Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue
  • Reference
    QSR1859/2/11/2-4
  • Title
    Depositions of Charles Biggs of Luton, Samuel Lawford, poulterer of Luton and George Smith, sergeant of police of Luton. In the case of William Dickens, aged 9 years of Luton, Jesse Huckle, aged 10 years of Luton and Charles Watson, aged 12 years of Luton. Convicted of stealing a 8 hens eggs, the value of 6 pence. Each sentenced to be imprisoned in the Common Gaol for 14 days and on expiration to be transferred to the Bedfordshire Reformatory for 4 years.
  • Date free text
    21 March 1859
  • Production date
    From: 1859 To: 1859
  • Scope and Content
    Charles Bigg: he worked for Samuel Lawford, a poulterer and dealer of eggs in Luton. On 16 March he saw William Dickens and Jesse Huckle in his master shop taking some eggs out of a basket in the shop window. When they saw him the boys left the shop and Bigg went after them. There was another boy just outside called Watson. He caught Dickens and the other 2 boys ran away up the street. He saw Dickens throw 3 eggs down a cellar and 1 dropped on the path. He took Dickens back to his master. Samuel Lawford: on 16 March his boy Charles Bigg brought a boy to him by the name of Dickens and told him he had been stealing eggs. That day he had set a basket containing 6 score and 2 eggs in the shop window. After Dickens had been brought to him he again counted the eggs and found 8 eggs to be missing. He had not sold any of the eggs after they had been put in the basket. When the prisoner was brought to him he had an egg in his hand which dropped on the floor. The eggs were worth 6 pence. Police Sergeant George Smith: he took all the prisoners in custody. He also took John and Thomas Truman into custody from some information given to him by Watson. Watson said Dickens and Huckle took the eggs. They had taken 4 eggs each. Watson and the 2 Trumans were standing at a distance off when Lawford’s boy caught Dickens. Dickens had thrown 3 eggs down a grating and himself, Huckle and the 2 Trumans ran away. When they got some distance Huckle gave him and the 2 Truman’s an egg each and kept 1 for himself. They sucked their eggs and he threw his away. The 2 Truman’s said that Huckle gave them one each.
  • Level of description
    item
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