QSR1854/3/5/24

Depositions of Emma Read, Emma Osborn and Mary Ann Read all single woman of Hockcliffe. In the case of Charles Hall accused of assaulting Emma Read with the intent to ravish and carnally know.

16 June 1854

From: 1854 To: 1854

Emma Read: she was 17 years of age. On 8 June about 10pm she was going home from the Odd Fellows Club, which was held at Mr Woods at Hockcliffe. A girl by the name of Emma Osborn was with her. Charles Hall and Jeremiah Tearle came up to them. Hall asked her where she was going and she told him home. Tearle was behind with Emma Osborn. They went as far as Church Lane together and he said she should go up the lane and she refused. He caught hold of her and pulled her about 100 yards up the lane. He pushed her though a gate and said she should go in the field. She said she would not and he dragged her into the field and threw her on the grass. She tried to get away from his and then he pulled up her petticoats. She cried out and Emma Osborn came to them and told Hall he should be ashamed of himself. Hall replied he would serve her the same. He then dragged Read behind a rick in the field and pulled her to the ground. Emma Osborn came too. [Description of the attack………….] Emma Osborn tried to pull Hall away. Osborn was back and forth all the time Read was behind the rick. All at once hall got up as someone was coming and went away. She saw no more of him and went home. The next morning she told her mother. She had seen her mother when she got home the night before but had said nothing to her. She did not have connection with Charles Hall at any time. On Whit Tuesday she had been at the public house at Hockcliffe seeing the dancing and got home at 9.45pm. Hall had never tried to take advantage of her before. Hall had never taken liberties. On Tuesday he had given her a kiss. [cross examination] she had not said anything to Hall in Wood’s yard and did not go through the gate willingly. She did not go up Church Lane willingly. Emma Osborn: a single woman of 17 years of age. She knew Charles Hall. She had been at the club at Hockcliffe and at 10.10pm she started to walk home with Emma Read. They lived near each other. Charles Hall and Tearle followed them and Hall went to Emma Read and said he should go home with her. She refused to let him but he went with her. Osborn followed behind with Tearle. Hall took Emma Read away and she heard her cry out. She saw them both on the ground in the field. She told Hall he should be ashamed of himself and he called her a b….. and said he would serve her the same. He pulled Emma Read behind the hay rick and pulled her clothes up. Hall laid on her and Osborn tried to get her away but Hall held her tight. It was light enough for her to see what was taking place. Hall had his trousers down. She saw him pull them down behind the rick; he was upon Read at the time. He kept Read for 20 minutes behind the rick. Tearle came into the field and told Hall to let the girl alone. They scuffled away together and she saw Halls shirt hanging out of his trousers. Hall called Read a fool as she would not lay still. Read resisted all the time and her petticoats were over her head and her thighs exposed. Some people came into the field and Hall then got up and went away. She went home with Emma Read and went into her house and saw her mother. She did not say anything to her. On returning to the house the next morning Emma’s mother asked her about it and she told her what had taken place. She had not been out of doors on Whit Tuesday with William Ricketts and did not see Hall and Read together. [cross examination] Tearle came into the field about 2 minutes after her. She went up the lane willingly with Tearle. She did not say she would not let him connect with her unless he would give her half a crown. Mary Ann Read: a single woman and mother of Emma Read. On Thursday her daughter came home a little before 11pm and Emma Osborn was with her. She was up when her daughter came home and saw her. Emma was a tremble and she asked what the matter was, but received no answer. Emma went to bed. The next morning Emma began crying and she insisted on knowing what the matter was. Emma told her Charles Hall had dragged her up Church Lane and pulled her petticoats up. Emma said he tried very hard but did not get the better of her. Emma’s bonnet had its crown out and was bent but her clothes were not torn. There were no marks on her linen. [cross examination] she went to Hall’s mother and asked for due recompense for her daughters bonnet. Statement of the accused: she was as wiling a he and he had been with her on Tuesday. He had connection with her on Tuesday and she had made no alarm. It had been about 10pm. She had asked him for some money and he had told her he had none. He saw her at the Fleur de Lys at Hockcliffe and she came and sat by him and they went out together to have connection. On Thursday night Emma came into the yard where he was and said he could no nothing. Emma Read and Emma Osborn followed them and were willing to go up Church Lane. The gate was drawn bolts [?] Emma waited whilst he undid it. He did not drag her. She would not have said anything if the chaps had not come in the field. When he was connected with Emma Read on Tuesday, Emma Osborn was with William Ricketts. When they came out of the field Emma Osborn said to Emma Read “I know you have had it tonight you old b…. you”. They went to the Fleur de Lys after they came out of the field. It was then about 10.30pm. Ricketts and Osborn remained in the field by the road.

item

Hall, Charles,
Read, Emma,
Read, Mary Ann,
Osborn, Emma,
Tearle, Jeremiah,
Ricketts, William

Hockcliffe, assault, sex crimes, Oddfellows, Hockliffe Fleur de Lys