QSR1854/4/5/7

Depositions of Sophia Smith the elder, a widow of Toddington and Sophia Smith the younger, a single woman of Toddington. In the case of Mary Buckingham accused of stealing 2 pounds of pickled pork.

18 August 1854

From: 1854 To: 1854

Sophia Smith: a widow who kept a shop at Toddington, which dealt in pork among other things. She knew the prisoner as she was a customer who visited most days. Within the last few months she had lost a great many pieces of pork and bacon from the shop, which induced her to keep a sharp look out. She rather suspected the prisoner. On 10 August, about 10pm the prisoner came to the shop for some bread which Smith’s daughter served her and also some crinklings. The daughter received the money for the bread and crinklings and the prisoner left the shop. When Smith went behind the counter to the place where the pork was kept, she missed a piece and told her daughter that the prisoner had taken it. Her daughter went in pursuit and brought the prisoner back to the shop 5 minutes later. Smith told the prisoner she had lost a piece of pork and that she was a thief. Smith said it was her piece of pork and that she could swear to it and slapped the prisoners face with it. Buckingham said “oh pray hold your tongue I will pay you for it, how much is it”. This she repeated more than a dozen times and upon telling her that she had lost pork before out of the shop the prisoner said “It’s the first time I have never taken any before”. Smith knew it was her piece of pork from the shape of it and several people had looked at it in the course of the evening but it had been too lean for them. Its value was 1s 4d. She pushed the prisoner into the parlour and left her daughter to take care of her. Smith went to get assistance and when she returned her daughter was trying to prevent the prisoner from leaving the house. The prisoner said Smith was a lying woman and said she had picked the pork off the ground. The prisoner left the premises. The next morning, about 6am, the prisoner called at the house and said her daughter (who she had with her) had given her the pork. Smith had not seen the daughter in the shop for months. The prisoner said it was her pork but could not say where she had bought it. [cross examination] the prisoner had been in the shop. She had spoken rather angrily. The prisoner had a family. She slapped the prisoner about her face with the pork. She spoke rather sharply. She wouldn’t be afraid to try again. She went for the PC but he was not there. Sophia Smith: daughter of Sophia Smith, the last witness and a server in the shop. About 10pm the prisoner came into the shop and bought some bread and crinklings from her. The prisoner left the shop and her mother told her she suspected a piece of pork had been taken. Sophia Smith the younger went after the prisoner and brought her back. Buckingham was searched by her mother in her presence and the piece of pork taken from her. The prisoner offered to pay and said it was the first time she had taken any. Statement of the accused: she had not done it. Her daughter had given it to her. She was sure she did not steal the pork.

item

Buckingham, Mary,
Smith, Sophia

TODDINGTON, stealing, pork, shopkeeper