QSR1854/3/5/31-32

Depositions of William Bromwell, labourer of Keysoe. Charles Freeman, labourer of Keysoe and William Snell, police constable of Keysoe. In the case of William Green & Thomas Bass accused of stealing quanities of bread and pork.

6 June 1854

From: 1854 To: 1854

William Bromwell: on 27 May he was working ploughing in a field in Keysoe for Mr Hartop. He laid his coat under the hedge in the field and put his lunch into one of the pockets. It was wrapped up. When he looked for his lunch at 10am it had been taken from his coat pocket. The lunch of Charles Freemna which had been put in one of the other pockets had also been taken. His lunch consisted of about half a pound of boiled pork and a long piece of bread. Freeman’s lunch was all bread. His lunch was worth 8d. Charles Freeman: on 27 May he had been working in the same field as Bromwell. He had been driving the plough and he put his lunch, which was a piece of bread, into the coat pocket of Bromwell. He saw him also put his lunch in one of the pockets and then the coat lay under the hedge in the field. He saw the prisoner Green, who he did not know, looking over the hedge. His lunch was worth about 2d. William Snell: on 27 May he was sent to Mr Hartop’s about the lost lunch. He spoke to Freeman who said he had seen 2 men in the road with sacks on their shoulders. Previous to this he had seen the 2 men passing through Keysoe about 12 in the morning. From Freeman’s description he thought them to be the men who had taken the lunch. On 28 May he went to Kimbolton and found Green at the house of Bass. He charged him and at first Green denied it. He then charged Bass with the same offence. Bass replied he had never gone off the road or touched anything and if it had not been for Green, he would not have thought of it. Green then acknowledged he had taken the victuals from the coat. They then said they would go to Mr Hartop’s on 29 May to see if they could make it up. Mr Hartop refused to settle with the prisoners. Statement of the accused: William Green – he was driven to do it by downright hunger. Thomas Bass – he was driven to do it.

item

Green, William,
Bass, Thomas,
Bromwell, William,
Freeman, Charles,
Snell, William,
Hartop

KEYSOE, Kimbolton, stealing, pork, bread