Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue
  • Reference
    QSR1871/3/5/5-6/c
  • Title
    Depositions and examinations - Barnard Brooks and George Brooks of Ampthill, charged with stealing 2 barn doors and 3 cross Garnett hinges and one post value 20s from Edmund Cranstone at Ampthill on 3 May 1871
  • Date free text
    8 May 1871
  • Production date
    From: 1871 To: 1871
  • Scope and Content
    Edmund Cranstone of Ampthill, innkeeper – he occupies a meadow at Ampthill called 7 Path Close where there is an open hovel and a closed barn with a pair of folding doors. He missed one of the doors at the beginning of January and the other early in February. The first door was off the hinges and placed inside the barn. The second door when he last saw it was hanging by one broken hinge. Three of the hinges were taken away and one was left in the post. The post and hinge on it now produced is the right hand post of the building. One of the hinges produced exactly corresponds with the nail holes on the post. On 5 May he went to the police station at Ampthill and saw some boards and hinges he recognised as part of the doors. There is a mark on one board where a hinge came off after it had been tar varnished. James Wildman of Ampthill, builder – in 1867 he built a barn in 7 Path Close which had a pair of folding doors. He made and hung them himself. They were hung with cross Garnett hinges. A little after Christmas he saw the doors – one was off and the other lying down with one hinge on the post which was bent. On 3 May he went to the premises occupied by George Brooks and saw some boards on the front part of a pigsty. He was certain the boards belonged to Mr Cranstone. That evening he went to the premises again with Supt. James. He saw a cowshed or hovel. One of the ledges of the doors now produced was nailed across the shed. He can swear it was part of the doors he made. The hanging post produced exactly fits with the hinges. [Cross-examination] He had made a good many barn doors and does not usually hang them with so large a hinge of that kind. John Billington of Ampthill, yeoman – George Brooks rents a cottage, barn and cart hovel from him about 50 yards out of Abbey Lane. There are 4 pigsties on the premises, two finished and two unfinished. Barnard Brooks built the last two pigsties. He never saw George do anything. The first 2 pigsties belonged to George Brooks. Both prisoners live together. Barnard is a wheelwright. George is a pig dealer. John Underwood of Ampthill, dealer in earthenware – the prisoners live next door to him. Six weeks ago he saw Barnard Brooks building a pigsty, one of the unfinished ones. He saw him fetch the boards he was putting up from the cart hovel and stable of George Brooks. On 3 May he was present when the police were on George Brooks’ premises. They pulled down the boards from the pigsties that Barnard Brooks built. George was never present when the boards were put up. Barnard put them up on 2 separate Tuesdays when George had gone to Hitchin market. George James, superintendent of police for Ampthill Division – on 3 May while Barnard Brooks was in custody on another charge he went with Sgt Hillyard to George Brooks’ house. He saw George Brooks and told him they had come about some doors. He went to the pigsties on his premises. The doors now produced were nailed to the pigsties. He asked where the boards were from. George Brooks said he did not know and they were not his. He went with Brooks to his stable or barn and found the 2 hinges now produced. Brooks said he bought them at a sale, but could not say which sale as he frequently attends sales and buys such things. On the 6 May he showed both prisoners the wood in the exercise yard and told them they were charged with stealing it. George Brooks said he knew nothing about it. Barnard Brooks said “they don’t belong to him”. William Hillyard, police sergeant stationed at Ampthill – on 3 May he assisted in taking the boards from George Brook’s premises. On 4th he took George Brooks into custody on another charge. On 6th he was present when the prisoners were charged with stealing the wood. Barnard Brooks – “I am guilty” George Brooks – “I am not guilty”
  • Level of description
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