QSR1847/1/5/11-12/b

Depositions - George Stokes and William Bandy, charged wtih stealing a bushel of potatoes from Richard Summerfield

14 November 1846

From: 1846 To: 1847

Richard Summerfield of Luton, carpenter – on Thursday 12 November his master Richard Stokes bought 3 bushels of round potatoes from George Stokes for his men. He was to have one bushel and pay his 2s 9d master for it tonight (14th) when he got his money. He put his potatoes in his tool basket which he put in the back yard of the Golden Lion beer shop where he was working. When he came from tea he brought a sack to put them in. A man who was at work with him asked which were his potatoes. He said they were in his basket. He looked for his basket and it was gone. He traced the potatoes to the road as some had fallen off the basket. His master later said he had seen some screws and other articles belonging to him [Summerfield] in George Stokes’ cart at the Crown and Anchor. He went to PC Maffey and they went to the Crown and Anchor. Maffey searched Stokes’ cart and found some screws and various other articles he can swear to as being like those that where in the basket where he put his potatoes. Mr Everitt showed him some round potatoes he said he had bought from Stokes which appeared to be the same sort as those Stokes had sold to his master for him. Bandy was with Stokes when the potatoes were measured out at the Golden Lion. He was not at Mr Everitt’s when they searched the cart. Charles Maffey of Luton, police constable – on Thursday 12 November about 9.30pm Richard Summerfield came to him and said he had lost a bushel of potatoes and had heard they had been sold to Mr Everitt of the Crown and Anchor. He went to Mr Everitt who showed him nearly a bushel of round potatoes he said he had bought that evening from George Stokes for 18d. Summerfield said he put his potatoes in his tool basket with several screws, nails and other things. He searched George Stokes’ cart and found about 3 pottles of potatoes under some straw, among which were the screws and other articles he now produces. Summerfield said he could swear to the items as having been in his basket. The basket was not in the cart. He did not see Bandy that night. He took George Stokes into custody and asked how he got the potatoes he had sold to Mr Everitt. Stokes said he knew nothing about them. Joseph Everitt of Luton, victualler – on Thursday 12 November between 7 and 8am Stokes and Bandy called at his house the Crown and Anchor and Stokes offered him a bushel of potatoes. He bought them for 3s. They were kidney potatoes. Stokes wanted to sell him some round potatoes at 2s 8d a bushel but he would not give him so much. Stokes came back about 8pm and offered him a bushel of round potatoes. Stokes had been in the mud and said the horse and cart had been in the river. He agreed to buy the potatoes. Bandy emptied them out of the cart into his measure. There were only about 3 pecks and he gave 1s 6d for them. Later that evening Richard Stokes of the Golden Lion came to his house and said one of his men had lost a bushel of potatoes, tool basket and all. He told him he had bought potatoes from George Stokes. The police were sent for and searched the cart. Jacob William Thomas of Luton, carpenter – he went to his employer Mr Richard Stokes in the afternoon of 12 Nov to lock up his tools. He saw 3 lots of potatoes standing in the yard, one in a tray and 2 lots in baskets. After the workmen had come back from tea he saw only one basket and the tray. While the workmen were gone to tea a Stokes and Bandy drove a cart up to the door. Stokes jumped out of the cart and came into the house. Bandy came in at the back door and went in and out of the room 3 or 4 times. Stokes was talking to some one in the passage and Bandy swore at him for being so long. Stokes then went out and got into his cart. He can swear Stokes never went into the back yard. They were both drunk, so much so that Stokes could not reckon up the amount of the potatoes. They left together. John Millard of Luton, police constable – on Friday 13 November he took William Bandy into custody on suspicion of stealing a bushel of potatoes from the yard of the Golden Lion. Bandy said he was not near the yard that night. Stokes was not sober on Thursday night but he appeared quite capable of knowing what he was about.

item

Stokes, George,
Bandy, William,
Summerfield, Richard,
Stokes, Richard,
Millard, John,
Maffey, Charles,
Everitt, Joseph,
Thomas, Jacob William

LUTON, stealing, potatoes, carpenters, victuallers, police constables, Luton Crown & Anchor, Luton Golden Lion, carts, drunkenness