QSR1844/3/5/16

Depositions and examination - Isaac Barker

25 May 1844

From: 1844 To: 1844

Ann Grimes, a Quakeress (affirms) – she is the wife of Daniel Grimes. They live at Dunstable Street, Ampthill. Yesterday, May 24, she placed their copper baking pan at their back door to catch rain water. She saw it at about 8.30pm. This morning she missed the pan. They immediately informed the police. The front gate was locked so any person coming in must have come over the pales by the back way. She has had the pan about 40 years and knows the one produced to be hers by several marks it has. The pan was whole when she last saw it. It has since been cut. James Bates, police superintendent – he received information this morning from Mr Grimes about the lost pan. As he was leaving Hitchin he met Isaac Barker carrying a bag over his shoulder. Knowing him to come from Ampthill he stopped him and asked what he had in his bag. Barker said matches. He said he would see what was in it and found the copper pan now produced. He told Barked he would take him back to Ampthill with him as he knew to whom it belonged. Barker claimed he found the pan in Mr Abbot’s field. Barker was about 14 miles from Ampthill when he met him. Isaac Barker – he was not out of the house last night after 10.30pm. He was at Ward’s beer shop last night until nearly 10pm. He then went to bed and did not get up until nearly 9am. He saw the copper lying in Mr Abbott’s meadow with some rags. He only saw the pan because the rags were on it and shone white. He should have brought the copper home with him as he did not know where to sell it.

item

Barker, Isaac,
Grimes, Daniel,
Grimes, Ann,
Bates, James

AMPTHILL, Ampthill Dunstable Street, stealing, kitchen equipment, household goods, Quakers, police superintendent