Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue
  • Reference
    QSR1871/4/5/2/c
  • Title
    Depositions and examination - John Stringer of Maulden, charged with stealing two live tame rabbits from Thomas William Dell Brooks, value 3s 6d. [The accused's brother William Stringer was also taken into custody but apparently not charged]
  • Date free text
    10 August 1871
  • Production date
    From: 1871 To: 1871
  • Scope and Content
    James Spendelow of Flitwick, labourer – he is a servant employed by Revd Brooks of Flitwick. He knows both the prisoners. They live at Maulden and are brothers. Mr Brooks keeps rabbits on his premises in a barn at Flitwick in an enclosed yard in hutches. There are many hutches in the yard. On 28 July he fed the rabbits before he went home. There were 7 of them. He saw the yard gate locked. The next morning he went to the yard and noticed a ladder standing against the pales. He missed 2 of the rabbits out of 2 of the hutches. The hutch doors were shut. The missing rabbits were a black and white buck and a dun colour rabbit. The next Monday he saw a dead rabbit and the skin of another rabbit at the police station. He identifies them as the two missing rabbits. John William Brooks, son of Thomas William Dell Brooks of Flitwick, clerk – he is 12 years old. On 28th July he was with the last witness to feed the rabbits. He locked the gate. [Repeats previous witness’s evidence] Thomas Smart of Houghton Regis, grocer – on 29th July about 12pm he saw both prisoners against his house. He bought 2 dead tame rabbits from John Stringer, a black and white one and a dun one. The skins produced are similar to the skins of the rabbits he bought. He gave 2s 2d to John Stringer for them. John Stringer was carrying 2 rabbits in a basket when he first came. He bought the black and white one. William Stringer had 2 other rabbits in a handkerchief. He bought the dun one. The prisoners took 2 rabbits away with them. He asked John Stringer how he came to have so many rabbits to sell. He said they did not belong to him but to another man who kept 30 or 40. Sophia Smart, wife of Thomas Smart – on 29th July she saw the 2 prisoners against her house at about 12pm. Her husband bought 2 tame rabbits from them. She saw no other rabbits. She did not see the money paid. In the evening she gave up the black and white rabbit and a dun coloured skin to PC Osborne. Charles Osborn, police constable stationed at Westoning – on 29th July from information received he went to Houghton Conquest and received a black and white dead rabbit and the skin of a dun rabbit. Amos Glenister, police constable stationed at Clophill – on 29th July he apprehended both prisoners at Maulden together and charged them with stealing two rabbits from Revd. Brooks. John Stringer denied having or seeing any rabbits. John Stringer resisted and he was obliged to throw him down twice before he could put the hand cuffs on. PC Osborne helped in taking him into custody. William Stringer denied having any rabbits. John Stringer – does not wish to say anything.
  • Level of description
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