QSR1886/2/5/3a,4a

Depositions of Jane Elston, wife of Robert of Luton, Lawrence Wise, publican of Luton, Henry John Hockley, fish hawker of Luton, William Robinson Raban, silversmith of Luton and William Henry Currell, police constable of Luton. In the case of John Groom & William Baldock accused of passing false coin.

10 February 1886

From: 1886 To: 1886

Jane Elston: wife of Robert Elston and was a finisher living Hitchin Road, Luton. On 8 February about 8.15pm she was at her daughter’s house, The Talbot Inn in Castle Street, when Baldock came into the bar. He asked for change for a sovereign for his mother. She said he’d ask Mr Wise, the landlord. She went to the tap room and asked if any gentleman could give change for a sovereign. Someone in the tap room said he would and she told Baldock to go in. He went into the tap room and then went away. Lawrence Wise: landlord of the Talbot Inn. He was in the parlour about 8.15pm and heard a boy ask Jane Elston if she could give change for a sovereign for his mother. The coin was handed to him later by Edward Elston and he then gave it to the police. He detained the boy when he was brought back. Henry John Hockley: a fish hawker of 2 Burvis Passage. On 8 February about 8.15pm he was in the Talbot tap room. He heard Baldock ask for change for a sovereign. He came into the tap room with a coin and put in onto the table. Arthur [?] picked up the coin and declared it a bad one. Baldock picked it up. Hockley told Mr Wise and when he came back from the parlour Baldock had gone. He went after him and fetched him back. Edward Elston went with him and Baldock gave him the coin. He saw Elston pass the coin to Mr Wise. William Robinson Raban: a silversmith residing at 57 Wellington Street in Luton. The coin was brought to him on 8 February by PC Currell and he found it to be a brass coin of similar size and appearance to a sovereign. William Henry Currell: he was called to the Talbot where he saw Wise and the prisoner William Baldock. Wise told him that the boy had been trying to pass a bad sovereign. Wise handed him the coin and it was marked with a cross. He took the boy into custody and from what he was told he apprehended John Groom and charged them together with attempting to pass a counterfeit sovereign. Baldock was searched and they found 2 shillings in silver, a new knife, a pair of [?] and 2 bags of sweets. When charged Baldock said Groom had said he would give him a shilling if he changed the sovereign. Currell had since received 13 similar coins from the prisoner Groom’s mother. Statements of the accused: nothing.

10 pages

item

Groom, John,
Baldock, William,
Elston, Jane,
Elston, Edward,
Hockley, Henry John,
Raban, William Robinson,
Currell, William Henry,
Elston, Robert,
Wise, Lawrence

LUTON, passing counterfeit coin, publican, fishmonger, silversmith, Luton Talbot