Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue
  • Reference
    QSR1845/3/5/10
  • Title
    Depositions and examination - William Holland charged with tendering counterfeit coin
  • Date free text
    27 May 1845
  • Production date
    From: 1845 To: 1845
  • Scope and Content
    Anne Wykes, wife of William Wykes of Sharnbrook, baker and grocer – Holland came to her husband’s shop on Wednesday 14 May about 7pm. He asked for ½ oz of tobacco. She served him and he tendered a shilling to pay for it, asking for change. She saw it was a bad one and refused to take it. He made no observation but offered her a good half a crown which she changed. She told him it was not a good shilling. He paid 3 half pence for the tobacco. He said his cart was gone on and he was in a great hurry to go. Jane Ekins, wife of Samuel Ekins of Odell, innkeeper – her husband keeps the Bell Inn in Odell. On 15 May about 3pm Holland was keeping a stall at Odell Fair. Holland came into her house and had ½ pint of ale. He tendered a shilling which she saw was a bad one. She refused it. He said he thought the shilling had been amongst some gunpowder which had made it dark. Holland gave her another shilling. He was at her house from Wednesday until the following Monday. On the Saturday night she had 2 other bad shillings which were taken at her house during Saturday. On 20 May PC Neale showed her a bad shilling of the same date which appeared to resemble one of the bad shillings she had. She does not know how they were taken. She has since destroyed them. Mary Hine of Odell, grocer – on Thursday evening 15 May between 9 and 10pm Holland came into her shop for ½ oz of tobacco. She served him with it. He first offered her a penny for it and asked if that was enough. He then offered her a shilling which she told him was a bad one. He then said he had had it in his pocket with some gunpowder which had made it look darker and that he would have only a pennyworth of tobacco, for which he gave a penny. Sarah Salisbury of Harrold – on Monday 19 May about 3 or 4pm Holland came into her shop at Harrold for ½ oz of tobacco. She is a married woman and her husband keeps a grocer’s shop. She gave Holland the tobacco and he gave her a shilling. She had no change in the shop. Holland said copper would do in exchange. She then gave him 10½d in copper. She put the shilling in a drawer in the shop where she generally put the silver. She did not examine it first. There was no other shilling in the drawer – the only silver was one half crown piece. A few minutes later Mr Neal the policeman came into her shop and asked what money she had taken from a person who had lately been in. She told him a shilling. The policeman asked if it was a good one. She checked and found it was a bad one, and gave it to the policeman. She is sure it was the shilling received from Holland. Holland had seemed in a hurry to receive the change when he said copper would do. He said the van was gone on and he was in a hurry. She saw a van pass her shop just before Holland came in. The name of White was painted in letters on the van. Joseph Neale, police constable – on Monday 14 May he saw Holland leave James Salisbury’s shop. He went in and asked Mrs Salisbury what money what money she had been given. She produced the shilling and discovered it was a bad one. He followed Holland and took him about 4 or 5 miles from Harrold. When Holland first saw him he tried to run away and said “It’s not me” before he spoke to him. He took Holland in custody. The next morning he heard of Holland tendering bad money in other places. Holland said he took the money at Odell fair for gingerbread. He told Holland he had heard he had tendered bad money at two different places in Odell. William Holland of Northampton – he said to the policeman he knew he had a bad shilling but did not know he had given it to the woman. He had taken the bad shilling at Odell fair for gingerbread.
  • Reference
  • Level of description
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