QSR1847/3/5/37-38

Depositions - Thomas Allen and Henry Allen charged with stealing 5 live fowls from Matthew Dancer

31 May & 11 June 1847

From: 1847 To: 1847

8 June ------------- George Conquest of Luton, haybinder – on Monday 24 May he was at work haybinding for Mr Goujon at High Town in Luton. When he went into the rickyard he saw some fowls lying among the straw. He fetched Mr Goujon who had some more straw thrown over them. Thomas Allen and another man he now recognises to be Henry Allen came up the lane some time afterwards and asked when he would be done. He told them between 5 and 6pm. They went up the lane and came back again soon afterwards. He did not leave work until about 7pm. 31 May ------------ Philip Allen of Luton, laboruer – on 24 May he was watching his master Mr Samuel Goujon’s straw rick at High Town in Luton to see if anyone came to remove some fowls which had been found there. Thomas and Henry Allen came up the road close to the rick. There had been a haybinder at work in the morning. He heard Thomas Allen say “is he gone?” Henry Allen said he was, and asked if they should go in. Thomas Allen said “let’s go a little further up the lane”. They went a little was up and waited a few minutes. They then both came back together and got over the fence into the rickyard where the straw rick was. They went behind the rick. He saw Thomas Allen take a speckled fowl out of the rick. They turned round and saw him. Henry Allen said “here’s old Philip” and Thomas Allen shoved the fowl into the rick again. He asked what they were doing with the fowl and they said they had not seen one. It was nearly 8pm. Charles Maffey of Luton, police constable – on Monday 24 May he was sent for to Mr Goujon’s rickyard. He set Philip Allen to watch. Philip Allen said he had seen Thomas Allen take a speckled fowl out of a straw rick and put it back again. He went and searched the rick and found a speckled fowl in the corner of it. Elsewhere in the rick he found 4 more fowls and a bag smeared with blood. Three of the fowls were marked round the leg. He had heard Matthew Dancer had lost some fowls. When he showed them to Sarah Stowe she identified them as her master’s property. Mr Dancer knows the other two that are not marked. Thomas and Henry Allen absconded. The fowls now produced are those taken from the rick. Sarah Stowe of Luton, single woman – she is servant to Matthew Dancer of Luton, who keeps his fowls in a meadow at the back of the Waggon and Horses public house. On Monday 24 May PC Maffey showed her 5 fowls. She knew 3 of them to be Mr Dancer’s property as one was marked with a piece of list round the leg and two with pieces of silk which she sewed on. She believes the other two are Mr Dancer’s property as all 5 have their right wings cut. She cut the right wings of all Mr Dancer’s fowls before they were sent up to the meadow. 11 June ------------ Matthew Dancer of Luton, farmer – on Tuesday 25 May PC Maffey showed him 5 fowls which he knew to be his property.

item

Allen, Thomas,
Allen, Henry,
Dancer, Matthew,
Conquest, George,
Goujon, Samuel,
Allen, Philip,
Maffey, Charles

LUTON, stealing animals, fowls, haybinder, farm labourer, police constable, farmer, Luton Waggon & Horses