QSR1875/4/5/2

Depositions and examination - Henry Allibone, charged with indecently assaulting Martha Fensom, age 8, at Dunstable on 20 August 1875

21 August 1875

From: 1875 To: 1875

21st August -------------- Maria Fensom – she is the wife of James Fensom, a miller and publican living at the Sun Inn, Dunstable. Her daughter Martha will be 9 on 7th September. Allibone has been lodging in her house. Yesterday she went to the back door about 7.30pm and going down the garden saw her daughter in the washhouse with Allibone. She cried out “Halloo”. Allibone said he was looking for his handkerchief. She called to her daughter “Patty, I want you”. She went further down to the closet. Her daughter came to her there. After something else told her she went to the house. Allibone had come in and asked her twice for a pint of beer. He said he owed her 4d and gave it to her. She said Charlie (meaning Charles Harrison) would draw the beer and that she was going to see where Patty was. She had sent her daughter to fetch a loaf. With the help of Mrs Fearn a neighbour she examined the child in her house. She later gave the prisoner into custody. Dr Hicks examined the girl this morning. [Cross-examined] She was more than half a minute out of the taproom at the back of the premises. Martha Fensom of Dunstable – she was going down the yard. Allibone was going into the washhouse and said “come on”. She went to him in the washhouse. He said he would give her a penny or twopence on Saturday. … [description of assault] … she told her mother about it very soon afterwards. Sarah Fearn, wife of Joseph Fearn of Dunstable, publican – after some conversation with Mrs Fensom last night she examined the child. 26th August --------------- [Case remanded on Allibone’s application] Maria Fensom – her former evidence read over to her and cross-examination reserved Martha Fensom – evidence retaken and cross-examination [Very similar but with additional detail] The doors of the two washrooms and the taproom were open. Sarah Fearn – she found the child in a very excited state. There were no marks of violence. Maria Fensom [cross-examined] – there are a barn, two closets and an ecnclosed garden further down the garden where Allibone might have gone quite private. Allibone was standing with his back towards her when she saw him and the child was beside him. He had lodged with her since the previous Tuesday but had stopped away one night. The child did not call out. There is a wall so that one cannot see from the door of one washhouse into the other washhouse. Anyone could have gone down the garden and looked into the places she had mentioned. Henry Tofield of Dunstable, police constable – on Friday about 8.20pm he saw Allibone, Mrs Fensom, Mrs Adams and the child in the front room of the Rising Sun. He asked the little girl if the man had been doing anything to her. She seemed much frightened and timid. With some difficulty got answers to his questions … he told Mr Fensom there was enough for him to prove an attempted rape had be committed and it was up to her whether to give the man into custody or not. She asked him to take Allibone into custody. Allibone said he was innocent of the charge. [Cross-examined] All that he learnt was in consequence of questions he asked the child. Henry Allibone – he is not guilty and reserves his defence

item

Allibone, Henry,
Fensom, Martha,
Fensom, Maria,
Fensom, James,
Fearn, Sarah,
Fearn, Joseph,
Tofield, Henry

DUNSTABLE, sex crimes, child abuse, publicans, police constable, millers, Dunstable Sun Inn, Dunstable Rising Sun