QSR1847/1/5/13

Depositions - Robert Surrey charged with stealing a silver watch from Thomas George Collings

23 November 1846

From: 1846 To: 1847

Thomas George Collings of Dunstable, watchmaker – on Saturday 22 Nov about 8.15pm he was sitting in the room at the back of his shop and heard his shop window break. He ran to the door and saw some persons going up the street. He ran after them and called “stop him he has broke my window”. He followed him down Church Street. When he got to them Mr Blackwell said “this is the person who broke your window”. Surrey said he could not help breaking the window. He gave Surrey in charge to the constable. He went home to see if he had lost anything. While he was looking the boy Charles Placeham brought the watch in. He knew it to be one of his watches. He had seen it in his window about an hour before. He knows it by the name and number where were entered in a book. It had a glass in it then, but when Placeham brought it to him there was no case to it. A person later came to tell him that Mrs Buckland had picked up the case and if he would call she would give it to him, which he did. James William Blackwell of Dunstable, straw hat manufacturer – on Saturday he was nearly opposite Mr Collings’ shop. Surrey was standing opposite the window and he saw him break a pane of glass. He crossed over to Surrey and asked what he did it for. Surrey said he could not help breaking the window. He walked by the side of Surrey about 50 yards, asked him his name and tried to recognize him but could not. Mr Collings came out of his shop and cried out “stop him”. He followed Surrey, who stopped down Church Street, then came back with him to the Red Lion corner and was given in charge. Charles Placeham of Dunstable – he was in his father’s house in Church Street Dunstable, heard a noise and ran out to see what was the matter. As he was going home he picked up a watch. He saw Mr Blackwell catch hold of Surrey. He heard Mr Collings had lost a watch and took it to him. It had lost the glass when he picked it up. It was on the road about ¼ yard from the path. Mark Lewis of Dunstable, parish constable – last Saturday night Mr Collings gave the prisoner in charge to him for breaking his window. He later went and asked Mr Collings had lost anything. He said he thought he had and would look. Collings later gave him the watch now produced. Collings compared the name and number of the watch with his book in his presence. He searched Surrey and examined his hands – his finger was bleeding.

item

Surrey, Robert,
Collings, Thomas George,
Blackwell, James William,
Placeham, Charles,
Lewis, Mark

DUNSTABLE, Dunstable Church Street, stealing, watches, watchmaker, straw hat manufacturer, parish constable