QSR1844/1/5/40

Depositions and examination - William Biley, charged with stealing one ewe (value £1) from Edward Lawford at Leighton Buzzard on 25 October 1843

14 December 1843

From: 1843 To: 1844

Robert Valentine of Linslade (Bucks) – he is farm bailiff to Edward Lawford, a farmer at Leighton Buzzard. In June Mr Lawford bought 149 teg sheep from Mr Bushell. They were all kept in Leighton Field up to last Michaelmas when 20 were taken away. Three others had been sold. 11 others were later added to the flock making 137. These changes took place through the shepherd William Biley (the prisoner) under his directions. At the end of October he was examining his account of sheep in the open fields of Leighton and enquired if the shepherd had 137 sheep there. Biley said he had only 136. He checked his accounts again but still found there should be 137. He went to the shepherd again and said that unless he had 137 a mistake must have occurred. Biley then said he had 137 and must have counted carelessly. The sheep taken form Samuel Stevens which he says he purchased from Biley exactly corresponds with the remainder of those purchased from Mr Bushell and he has no doubt it was one of them. On 11 December he counted the sheep and there was the correct number, 136, one having been sold since the last account, but he believes one was put there to make up the number and is not Mr Lawford’s. Some time before October Biley objected to having the sheep branded stating he should know them all, so not all are marked with Mr Lawford’s regular brand and there is no identifying mark except the shepherd’s private mark. The sheep said to have been sold to Stevens was not branded. Samuel Stevens of Leighton Buzzard, labourer – he is shepherd to Mr Samuel Hopkins, a farmer at Leighton Buzzard. Biley asked him to let him put his ewe to his master’s tup a few days before Michaelmas. He agreed and either that day or soon after Biley took a ewe sheep from Mr Lawford’s flock and turned it into Mr Hopkins’ flock. The sheep remained with his master’s flock from the time Biley turned it amongst them until 25 October last when he informed Riley that the sheep had taken the tup and he might as well take it away. Biley then said he would rather he [Stevens] would buy it. He said he did not care to buy it. Biley said “our Jim” (meaning his son) “said if it had been up in the Fair yesterday it would not have made more than 18s”. When Biley first spoke to him about putting the sheep to his master’s tup he said he had bought it from William Buckingham and gave him 13s 6d for it. He asked Biley at the time he offered the sheep if he did buy it from Buckingham and Biley said he did and that he gave 13s 6d for it. He then told Biley he would give him 18s for it which Biley’s son said was the value. Biley agreed. The sheep remained with his master’s flock and he paid for it a few days later at the Wheatsheaf Public House. Biley again confirmed he bought the sheep from Buckingham. He gave Biley the money and he paid for 2 pints of beer out of it. There was no one with them when they settled for the sheep. On Sunday 3 December George Cox, a young man who was an assistant shepherd of Mr Lawford’s asked if he had bought Biley’s sheep. He said he did and showed him the sheep. Cox said that was not the sheep Biley bought from Buckingham which was not so good a sheep. He then said he would not get rid of the sheep so it would be there if Mr Lawford owned it. He did not hear anything more about the sheep until George Sparks the Leighton constable came to him on Monday 11 December. He told Sparks he had got a sheep he bought from Biley. He then delivered the sheep to Sparks. He is certain it is the same sheep. When he purchased it the sheep had a small dot between the shoulders. He has since marked it down the shoulders as his master’s sheep are marked. He is allowed to keep 4 sheep with his master’s flock. He had sold one on 24 October and had only his number when he bought the sheep from Biley. The sheep he bought from Biley is a two toothed one which signifies it is 2 years old only next lambing time. George Cox of Leighton Buzzard, labourer – he is employed by Edward Lawford and has assisted Biley. Sometime last winter he saw a sheep in his master’s flock which he thought did not belong to him. He asked Biley if they had a new one. Biley said it was his own. Biley asked what he thought it was worth. He said “about a dozen shillings”. Biley said that he only gave 11s for it. He also said he bought it from William Buckingham. Biley later said he sold the sheep to Samuel Stevens. The sheep was then gone from the flock. The same sheep later came back to the flock and remained there until he left in about March. He went to his master’s flock on Tuesday 12 December and found the same sheep Biley said he bought from Buckingham. It was caught and given to Sparks the constable. He knows the sheep from the others of the flock as it is smaller. I had a red mark across its back when he first saw it, and has a brown face. It is not as good a sheep as the others of the flock. John Chapman of Leighton Buzzard, police constable – he took William Biley into custody on suspicion of selling a sheep belonging to Mr Lawford’s flock. Biley said he was innocent. Later in reply to a question he told Biley he thought Mr Lawford would prosecute. Biley said “I am very sorry, I know I am wrong”. He said “you know best about that Biley. I don’t want you to tell me anything. A man of your years ought to know better”. Biley said he would tell him about it. He cautioned Biley that he would tell Mr Lawford. Biley said that the sheep he sold was Lawford’s property, that he sold it to Samuel Stevens for 18s and put a little brown faced sheep in its place which he had bought from William Buckingham, which was about 2s worse than the one he sold. He went and told Mr Lawford. While he was taking Biley to Woburn Biley said he would tell the magistrates the same. William Biley – “I acknowledge myself in a fault. I have told my master so. I have told him all about it. I have nothing else to say as concerning this sheep”.

item

Biley, William,
Lawford, Edward,
Valentine, Robert,
Stevens, Samuel,
Cox, George,
Chapman, John,
Hopkins, Samuel,
Sparks, George,
Buckingham, William

LEIGHTON BUZZARD, LINSLADE, stealing animals, sheep, ewes, shepherd, police constable, farm bailiff, farmer, Leighton Buzzard Wheatsheaf