QSR1857/1/5/10

Depositions of Francis Vorley, labourer of Biggleswade, John Leake, harness maker of Biggleswade, James Hancock, labourer of Biggleswade and Robert Thomas Barnes, superintendent of police of Bishop Stortford. In the case of Samuel Taylor Ilsley accused of stealing a mare.

8 December 1856

From: 1856 To: 1857

Francis Vorley: he worked for Mr John Leake, a saddler and harness maker at Biggleswade. He looked after his pony. On 27 November he put the pony on the common at Biggleswade and the following Thursday 4 December he could not find her. It was a bay mare pony about 13 hands high. He did not see her until shown the pony by the superintendent. John Leake: on 5 December he heard that his pony was missing from the common. On 7 December Mr Barnes produced the pony which he immediately identified as his by its markings. He had the pony for almost 4 years. James Hancock: on 2 December he went to the common at Biggleswade to fetch his master’s horse. He saw Mr Leake’s pony. It had no halter on it. He had known the prisoner for many years. Robert Thomas Barnes: in consequence of information received on 4 December he went to the Half Moon public house at Stortford and saw the prisoner. There was a bay pony in the yard which the prisoner said belonged to him and he was endeavouring to sell. He told the prisoner he suspected the pony was stolen and would take him into custody. He locked the prisoner up and the following morning went to the cell and the prisoner sounded distressed. Ilsley said he wished he had told the truth at first. The prisoner said he was going from his home to Morden to buy some haws for seed and he saw the pony in a field. The pony was grazing with a halter on. He had got on the pony and taken it to Buntingford that night. The following morning he found it belonged to Mr Leake. The prisoner had firstly said his name was Wright and that he was from Buntingford. He afterwards said his name was Ilsley and that he came from Biggleswade. Statement of the accused: nothing to say except he was sorry he had done it.

item

Ilsley, Samuel Taylor,
Vorley, Francis,
Leake, John,
Hancock, John,
Barnes, Robert Thomas

BIGGLESWADE, Bishop's Stortford, stealing animals, horse, harness maker