QSR1874/4/5/3

Depositions and examination - Thomas Willsher, charged with attempting to have carnal knowledge of Julia Burr, age 8, at Northill on 3 September 1874

9 September 1874

From: 1874 To: 1874

Julia Burr of Shearhatch, Willington – she is 8 years old and lives at Shearhatch Wood. She goes to school at the National School, Northill. On Thursday 3 September she went to school with her brother Herbert Burr. They left about 4pm and went to Mr Green’s shop. They then went towards home. They saw the prisoner – she did not know his name but is sure he is the same person. They went into a close with him to look for a knife. He said he would give them ½ d if they found it. Her brother found it and the man gave him the ½ d. The man asked her to look for another knife against the wood. She went with him. Her brother stopped behind. She went into the wood (College Wood, Northill) with the prisoner … [description of assault] … she went to her brother and went home. Her mother is ill. She told her aunt that night. She is sure the prisoner Thomas Wilshere is the man. She did not know him before. Herbert Burr of Shearhatch, Willington – he left school with his sister Julia. They went to Mr Green’s shop in Northill. He then saw the prisoner who told them he had lost a knife. They went with him into Mr Burton’s close. He found the knife and the prisoner gave them ½ d each. They were coming home and the prisoner called to his sister. He did not hear what she said. She went with the prisoner into College Wood. He stopped in Mr Burton’s close. He thinks they were in the wood about 5 minutes. His sister came back crying. He asked her what made her cry but she did not tell him. They went home and got home about 6pm. He is sure the prisoner Thomas Wilshere is the person. Eliza Gaunt of Shearhatch, Willington, spinster – she is living at Shearhatch Wood with her sister who is ill, attending to the house and her children. Julia Burr left home to go to school at about 1.30pm. She was quite well and cheerful. She came home about 6 with her brother Herbert, crying very much. She asked what was the matter. The girl could not speak for some time she was crying so much. The girl said she was sore … she took her into another room and examined her … the girl made a statement and went off to bed. She would not even wait for her tea. Her father came home that evening about 8pm and next morning gave information to the police. [Cross-examined] She asked Julia and Herbert if they knew who the man was. They said no, but they should know him again if they saw him, they were sure. They described him as a great big chap., with light clothes and light shoes. They thought his cap was the same colour as his clothes. Joseph Newton of Northill, police constable – he went to the Northill Schools on Monday 7thSept and took Julia and Herbert Burr to his house. He then went across the road to where Thomas Wilshere was at work and asked him to come to his house. He did not tell him what he wanted him for. As they were crossing the road Wilshire said “I know what you want to know about – about that girl”. When they got into his house he asked the children if that was the man they saw on Thursday night. They both said it was directly. He asked Wilshere to let him look at his knife as the boy had told him he would know it again. Wilshere said he had not got one, nor had for a month. He asked Wilshere if he had on the same boots as on Thursday. Wilshere said they were the same. He said he would go to Mr Harvey the magistrate. Wilshere said he would not care if he did, that he was not up the Bedford Road on Thursday and had not been for 3 weeks. Nothing had been said about the Bedford Road. Roland Hill Coombs of Bedford, MRCSE, LRCP (Hons) – on Saturday 5th September Julia Burr was brought to him at Bedford … [description of results of examination and injuries]. On 9th September he examined the child again. Thomas Wiltshere – he was not there at the time. He was at Northill all day long. He was with Robert Smith bricklayer at 4pm. They then went to Mrs Tate’s and had their 4 o’clock. Then he went to his aunt’s and then came back to Mrs Tate’s again. He was at Mrs Tate’s at 5pm, then went to his aunt’s at 5.30, then to Mrs Tate’s and atopped there till 7 when he went home. He was at Mrs Tate’s from 5.30 to 7.

item

Willsher, Thomas,
Burr, Julia,
Burr, Herbert,
Gaunt, Eliza,
Newton, Joseph,
Coombs, Rowland Hill,
Smith, Robert,
Green,
Burton,
Tate

NORTHILL, WILLINGTON, Willington Sheerhatch Wood, Northill College Wood, BEDFORD, sex crimes, assault, child abuse, police constable, surgeon, bricklayer