QSR1882/2/5/10a,11

Depositions of Simon Price, retired tradesman of Leighton Buzzard, Rebecca Price, wife of Simon of Leighton Buzzard, Lucy Jarvis, spinster of Leighton Buzzard, William Bardell, labourer of of Leighton Buzzard, Elizabeth Lansberry, spinster of Leighton Buzzard, Mary Ann Rogers, wife of Dick of Leighton Buzzard, Henry Gotzhiem, rag & bone dealer of of Leighton Buzzard, Daniel Pantling, gardener of Leighton Buzzard, Richard Reeve, brewer of Leighton Buzzard, Mary Rogers, widow of Leighton Buzzard, Thomas Young, butcher of Leighton Buzzard, John Olden, police sergeant of Leighton Buzzard and Joseph Anstee, labourer of Leighton Buzzard. In the case of Alfred White & John Weston accused of stealing 5 live fowls.

1 April 1882

From: 1882 To: 1882

Rebecca Price: wife of Simon, a retired tradesman. They lived near the windmill in Leighton and kept 14 fowls. They were safe on the morning of 9 March but 5 were missed on 11 March. Simon Price: he had raised the fowls from chicks and could identify the 5 fowls produced as his. Daniel Pantling: a gardener of Leighton. On 10 March he was in his garden which adjoined Mrs Abrahams. The prisoner Weston was working for her in the garden. White was also there. They left together about 6 o’clock. Richard Reave: a brewer of Church Street, Leighton. On 10 March he saw the prisoners between the British School and the windmill. He passed them about 6.30pm. White asked him for a Lucifer match and he gave him some. Lucy Janes: a singlewoman living in Bedford Street, Leighton with her parents. On 10 March she was going down Bedford Street about 8pm and saw 2 men, one of them she knew to be Weston. They were coming from the British School. The man she did not know had a bag on his shoulder with something in it. She went on to Mrs Rogers house where a man named Weatherhead lodged. On the way she went to another house where the prisoner Weston called for Mrs Rogers. She went out with Mrs Rogers and Weston told her he had some fowls. Mrs Rogers asked if he was the man who had called the previous evening. He said he was. Mrs Rogers said Weatherhead was not home and he must call back. William Bardell: in the employment of his father, a fishmonger. He lived near Mrs Rogers and on 1 March about 7.45pm he went to the yard to fetch water. He saw the prisoner White standing near the water butt, and not far off was the prisoner Weston. He spoke to White and he heard Weston talking to Mrs Rogers. He heard Mrs Rogers say Weatherhead was not home and he told Mrs Rogers to have nothing to do with the fowls until Weatherhead came home. Mary Rogers: a widow of North Street, Leighton. A man by the name of Weatherhead had rooms in her house. Weatherhead dealt in fowls. On 10 March, Weston came to her house and she told him Weatherhead was not home. Westontold her he had fowls to sell. She asked his name and he said Weston. She asked how many fowls he had and he told her 5. She asked if he had them from heath & Reach and he said he had. She told him Weatherhead would be home at 8pm and Weston went away. Bardell passed as she was talking to Weston and advised her not to have anything to do with the fowls. Thomas Young: a butcher of Lick Street, Leighton, next to the coffee house. On 10 March Weston came to his house and offered him some fowls for sale. He told Weston he was not a buyer. Weston had a bag with him with the fowls in it. Elizabeth Lansberry: a single woman and domestic servant at Dr Sandall at Leighton. On 10 March she went out on an errand about 7.30pm and saw White standing on the corner near the coffee house. She knew him well and he went some of the way with her towards home. Someone followed them but she did not know who. Mary Ann Rogers: wife of Dick Rogers, a poultry dealer of Leighton. On 10 Marcgh she was returning home with her husband about 9pm, and when they got hom they would Weston waiting for them. He asked her husband to buy some fowls. Her husband asked to whom they belong and was told Mrs Abrahams. They prices was 2 shillings each. There were 5. Her husband said the price was too much and Weston said he was to get 1 shilling sixpence for them and take 2 pence for himself. Her husband said he would pay Mrs Abrahams direct and the fowls were left with her husband. Her husband had since sailed for America. Henry Golzheim: a rag and bone dealer of Leighton. On 10 March he was standing at the top of Workhouse Lane and saw the 2 prisoners together, going towards the market place. John Olden: a police sergeant stationed at Leighton. On 10 March he was on duty in the High Street Leighton. Dick Rogers came and made a statement to him with inference to some fowls. PC Plowman who was with him went with Rogers to Mrs Abrahams. Sergeant Olden went after the prisoner, but could not find him. He later apprehended and charged the prisoner White on 25 March. White said he had nothing to do with it. Joseph Anstee [called for the defence]: a labourer of Leighton. On 10 March he was at work in Queen Street in front of where the prisoner White lived. About 6pm White came to him and spoke about the hedge he was cutting. He sent White away and White went to his house and remained there about 10 minutes. He saw White come out and came to him again. White stopped a little time, then left. It would take about 5 minutes to get from where he was to Pantlings garden. Statement of the accused – Alfred White: he did not steal the fowls. Statement of the accused – John Weston: he had been trying to sell them for White and did not know they were stolen. White wanted him to say he bought them off a man in the Blackhorse between 7 and 8pm.

15 pages

item

White, Alfred,
Weston, John,
Price, Simon,
Price, Rebecca,
Jarvis, Lucy,
Bardell, William,
Lansberry, Elizabeth,
Rogers, Mary Ann,
Gotzheim, Henry,
Pantling, Daniel,
Reeve, Richard,
Rogers, Mary,
Young, Thomas,
Olden, John,
Anstee, Joseph

LEIGHTON BUZZARD, stealing, fowls, rag merchant, gardener, brewer, butcher