Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue
  • Reference
    QSR1848/3/5/26
  • Title
    Depositions and examination - Samuel Hockliff of Biggleswade charged with stealing one gelding, value £10, from Henry Peacock
  • Date free text
    7 June 1848
  • Production date
    From: 1848 To: 1848
  • Scope and Content
    Henry Peacock of Biggleswade, yeoman - he occupies a farm called Sunderland Farm on Biggleswade. On May 24 he saw his pony feeding in the meadow. The next morning he was called up and told the pony was missing. It was a bright bay gelding pony, about 4 years old and 12 1/2 hands high. William Stonebridge of Biggleswade - he is Mr Peacock's groom. He put the pony in the stable a little before ten on Wednesday night. In the morning it was gone. He went and told his master. [describes identifying features of pony] Hockliff was a "horsehacker" and had ridden the pony a few times. William Barrett of Biggleswade - at 10.50pm on Wednesday as he was coming home from Peacock's farm where he works to Biggleswade where he lives he met Hockliff going towards the farm. He had a companion with him who said "Sam, how are you old fellow", to which Hockliff replied "you are mistaken". He is sure they were not mistaken. Richard Ambrose of Bottisham (Cambs), which is 8 miles beyond Cambridge - at about 3.45am on Thursday 25 May he was called up to speak to Hockliff, who said he had come to visit a woman named Rolfe nearby and asked if be might put his pony in the meadow. He said Hockliff could put the pony in his yard. The pony sweated a great deal as if it had been ridden a long way. It was very thin and looked very tired. The next evening about 6pm Hockliff came and fetched the pony away. He told Hockliff that if he hadn’t known Mrs Rolfe he would have thought he had stolen the pony. Hockliff made no reply but only laughed. Hockliff had a bridle with the pony, and on Friday he borrowed a sack from Mrs Rolfe to ride the pony away with. Hockliff went towards Newmarket. The pony was a bay gelding, about 4 years old, a little more than 12 hands high, with a long tail. James Taylor of Biggleswade, saddler - on Wednesday evening 24 May Hockliff came to his shop and borrowed a bridle, saying he wanted to take a pony he had bought in Biggleswade to Potton. The bridle produced is the same one. Henry Ison Jebbett, deputy chief constable of Beds police - he brought Hockliff from Bedford Gaol where he had been remanded to Biggleswade that morning. Hockliff asked if he had seen any of his friends on the road to bail him. He said he was sorry to see Hockliff in that situation. Hockliff said he was the worse for liquor when it happenend or he would not be where he was. Hockliff said he had sold the pony to young Bill Parish of Bishops Stortford for £6 last Saturday week, 27 May, at Saffron Walden on market day, and he believed the pony was no in the hands of some one near that place on trial. Hockliff said “I was tipsy when it happened or I should not have done it. I wish you to tell the magistrates what I have states as you will tell them better than I shall. If I had my liberty I would be bound to find Mr Peacock’s pony in 3 or 4 hours”.Hockliff said he was very sorry for it as Mr Peacock was always a very good master to him. He made a note of what Hockliff said and later read it over to him. Hockliff said “Jack Yourby was the first person who put it into my mind to do it or else I should not have thought of it”, and that he was alone when he did it. This was in answer to an observation he made that Yourby was suspected of being concerned in the pony theft. Hockliff has said that a man who was a stranger to him went to Mr Peacock’s and fetched the pony away, and that he did not. Hockliff said he saw the man in Biggleswade on the Wednesday but did not know who he was or where he came from. Samuel Hockliff - “I hope Mr Peacock will be as easy with me as he can”.
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