QSR1858/1/5/8b

Depositions of Samuel Wells, labourer of Toddington and John Thorogood, police sergeant of Toddington. In the case of Thomas King accused of stealing 2 bushels of swede turnips.

31 December 1857

From: 1857 To: 1858

Samuel Wells: on 19 December he went and fetched a quantity of turnips from a heap on the allotment of William Warner, a chair maker of Toddington. The turnips were Warner’s and he was his son-in-law. There were 3 heaps; the largest covered with straw. On 31 December he found turnips missing from 2 of the heaps. He later saw the swede turnips in the possession of Sergeant Thorogood and had not doubt they were Warner’s property. The description matched and the soil was the same colour as the soil in the field where they were grown. Mr Warner had since had a different type of turnip growing on his land. He valued a bushel of turnips as 5 pence. Police Segeant John Thorogood: on 30 December he was in an allotment field at Toddington watching Thomas King who he suspected of stealing mangel wurzels and turnips. After he had been watching for more than an hour the prisoner left his allotment and went across the field to that of William Warner. King then returned to his allotment and appeared to be carrying something heavy. King was obliged to rest at one point and he saw him hitch up his smock to get a fresh hold of it. King put something into the barrow and then lit a match and set fire to some rubbish on the ground. After a quarter of an hour King went in the direction of Warner’s allotment again. Thorogood moved his position and he did not see him return. He was advised King had left the field and followed him home. There were swede turnips and mangel wurzels in the barrow. He took the prisoner into custody on another charge. He then found 2 bushels of swede turnips on the premises. He examined the heaps at Mr Warner’s and they appeared disturbed. He took turnips from theses heaps and patterned them with some found on King’s premises. They corresponded. The prisoner had no swede turnips growing on his allotment. Statement of the accused: he knew nothing about turnips.

item

King, Thomas,
Wells, Samuel,
Thorogood, John,
Warner, William

TODDINGTON, stealing, turnips, allotments, chair maker