QSR1890/1/5/4

Depositions of Alphonso Bigg, blocker of Hastings Street, Luton, Mary Ann Bigg his daughter and Charlotte Bigg his wife. George Burgess, police constable of Luton. Includes the Arrest Warrant for John Bailey. In the case of John Bailey accused of the indecent assault of Mary Ann Bigg aged 5 years.

11 December 1890

From: 1889 To: 1890

Alphonso Bigg: he was father to Mary Ann Bigg who was 5 years old (on 6 July 1889). On 9 December he and his wife went out about 3.45pm and left Mary Ann in the house. He arrived back about 4.30pm by the back way and went into the back kitchen. When he opened the door he saw Mary Ann sitting on the prisoner’s knee. The prisoner was sitting on a chair and the little girls legs were astride his. As soon he they came in the child cried “oh Daddy he’s been hurting me”. Bigg ran and took the child from his knee and saw Bailey’s private parts exposed and his clothes open. He asked the prisoner what he had been doing and he said nothing. He examined the child to see if she was hurt and the prisoner went out. The prisoner was a friend and had often come in. The child did make a complaint to him and he took out a warrant. His wife took the child to the doctor, the child was crying all the time. [cross examination] there were 2 rooms on the ground floor; a front room and a living room or back kitchen. They let the front room to a lodger. His little boy of 2 years had been there at the time. Bailey was in the house talking to the lodger, Mr Woodland, when he had left the house. Woodland’s young woman lived with him but he was not married. There was no beer sent for before he had his wife had gone out. Woodland and his young woman had been in their room, with the door shut, when he returned. Bailey used to lodge with him 2 or 3 years before. The children knew him well and would often climb on his knee. Mary Ann Bigg: aged 5 years and too young for an oath to be administer. She remembered the day and her father and mother had gone out leaving her and her brother Alfred in the house. She knew Jack Bailey and he was in the house too. He came into the room and picked her up and put her on his lap. [Description of the assault…………..] She got away and ran upstairs but he called her back and she went down. He gave her a halfpenny and put her on his lap again. She was there when her father came in and was crying. She did not say anything to her father. Her father picked her up and said something to Bailey but she did not remember what. She told her mother about it and she went to the doctor who looked at her. [cross examination]: he mother took her to the doctor. She did not hear what her mother said to him. Charlotte Bigg: she went out about 3.45pm. Bailey was in the house. She came back about 4.35pm and saw her husband first. He made a complaint to her about the child. Mary Ann was crying and she picked her up. Mary Ann’s drawers were undone and her private parts were rather red. She took her to Dr Thomson. [cross examination] her husband and children were in the back kitchen and the lodger was shut in his room. PC George Burgess: on 9 December he arrested the prisoner on a warrant and charged him with the indecent assault of Mary Ann Bigg. The prisoner replied “never, never”. Statement of the accused: he resided at 24 Court Road, Luton and was a labourer. He knew the Biggs well and used to lodge with them. He would often go to their house and was on friendly terms with them and their children. They would sit on is lap. He went there on Monday afternoon and found Mr Bigg, Mrs Bigg, the 2 children, a young man lodger and a woman lodger in the back room together. He sent for a pint of beer which they drank between them. Mr & Mrs Bigg went away leaving him talking to the lodgers. They were not gone long. Bigg came back first and he was sitting by the fire. The lodgers were in the next room. The little girl was on his lap when her father came in. He wished him good afternoon and her father asked what he was up to. He said nothing and it was untrue that his trousers were open and his private parts exposed. His clothes were not disarranged. The child’s father took her off his lap and he got up. The father told him to go. He did nothing to the child and did not undo her drawers. The child was not crying. He had given her halfpenny.

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Bailey, John,
Bigg, Alphonso,
Bigg, Mary Ann,
Bigg, Charlotte,
Woodland

LUTON, sex crimes, blocker, Luton Hastings Street, Luton Court Road