4 and a half pounds of beef.

28 May 1880

From: 1880 To: 1880

Elizabeth Hallworth [also written as Holbrook]: a singlewoman working as a shop keeper for Leonard Brightman. She lived in Ampthill. On 28 may she was in the shop when the prisoner came in and asked for a penny worth of suet. She went to get it and doing so saw her taken a piece of beef off the marble and put in under her arm. The prisoner wore a shawl. She asked the prisoner what she had and she relied nothing. She lifted the prisoners shawl and discovered the beef and took it away from her. The prisoner said she did not take it. The beef had since been sold. The prisoner had moved a yard or two from the marble when she was accused. Thomas Billington: a baker living in Ampthill. On 28 May, he went to Brightman’s shop. The prisoner and Hallworth were there. Hallworth was accusing the prisoner of stealing some beef and putting it under her shawl. Hallworth said to the prisoner that if Brightman were at home, he would call for the police. The prisoner ran from the shop. Joseph Lansberry: a police constable stationed in Ampthill. He took the prisoner into custody. She said she had not stolen it and did not know her shawl was against it. Statement of the accused – Jane Brightman: she did not take it.

item

Brightman, Jane,
Lansberry, Joseph,
Holbrook, Elizabeth,
Hallworth, Elizabeth,
Billington, Thomas

AMPTHILL, MAULDEN, stealing, beef