QSR1846/3/5/24-26,35-50

Depositions - Jabez Abraham, Thomas King, James Procter, David Ward, John Abraham, Gadsden Fountain, Richard Fountain, John Ginger, Jabez Lugsden, John Lugsden, William Lugsden, James Pipkin, Enoch Pursell, James Roe, Joseph Roe, William Rollings, William Stanbridge, Nathaniel Thorn and George Ward, charged with riotously and tumultuously assembling at Eaton Bray

1 June 1846

From: 1846 To: 1846

Thomas Sinfield, police constable stationed at Eaton Bray – on Tuesday 19 May about 7pm he and PC Hatfield were coming on duty when they saw a mob of about 150 in number that had collected in front of their house, where they had been for about ¾ hour. The mob had with them a band of music and a barrel of beer. Jabez Abraham, David Ward, James Procter and Thomas King were carrying Gadsden Fountain about in a chair. Fountain had been confined in the stocks that day for non-payment of a fine for being drunk. The 19 men charged together with George Dyer and Robert Roe were in the mob, taking part in the proceedings. They were on the Green, opposite where he lodges. William Rollings was carrying a gun in his hand. There was a dead pig and a cabbage on a pole. The pig was tied to a stick on the Green and Rollings had been shooting at it. He saw Rollings fire twice. John Ginger was wheeling a barrel of beer on a wheelbarrow. They had some pots and were handing it about. They were hallowing and shouting very loudly and said “the policeman shan’t beat us”. The mob went up the Green towards Dunstable in the direction of the Five Bells and White Horse public houses. William Rollings was sitting down and as they [Sinfield and Hatfield] were passing about 4 or 5 yards from him he fired the gun. Hatfield was walking close to him, a little ahead. Rollings then fired again, across the road. Nathaniel Thorn and William Stanbridge and several others tried to hide Rollings from view while he was firing the gun. He and Hatfield proceeded down the street with the mob (nearly 200 people) behind them. Several shouted out “the policemen shan’t beat us” and called out "Badger" and "Pibble" – they call him [Sinfield] “Badger” and Hatfield “Pibble”. They went on towards Edlesborough with the mob following. They returned and tried to pass the mob, but could not without turning out of the road. When he got back he saw the stocks had been broken to pieces. They then came up the street and the mob went to Edlesborough. The band was playing all the way from the time they were drinking on the Green until they left them. He lodges at Mr Sears’ on the Green. The mob were opposite there for nearly an hour. The men playing in the band were Joseph Roe, James Roe, John Lugsden and Wiliam Lugsden. They had no drum, Joseph Roe was playing the key bugle, James Roe and John Lugsden were playing trombones, and William Lugsden a clarinet. They had been playing in the morning while Gadsden Fountain was in the stocks. He put Fountain in the stocks about 5.30am. The same men played then, together with Jesse Thorn playing the drum and Edward Brown a key bugle. They began playing about 9am. There were then about 50 people assembled. William Stanbridge tied a dead pig to his horse’s tail, then tied it to his dog, and also a cabbage. There were 2 or 3 more policemen while Fountain was in the stocks. While they were hallowing he did not speak to them or ask them to go home. From the noise of the mob he was afraid they would stone him – he has been stoned before. He was afraid they might shoot him. He saw John Ginger opposite Dobson’s in the road. The barrel was about 9 gallons. He saw them drinking but cannot be sure it was beer. He never said “I’ll mark you on account of the dogs”. He saw George Dyer on the Green standing at his father’s door, but did not see him do anything. Two or three of them were playing at cricket, but not the men he has charged. A few were playing about 60 yards away while the man was being chaired and the gun fired and the band played. The cricketers were quite away from them. He did not see George Dyer playing cricket. The house where he lodges is about 90 yards from the cricketers. He did not see Richard Fountain do anything, or hear Fountain call him “Badger”. He saw Nathaniel Thorn on the Green among the mob, but did not see him playing cricket. George Ward was following down the Green. He believes Ward had his plaiting with him. Ward was quite close to them. He heard William Stanbridge hallowing “Badger”. He is sure all the parties named were part of the mob and were not playing cricket at the time. He did not come out at first because he was rather afraid, but he was busy taking their names down. John Hatfield of Eaton Bray, police constable – [repeats much of Sinfield’s statement] When Rollings fired the gun across the road as they were going up it some of the wadding hit his hat. He could not pick it up because of the crowd. He was afraid Rollings would do him some mischief. When they had gone a little further Rollings again fired the gun. Jabez Abraham, Daivd Ward, James Procter and Thomas King carried Gadsden Fountain about in the chair. Gadsden Fountain had a pig on a pole and a cabbage on another. He saw Nathaniel Thorn bring the cabbage to him. Fountain tied his red pocket handkerchief at the top of the pole, put his cap on the top of it, swung it round and began to sing a song about the Badger and the black slug. There was some cricketing on the Green. John Abraham was hollowing Badger and Pibble. [Notes jotted on the back of Hatfield’s deposition] John Mead – a farmer, parish constable, inspector of common Charles Hedges – ditto - 20 minutes before 7 went to Mr Read’s - saw N Thorn bowling - heard the music playing - heard noise of firing - "they are very often fired off with us" R[…?] Ward – “I never see them play but little this year” R. Gadsden – lives at Eaton Bray, baker and grocer, churchwarden - they came by your house about 7.30 - saw the man in the chair Anne Cobb – stocks can’t be seen from her house William Bird – plait dealer, has a little land - called at the Five Bells about 6pm - very small barrel of beer there - stopped there till 7.15 - they went down towards Edlesborough - came past his house about 8.30 - they were sober he thinks - they travelled along like that - met police 6.45 James Sear of Eaton Bray, dealer – Sinfield