Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue
  • Reference
    QSR1848/4/5/34
  • Title
    Depositions and examination - James Butcher, charged with stealing 18 fowls from a fowl house occupied by Stephen Thornton at Moggerhanger on the night of the 13th or 14th October
  • Date free text
    16 October 1848
  • Production date
    From: 1848 To: 1848
  • Scope and Content
    George Haynes of Moggerhanger, labourer - last Friday night (Oct 13) he put up a score of young cocks in the fowl house at Squire Thornton’s farm at Moggerhanger. The rest of the fowls went to roost in the sheepyard - about half a score of young cocks, and a great many more hens and chickent. On Saturday night he went to put them up again and he missed 2 of the cocks which should have gone into the fowl house. Last Sunday (15th) he missed a hen who had been laying eggs in the sheepyard. He did not notice that any others were missing, but he cannot say because there are so many, perhaps 20 score of all sorts and sizes. The fowls not produced are like Mr Thornton’s in colour and appearance, though he can only swear positively to three - two young cocks he knows very well as their colours are particular, and one speckled. He is employed to feed the fowls and put them up at night. Thomas Tillyard of Bedford, police constable - from information he recieved he went with Robert Darby to the house of James Butcher at Moggerhanger between 11 and 12 last night. Butcher was in bed and he called him up. He said to Butcher “I want those fowls” Butcher denied having any. He then searched Butcher’s house and Butcher said “there are some fowls there which I picked up on Saturday night”, meaning in a closet under the stair case. He found the 18 fowls now produced in the closet. Haynes identified 3 of them this morning. He purposely mixed them up again in a sack with the other 15 and he has now picked out the same three without hesitation before the magistrate. The fowls were loose in the closet. There was a sack lying there and he put the fowls in it and took them away which Darby apprehended Butcher. As they walked towards Blunham Butcher said he had found the fowls in that sack on the road not far from his own house on Saturday night. Robert Darby of Blunham, police constable- evidence of Haynes and Tillyard is correct. James Butcher - declined to make any defence.
  • Reference
  • Level of description
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