QSR1857/1/5/3

Depositions of Esther Brown, wife of George a basket maker of Leighton Buzzard, Charlotte Saunders, widow of Great Brickhill, Bernard Saunders, labourer of Great Brickhill, Luke Peppiatt, parish constable of Great Brickhill, William Clough, inspector of police at Leighton Buzzard, Sarah Ann Linnell, spinster of Great Brickhill and Sarah Linnell, victualler of Great Brickhill. In the case of Thomas Purcell accused of uttering counterfeit coins.

21 November 1856

From: 1856 To: 1857

Esther Brown: she kept a small shop at Leighton. On 5 November the prisoner, a stranger to her, came and asked for half an ounce of tobacco. He paid with a threepenny piece. She gave him 3 half pennies in change and he immediately left. She had earlier seen the prisoner in conversation with another man in the road but would not know the man again. Her husband came into the shop after the prisoner had left and she gave him the three penny piece. It was a very bad one and her husband marked it. She gave it to Inspector Clough. Charlotte Saunders: she kept a shop at Great Brickhill. The prisoner was a stranger to her. On 6 November a man came to the door of her shop and asked for half an ounce of tobacco. She served him and he gave her a four penny piece. She gave him 2 pence halfpenny in change. He left immediately and did not come into the shop at all. It was dark and she did not know if anyone was with him. She was informed by her son Bernard that a neighbour had taken a bad four penny piece and she gave her son the four penny piece she had taken. Her son was present when she took the coin from the man. Bernard Saunders: he lived with his mother and knew the prisoner well. Purcell, the prisoner, lived at Woughton on the Green, and the other man, Ellis, lived at Heath & Reach. On 6 November prisoner Purcell came to his mothers shop but did not go in. Ellis was outside the shop. Purcell asked for some tobacco and he gave Saunders mother a four penny piece. His mother put it in her till. Purcell joined Ellis and they went to the public house. Ellis waited outside and when Purcell came out of the public house they walked off together. The coin produced by Luke Peppiatt was the one taken by his mother. Luke Peppiatt: on 6 November he was informed by Bernard Saunders that his mother had taken a bad four penny piece and accompanied him in search of the parties who passed the coin. They found Purcell and Ellis at the Bull Inn in Little Brickhill, sat together drinking in the tap room. He found no bad coins upon them. He was given the bad coin by Bernard Saunders. It was a very bad one. Purcell said, in the presence of Ellis, that he knew I passed a four penny bit at Mrs Linnells as she returned it to him because it was a bad one and he gave her a shilling afterwards to pay for the beer. When he got out of the shop he threw the bad coin over Linnells wall. Inspector William Clough: he produced a bad three penny bit he received from Esther Brown. He apprehended Purcell and Ellis on 10 November at a public house in Leighton. They were both sitting in the tap room drinking. Ellis said they had taken the four penny bit and they believed there was no harm in trying to get rid of it. When he searched the prisoners Purcell said repeatedly it was no use searching him as he would not find it. Sarah Ann Linnell: she was 12 years of age and lived with her father and mother at Great Brickhill. On 6 November 2 men came to her fathers house, an inn, and Purcell asked for a pint of ale. She served him and he gave her a four penny piece which she took to her mother saying it was a nice new four penny bit. Her mother asked who had given it to her and she told her it was the man by the door. Her mother said it was a bad one and went to the man at the door. She saw another man outside but it was dark. Sarah Linnell: wife of John Linnell keeper of the Duncombe Arms Inn at Great Brickhill. On 6 November her daughter brought to her a four penny piece and said she ah it fro the man by the door. She saw it was a bad coin and went to the prisoner and told him. Purcell said they had done him at Leighton. She bent it in his presence and told him he would have known it was bad from its appearance. Purcell gave her a good shilling to pay for the beer and said he would return the four penny bit to those who gave it to him. She did not see anyone else with Purcell. Statement of the accused: he had no intention of passing bad money. They had more money with them. They had been together in Leighton and other places and had a deal of drink and changed several shillings. He took no noticed of the money. That all he had to say.

item

Purcell, Thomas,
Brown, Esther,
Brown, George,
Saunders, Charlotte,
Saunders, Bernard,
Peppiatt, Luke,
Clough, William,
Linnell, Sarah,
Linnell, Sarah Ann

Great Brickhill, LEIGHTON BUZZARD, basket maker, parish constable, victualler, shopkeeper, passing counterfeit coin