QSR1856/3/5/19

Depositions of Joseph Fletcher, farm bailiff of Upper Sundon and PC John Thorogood stationed at Toddington. In the case of George Peach accused of stealing a bushel of beans and peas.

20 May 1856

From: 1856 To: 1856

Joseph Fletcher: a farm bailiff to Samuel Hopkins, a farmer of Upper Sundon. The prisoner was in Mr Hopkins employment as a shepherd and lived in a cottage on the farm. For 10 days up to 16 May he delivered George Peach 2 pecks of beans and peas mixed to give to the sheep. It was Peach’s business to give them to the sheep. His master told him he did not think the sheep were getting on so well and they should do from the corn they had. That morning he was called up by PC Thorogood who showed him a sample of beans and peas mixed and said he had George Peach in custody. He examined the bean and pea mixture in the granary and it corresponded with those shown to him by Thorogood. The value of the bushels of beans and peas was 5s 6d. PC John Thorogood: on 19 May he met the prisoner, George Peach, on a footpath leading from Sundon to Toddington. The prisoner had a sack on his back with something in it and after he had passed he suspected him so went back. He asked what was in the sack and was told it was not his business. Peach repeatedly refused to say what was in the sack and so he took it from him and examined it. He found it to contain a pea and bean mixture. He asked Peach about 20 times how he had come by the mixture but Peach remained silent. When told he would be taken into custody Peach admitted he had stolen them and ought to have known better. Peach said he had stolen them instead of giving them to his masters sheep and his wife did not know of it. He asked where Peach was taking them but he refused to say. He then went to the house of Henry Peach, the prisoner’s brother, at Toddington and asked him if he kept a pig. Henry Peach said he did and fed it beans and peas which he ground down and he had bought from Leighton Buzzard 2 months ago. He found a bushel of bean meal in the kitchen and took Henry Peach into custody on suspicion of receiving the stolen beans and peas. He took a sample to Fletcher who identified them as being his master’s property. Statement of the accused: he was sorry and acknowledged what he had done.

item

Peach, George,
Fletcher, Joseph,
Thorogood, John,
Peach, Henry

TODDINGTON, Upper Sundon, stealing, beans, peas, farm bailiff, shepherd