QSR1855/2/5/1-2

Depositions of Charles Dale, police constable of Houghton Regis, Elizabeth Fowler, wife of Richard Fowler, labourer of Houghton Regis and George Bandy, labourer of Houghton Regis. In the case of George Turvey and George Burt, accused of stealing 2 linen shirts.

19 March 1855

From: 1855 To: 1855

Elizabeth Fowler: on 8 March she washed 2 of her husband’s shirts and hung them on the garden hedge at the back of the house to dry. In the afternoon she went to fetch them and they were gone. She gave the information to the police. The same night PC Dale sent for her and showed her a shirt which she knew belonged to her husband. He had had it about 6 weeks and it was nearly new. She had washed it and knew the make. George Bandy: he had been walking up a lane towards Fowler’s house with George Turvey and George Burt. There was a sheet hanging on the hedge and Burt said he should like the sheet. He told him not to meddle with the sheet. He told them he wasn’t a rogue yet. He left them and then saw them again up near Mrs Fowler’s house. He saw Turvey take 2 shirts off the hedge. Burt was with him. Turvey laid the shirts on the ground and doubled them up, then put them under his frock. They went off together. About 2 hours later he saw Turvey who said he had one of the shirts on. About 10pm Burt came up to him and said he was a damned fool as nobody would have known who had the shirts if he had not told. He had previously told the police constable what he had seen. PC Charles Dale: in consequence of information received he went in pursuit of the prisoners. He took Turvey into custody about 9pm and told him he was charged with stealing shirt, the property of Richard Fowler. Turvey said he knew nothing of the shirt. He examined the shirt which Turvey was wearing and requested he pull it off. He showed it to Mrs Fowler who identified it. The following Monday he took Burt into custody and told him the charge. Burt said he had not been in the company of Turvey and that he knew noting of the shirts. Statement of the accused: George Turvey – he only took one shirt. George Burt – George Bandy said on that day that he had not got a bit of shirt on his back but he’d have one from somewhere. Bandy said they were some at old Dick Fowler’s and Bandy told Turvey to go and pick 2 of them and that he would have one and Turvey the other. Turvey did not go directly and Bandy said he would go and light his pipe and keep Mrs Fowler talking so she knew nothing about it.

item

Turvey, George,
Burt, George,
Dale, Charles,
Fowler, Elizabeth,
Fowler, Richard,
Bandy, George

HOUGHTON REGIS, stealing, shirts