QSR1854/3/5/21

Depositions of Rebecca Peacock, wife of Edward, farmer of Keysoe and William Snell, police constable of Keysoe. In the case of Elizabeth Page accused of stealing a hymn book.

6 June 1854

From: 1854 To: 1854

Rebecca Peacock: Elizabeth Page was an occasional servant in her husband’s house. Page was working at the house on the fast day, 26 April. On that day she saw her daughter with a hymn book belonging to her husband and later she saw it lying on a table in the kitchen. The prisoner left the house about 8pm. They missed the book on the following Sunday and asked the prisoner if she had seen it but Page stated that she had not. [crossed out text - She later heard the book had been seen in the hands of the mother of the prisoner at the dissenting meeting.] The book produced by PC Snell was the one she had missed and was worth about a shilling. PC William Snell: on 15 May he was requested by Mr Edward Peacock to see the prisoner about a hymn book which he had lost. He went to the prisoner’s father’s house and told her she was charged with stealing a hymn book. The prisoner’s mother was present and told her if she had any book belonging to Mr Peacock, to give it up to the policeman. The prisoner admitted that she had the hymn book and that it was in her box. Page fetched her box downstairs and the book was inside the box. Statement of the accused: nothing to say.

item

Page, Elizabeth,
Peacock, Rebecca,
Snell, William,
Peacock, Edward

KEYSOE, stealing, book, hymns