QSR1877/3/5/2

Depositions and examinations - Charles Loveridge and Emanuel Loveridge, both of Millbrook, labourers, charged with breaking and entering the house of John Desborough at Millbrook on 5 April 1877 and stealing one umbrella, part of a hair comb and a box of Lucifer matches.

12 April 1877

From: 1877 To: 1877

Elizabeth Desborough, wife of John Desborough of Millbrook, engine driver at the Coprolite Works – they live in a roadside house on the road from Steppingley to Millbrook. On 5 April she left her house about 8am. She locked the door and took the key with her. No one was left in the house. The windows were all shut and none broken. She went to her sister’s house in Millbrook. She saw the prisoners together. She told one of them the time – 11 o’clock. They left her, going in the direction of her home. She returned home about 6pm. She discovered the window was broken and some boxes had been opened. A hair comb had been broken and part was gone. She has since missed a leather bag and an umbrella and some matches. There was about a box full of matches gone. They were strewed about the house. There was also a photograph gone – it was the portrait of Charles Loveridge, which was given to her by his mother, a tramping woman. She gave information to the police. She has since seen the articles she lost except the bag. She recognizes the umbrella by a notch on the handle. She was with PC Osborn on 6 April when he pulled the umbrella out of the ditch by the side of the road. There were some shavings with it. George Robinson of Ampthill, labourer – he is employed by Mr Fountain, a farmer. On 5th April he was at work close to Desborough’s house at about 11.30am. He saw both prisoners. One was asleep in the road and the other sitting by singing and cutting wood – making pegs and skewers he thinks. Charles Loveridge asked him the time. He told him ten to one. He then left for dinner. When he came back the prisoners had gone further down the road and had lit a fire. They were about 300 yards from Desborough’s house when he first saw them. The next day he saw PC Osborn and pointed out to him where he had seen the men sitting. Osborne went there and later showed him the umbrella. Frederick Goodman of Millbrook – he lives with his parents, his father is a labourer, he is 12 years old. On Thursday 5th he was bird keeping in a field at Millbrook by Desborough’s house. He saw the prisoners together against the top corner of the field he was in. He saw them later close against Mrs Desborough’s window, one in the path by the house the other close to the window, within the garden. He called to them that she was not at home. Emanuel Loveridge ran after him, threw a stone at him and drove him away down the field. Loveridge had an iron rod in his hand used for hanging a bottle on. Loveridge said he would kill him and swore at him. He saw them again by the brook further from the house. They then had a fire. They were both together then and there was a man, a woman and some children with them. Charles Osborn, police constable stationed at Westoning – he went with Mrs Desborough and Supt. James to her house. The window had been broken open so that a man could get his hand through. The curtain was torn and there were footmarks on the boarded wall. The boxes in the house were scattered about in confusion and were open. Desborough gave him a piece of comb (now produced). He went after the prisoners and found them sleeping in a hovel at Flitton. PC Lunniss was with him. He took them into custody on the charge of sleeping in the hovel. He searched them. Emanuel Loveridge passed a comb to a boy who was standing by. It is the larger piece he now produced. Charles Loveridge said it was his. He found some matches on Charles Loveridge. The next day he went to where Robinson was working. From what he said he went to the hedge by the road and in the ditch found an umbrella (now produced). He charged them with the offence. They said they knew nothing about it. He was present when the prisoners were remanded on Saturday. He heard Charles Loveridge say “I wish it settled now”. Emmanuel Loveridge said “I was no nearer than the side of the road”. Charles Loveridge – has nothing to say except that he did not go nearer the house than the other side of the road Emanuel Loveridge – he has nothing to say more than he has said.

item

Loveridge, Charles,
Loveridge, Emanuel,
Desborough, John,
Desborough, Elizabeth,
Robinson, George,
Goodman, Frederick,
Osborn, Charles,
Fountain

MILLBROOK, AMPTHILL, WESTONING, breaking & entering, household goods, engine driver, coprolite worker, police constable, farmer