QSR1855/2/5/6a

Depositions of Charles Gosling, baker of Ridgmont, Daniel Grace, labourer of Husborne Crawley, Thomas Yates, farmer of Bow Brickhill, Buckinghamshire and William Clay, police constable of Aspley Guise. In the case of Robert Cook, labourer of Ridgmont, accused of stealing a pair of reins.

23 March 1855

From: 1855 To: 1855

Charles Gosling: he lived at Ridgmont with his father Thomas, a baker. On 1 March 1854 he left a pair of reins and 2 flour sacks in the cart in an open hovel on his fathers premises. The reins were his father’s property and had the value of 4 shillings. The sacks were worth half a crown each and were marked with the words “Olney Mills”. Both the sacks and reins were safe about 6pm but he missed them the next morning and advised the police constable. The reins produced were those stolen and he knew them by the brass buckles. He received them from Clay soon after they were stolen and they had been in his possession since. Daniel Grace: a labourer at Husborne Crawley. On the morning of 2 March 1854 he saw a barrow standing in Aspley Lane. There were 2 sacks in the barrow with about 2 bushels of potatoes in one of the sacks and a pair of reins. There was nobody with the barrow at the time and soon afterwards he saw Cook and his brother, both whom he knew well, coming down the lane. They went to the barrow and remained with it. He saw nothing further but through it was their barrow from the way there went up to it. Thomas Yates: a farmer of Bow Brickhill. On 3 March 1854 he overtook the prisoner Cook and another man between Bow Brickhill and Fenny Stratford. He bought some potatoes from them and when they delivered the potatoes they offered a pair of reins for sale with brass buckles. He bought and paid sixpence for them to the man who accompanied the prisoner. They went off together. On 4 March he handed the reins over to PC Clay. The next Sunday he saw the prisoner and his companion at Bow Brickhill and apprehended the prisoner’s companion who was afterwards tried at the April Session 1854 and convicted of the offence. The prisoner ran away. PC William Clay: on 2 March 1854 he was advised by Gosling of the theft of the reins and 2 sacks from his father’s cart. On 4 March he saw Yates at Bow Brickhill who informed him he had bought a pair of reins from 2 men from who he had also bought some potatoes. The prisoner, Cook absconded and had not returned until then, when he was taken into custody on the charge. As he brought the prisoner to Woburn on the night of 21 March 1855 the prisoner said “well Mr Clay I hope you’ll speak for me. It is the first time and it shall be the last. I hope they’ll forgive me. I should not have went but for my brother Tom made me.” His brother was tried and convicted of the offence at the April 1854 sessions at Bedford. Statement of the accused: he had not had any money and had never a farthing. His brother had it and called him up and made him go with him to steal the potatoes and sacks.

item

Cook, Robert,
Gosling, Charles,
Grace, Daniel,
Yates, Thomas,
Clay, William

RIDGMONT, HUSBORNE CRAWLEY, Bow Brickhill, ASPLEY GUISE, stealing, leather, baker, potatoes, farmer