QSR1845/4/5/5-6

Depositions - Thomas Allen and Obadiah Worsley charged with stealing a hen belonging to the executors of Thomas Waller, deceased. Also character references for Obadiah Worsley.

23 July 1845

From: 1845 To: 1845

George Groome of Stopsley, shepherd – he is shepherd to William Gillham. On Monday 21 July about 5pm he was with his sheep in a field called Cricks Hill about 100 yards from a farm lately belonging to Thomas Waller in Luton. He saw Allen and Worsley go towards the farm with two others. He saw them throw stones at a hen until they caught it in the hedge. Allen took the hen and tucked it underneath his right arm. It was a brown hen. They left and he told Scrivener, Mrs Waller’s bailiff. John Scrivener of Luton – he is bailiff at the late Thomas Waller’s farm. On Monday 21 July about 5pm George Groome came and asked if he had lost any fowls. He said he had. Groome said he had seen 4 men catch a fowl, and that it was two of the Allens and two of the Worsleys. He went after them and got near enough to know them. The two prisoners were two of them. On Sunday morning he counted 65 fowls. On Tuesday morning there were 56 in the hen house and 7 others lying about. The field where the fowl was taken is very much frequented by the fowls. Charles Massey of Luton, police constable – on Tuesday 22 July he took Allen into custody. PC Millard was with him. He searched Allen and found brown feathers in his right coat pocket. Allen denied knowing anything about the theft of a fowl from Mrs Waller’s and that he was never nearer to the field than Champkin Lane. He was there when Millard counted the fowls. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Character references for Obadiah Worsley (1) from Thomas Wright of Wellington Street, Luton, stating that Worsley was in his service for about 12 months as a baker and that he found him honest, steady, industrious and trustworthy. (2) from George Gray stating that he had employed Worsley on his premises and never found him dishonest in anything.

item

Allen, Thomas,
Worsley, Obadiah,
Waller, Thomas,
Groome, George,
Gillham, William,
Scrivener, John,
Massey, Charles,
Wright, Thomas,
Gray, George

STOPSLEY, LUTON, Luton Champkins Lane, Luton Wellington Street, stealing animals, hens, fowls, shepherd, farm bailiff, police constable, baker