Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue
  • Reference
    QSR1881/1/5/8a
  • Title
    Depositions of Emma Knight, wife of Thomas of Northill, Frederick Smith, Inspector of Police of Biggleswade, Thomas Howkins, hotel keeper of Bedford and James Watts, police constable of Sandy. In the case of Annie Peach accused of obtaining food by false pretences.
  • Date free text
    22 December 1880
  • Production date
    From: 1880 To: 1881
  • Scope and Content
    Emma Knight: Annie Peach came to her house in Northill on 3 December and asked her to go out as a charwoman for a week or two to Bedford. Peach said her master was Captain Graham, who she had worked for 7 years as a cook, and he had bought a large house on Goldington Road. This house had formerly belonged to Major Warner. Captain Graham was currently staying at a private hotel in Midland Road, Bedford. Peach told Knight she would earn 3 shillings a day and Knight had been recommended by Mr Hocken, a minister at Cople. Knight agreed to go and Peach asked her to find her respectably lodgings until Monday when they could travel to Bedford together. Knight arranged lodgings with Mrs Barnes and Peach said she would take her meals with Peach and pay her for what she had. Peach took 10 meals. Peach asked Knight to get someone to take her to Biggleswade, as she had to go to Hitchin to visit her aunt. Mr Tait drove her to Biggleswade and Knight accompanied her as far as the Oak public house in Biggleswade. Peach asked Knight to meet her off the 11.55 train. She did not see Peach again until asked to identify her. Thomas Hawkins: keeper of the Brighton Private Hotel in Midland Road Bedford. No person by the name of Captain Graham had stayed there. Robert Barker: knew the house of the late Major Warner and it belonged to Mrs Warner. It was empty. Frederick Smith: Inspector of Police at Biggleswade. On 16 December, he conveyed the prisoner from Biggleswade to Sandy station. She said she knew she had done wrong and was very sorry. Statement of the accused: she was driven to it by poverty. She had broken her ankle 6 months ago and had not been able to work since.
  • Reference
  • Level of description
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