Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue
  • Reference
    QSR1848/3/5/17
  • Title
    Depositions and indictment - William Ward charged with stealing a flannel jacket and a bible and hymn book from John Barford
  • Date free text
    11 May 1848
  • Production date
    From: 1848 To: 1848
  • Scope and Content
    John Barford of Luton, labourer – he works for Mr John Brett. On Thursday 11 May he was at work in Mr Brett’s field near Bunleigh Wood in the parish of Luton. He laid his jacket with his basket and round frock under the hedge in the field. A bible and hymn book were in the pockets. He saw Ward and 3 other men together. He missed his jacket and ran after them. Ward went up a lane, laid the jacket down, then returned and followed the others. He picked his jacket up, went after them, accused Ward of taking it and said he would follow him into town and give him over to the police. He passed Ward and went to the Fox. When he came out again with Mr Gregory and Mr Tomalin and some others Ward turned round and ran back towards Buxton Wood. They caught him, took him to town and gave him to the police. Ward had a white jacket and the other 3 men had blue and white striped jackets. The lane where he picked up his jacket is between Mr Brett’s farm and Luton. William Ward – “I am innocent of taking the things. I took them from a chap they call Lank, who had white trousers and a white slop, and laid them in the ditch, and said don’t let us get into a bother about this man’s jacket. The jacket did not belong to us and we had no business with it”. John Brett of Luton, farmer – on Thursday 11 May he saw 4 men coming down the hill towards Bunley Wood. Soon afterwards he saw a man in a white jacket sreeping down the side of the hedge of the field in which Barford was at work. He has no doubt the man was going after Barford’s jacket. He later saw 3 men pass his gate going towards Luton. Two of them had blue and white jackets and the other a white one. The man with the white jacket had something under his arm. He saw Barford catch that man as he was running towards Buxton Wood. John Keating of Luton, police constable – the jacket, Bible and hymn book produced are those he received from John Barford on 11 May. Ward denied having any knowledge of them.
  • Reference
  • Level of description
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