QSR1886/1/5/1

Depositions of Moses Cakebread and James Harris of Meppershall, Ephraim John Roberts, baker of Meppershall, Charles Hickman, manager of Cardington, Julius Jacobs, debt collector of Bedford and Christopher Archer, clerk of Derby. In the case of James Clarke accused of obtaining the sum of £20 by false pretences. (x) Agreement between Cakebread, Harris & Clarke. (x) Receipt signed by Clarke. (xi) Deed between James Clarke, Innkeeper of the Sportsman Inn, Shefford & Cardington Brewery Company.

4 November 1885

From: 1885 To: 1886

Moses Cakebread: a blacksmith of Meppershall. On 24 July 1885 he was at a Sugar Loaf in Meppershall with James Harris. James Clarke was there and he asked Clarke if he would sell him his crop of barley. Clarke agreed but they would not agree a price. Later on the same day he had been with Harris at the White Hart in Shefford. Clarke was also there and in consequence of what he had been told by Samuel Lawrence, he went to Clarke and told him he would give him the same price for the barley that had been offered that morning, £5 10s 0d per acre. Clarke said he would take it. E J Roberts was present and drew up an agreement on which Clarke and Harris made their marks. He then paid Clarke £5 and he made his mark on the receipt which was on the other side of the agreement. Clarke called upon him and he paid agreed to pay him £15, which he paid Clarke. He believed the barley to be Clarke’s property. It had been growing on the land in Clarke’s occupation. He took possession of the barley and afterwards Cardington Brewery claimed the barley and he had to pay them the value of the crop. James Harris: a labourer of Meppershall who had been present at the Sugar Loaf inn on 24 July. He heard Cakebread ask Clarke to sell him his barley and he heard Clarke agree and asked £6 an acre, but a price could not be agreed. He was also present the same day at the White Hart, Shefford when Lawrence spoke to them and then they went to Clark and Cakebread agreed to pay £5 10s 0d. He agreed to go halves and Mr Roberts drew up an agreement which they all signed. Cakebread paid him £5 and on the following day he saw Cakebread pay Clarke a further £15. They had since had to give up the value of the crops to the Cardington brewery. Ephraim John Roberts: a baker of Meppershall. He was present on the evening of 24 July when Cakebread and Harris entered into an agreement within Clarke for the sale of his crop of barley. He heard the conversation and drew up an agreement which the parties duly signed. Charles Hickman: a director of the Cardington Brewery Company Limited. The defendant was formerly a tenant of the Sportsman Inn, Shefford, property of the company. In April 1885 the defendant was indebted to the company for £67 4s 0d for beer supplied and rent. They pressed him for payment and on 11 April he called at the office. Hickman made an appointment with him for a later date at the office of Julius Jacobs at Bedford, collector of the company’s accounts. He met with Clarke and asked him what arrangement he could make to settle his account. Clarke said “you shall have every farthing of your money as soon as I can get it”. Clarke said he had 6 or 7 acres of barley and nearly an acre of onions, which would more than pay the debt as soon as harvest came. Hickman said that was not satisfactory as Clarke may have other loss, which Clarke denied. Hickman proposed they take the onions and barley as settlement of the debt but would not take Clarke’s peas. Clarke said he would not do it as it would leave the other landlord out in the cold. Hickman said that if he assigned them the crops they would pay the landlord the rent. Clarke agreed on that condition. Mr Jacobs made a note of the quantities and descriptions if the crops and said he would send it to Mr Stimpson for the deed to be prepared. Julius Jacobs: a debt collector of Bedford. On 11 April 1885 Mr Hickman and Clarke came to his office and he heard their conversation. At first Clarke refused to assign the barley and onions as it would leave the landlord out. Mr Hickman said that if Clarke would assign the barley and onions they would pay the landlord’s rent. Clarke agreed. Jacobs took a description of the property and instructed Mr Stimpson to draw up the deed. The Cardington Brewery Company had since recovered the value of the crops. Charles Archer: a former clerk to Julius Jacobs residing in Derby. On 13 April 1885 he went to Shefford taking the deed to Clarke. He read the deed to Clarke who agreed it was correct and he put his finger on the seal and made his mark opposite. Clarke fetched the pen and ink to make the mark and sealed the deed in Archer’s presence. Clarke handed the deed to him and Archer took it to Bedford. Statement of the accused: he was not guilty and would not be calling witnesses.

item

Clarke, James,
Cakebread, Moses,
Harris, James,
Roberts, Ephraim John,
Hickman, Charles,
Jacobs, Julius,
Archer, Christopher

MEPPERSHALL, CARDINGTON, Meppershall Sugar Loaf, false pretences, clerk, barley, onions, Shefford White Hart, Shefford Sportsman, Cardington Brewery, baker, Derby, blacksmith