and Hatfield lodge in his house. On Tuesday 19 about 6pm he saw a great number of people coming down the Green towards his house, about 150 to 200. They stopped about 40 yards away. They had music playing and walked in a ring round the music, with four of them carrying Gadsden Fountain in a chair. They hollowed Badger and Pibble and said they would not be beat by the police. They came close up to his gate. John Ginger wheeled the barrel of beer to the next house to his. They were there nearly 20 minutes. He had had his windows broken before and was afraid they would be broken again. He particularly noticed Nathaniel Thorn, William Rollings and William Stanbridge as very active in it. He left his house and hid in an outhouse for fear they would do him some bodily injury. He heard a great deal of shouting. When they moved away he came out and saw Rollings with a gun in his hand and saw him fire it off twice. [Added to bottom of deposition: He went into the barn first. He supplied a customer with coals before he went into the barn. No attempt was made to do him the slightest injury.] George Scott of Eaton Bray, farmer – he is Overseer of Eaton Bray. Between 8 and 9pm on Tuesday 19th May he saw a mob of at least 200 people pass his house with a band of music, carrying a man in a chair. They were making a great noise and had frightened a mare of his which was on the Green. He was afraid she might be frightened into the pond. He told them to be quiet and said if the police could not stop them he must. He thought that as he was an Overseer he might have some influence over them. He brought the mare out of the pond and took her home. He does not know who the men were nor who they were carrying. [Notes jotted on back of Scott’s deposition] Mr Burrage – house on road towards Edlesborough - some men, chiefly girls and boys - saw policemen and crowd return - they had been about ½ hour - no more than what there has usually been with a band of music - the band sometimes plays - heard no guns fired - nearly ½ mile from White Horse G.Wood – lives on Green John Rollings David Abraham – saw them about 6pm - saw Sinfield lolling upon the gatge Mr Faulkner – “paidogogos” [in Greek] - Jabez Abraham 4 of the defts. were playing “Who are the witnesses for the defence? Relations. One a man who expressed a desire to give Sinfield a clip on the head.” William Ward of Eaton Bray – he was at Eaton Bray in the evening. There were about 20 people there, but not 100. They were playing music and cricket. He did not see Ginger there. He heard a gun go off. William Rollings fired up in the air. Rollings stood against him when he fired. He saw Rollings put the powder in, but only saw him fire once. Rollings sat by the side of the road. The policemen were 30 yards away. He did not hear them shouting or singing, or calling Badger or Pibble. He saw Gadsden Fountain in a chair on the shoulder of 4 men. There were a great many people standing about. He is rather hard of hearing. David Abraham of Eaton Bray – he was at home near Mr Sears’. He saw people playing the music. They came round the common. He can’t say who was there. There were a great many there and they were all much delighted. They chaired a young man who had been in the stocks. He can’t say he did not hear any gun fired off. He thinks there were 50 or more, children and all, but not 100. He thought they were doing very right in chairing the man. He thinks he heard the gun three times. The people playing cricket were close to the others. They went round in a circle and went off very peacable. He saw a barrel of beer but saw no one wheel it. He did not see the pig or a cabbage or a flag. George Wood of Eaton Bray, farmer – he was coming up the road in the evening and met a great lot of people going down with music. He did not consider anyone was in danger. He has seen many people playing cricket on the Green. He did not hear anyone call out “Badger”. He never thought it was anything like riot nor does he think anyone else did. He saw Gadsden Fountain in a chair. He heard the music. He heard no gun. He heard some hallowing. He heard no singing. He did not see a pig on a pole or a cabbage. George Abraham of Eaton Bray, labourer – he was coming home from Leighton Buzzard between 7 and 8pm. He saw a party of people on the Green with a band of music. He never saw anything amiss. He thinks there might be a hundred or two including women and children. He saw them carrying a boy in some sort of way. He has known a great many cricket matches on the Green and has often heard music on those occasions. He used to keep a public house. He saw no beer barrel. He saw a pole with something on it. He heard no shouting. He heard no gun go off. His son John Abraham is one of those summoned. He believes he is summoned for spite. John Rollings of Eaton Bray – he was at the White Horse in Eaton Bray that evening. He went out and met Sinfield. He heard some music. He saw nothing like rioting. He saw a man on a chair. He has said there will never be any rest at Eaton Bray until they get rid of Sinfield. He never said so to Mr Rickwood. He never saw a barrel of beer. He saw a pig on a pole during the day. He saw William Rollings with a gun. He thinks there were 50 or 100, not 200. He never said that Thorn would never want for money if he was fined. He is not constable nor ever will be with such a man as Sinfield. They are not peacable now nor shall be whilst Sinfield is there. William Rollings (his son) had a gun in his hand, but he did not see him fire it. He saw no barrel of beer, nor did he subscribe for it.

item

Abraham, Jabez,
King, Thomas,
Procter, James,
Ward, David,
Abraham, John,
Fountain, Gadsden,
Fountain, Richard,
Ginger, John,
Lugsden, Jabez,
Lugsden, John,
Lugsden, William,
Pipkin, James,
Pursell, Enoch,
Roe, James,
Roe, Joseph,
Rollings, William,
Stanbridge, William,
Thorn, Nathaniel,
Ward, George,
Sinfield, Thomas,
Dyer, George,
Roe, Robert,
Thorn, Jesse,
Brown, Edward,
Mead, John,
Hedges, Charles,
Cobb, Ann,
Bird, William,
Sear, James,
Scott, George,
Rollings, John,
Abraham, David,
Ward, William,
Abraham, George,
Wood, George

EATON BRAY, rioting, police constable, bands, beer, drunkenness, punishment, guns, pigs, cabbages, Eaton Bray Five Bells, Eaton Bray White Horse, musical instruments, cricket, dealer, farmer, Overseers