QSR1860/4/5/6

Depositions of Ann Twigg, single woman of Stanbridge. James Cleaver the elder and James Cleaver the younger both bricklayers of Leighton Buzzard and Richard Cleaver, infant son of James Cleaver the elder. In the case of William Adams accused of obtaining 4 quarts of beer by false pretences.

2 October 1860

From: 1860 To: 1860

Ann Twigg: a single woman living with her uncle Joseph Eames, a victualler and keeper of a beer shop at Stanbridge. She knew the prisoner well. At the later end of June and beginning of July the prisoner came to her uncle’s shop for beer. He came several times and on one occasions she gave him 4 quarts if beer which he took away in a bottle. The prisoner said the beer was for Mr Cleaver. She knew there was a Mr Cleaver who had management over a brickyard in Stanbridge. Mr Cleaver was a customer of her uncles and had never sent for beer before. The prisoner took the beer away in her uncle’s bottle and she allowed him the beer upon his representation. The prisoner did not pay for the beer. The value of the 4 quarts was 1s 4d. The prisoner had no account with her uncle. James Cleaver: manager of the brickyard at Stanbridge and resided in Leighton Buzzard. It was Mr Page’s brickyard and he had employed the prisoner in brick making. He had not given the prisoner authority to go for beer. He had 3 or 4 sons in the brickyard and none had authority to order any person to get beer on his account. He had no bill at all with Eames. He could not write. He had never said his son was setting beer up at Mr Eames. He had never said his son was in debt everywhere and had never said he had taken Faunch’s money. James Cleaver the younger: son of the last witness and he worked in the brick yard at Stanbridge. The prisoner worked in the brick yard in June and July. He never ordered the prisoner to get beer for him or his father at Mr Eames. It was expressly against orders to run up beer anywhere. The prisoner had been informed of this and all the men knew the order. In early July he saw the men and they asked him to have some beer. The prisoner was one of the men. He asked where they had got the beer and they said they were having it set up at Mr Eames on their own account. He had worked with the prisoner part of the time and they had gone halves on the work they did. He had drunk with the prisoner once or twice but had not known where the beer came from. He had never said anything about sending a bill to Eames and had not taken Faunch’s money for beer set up at Eames. He had not said anything about hiding Faunch’s shovel nor did he hide it. He did not get his brother, Dick, to write a bill to send to Eames and Faunch did not lend him the paper and paint to do so. Richard Cleaver: he was 12 years old and lived with his father at Leighton. He worked at the brick yard in Stanbridge and the prisoner was one of the men. He did not write any note to Mr Eames at the request of his brother, James, or any other person. He had not told the prisoner to go to Eames. He did not remember beer being sent for and his brother never said “Dick can you write we’ll send to Eames for beer”. He never said anything about not having pen or paper. Faunch never lent him either and he never wrote anything against the barrow. Statement of the accused: James Cleaver and he went to work in the brickyard together and went halves. When they had break he sent for beer in his own name. They drank it together.

item

Adams, William,
Twigg, Ann,
Cleaver, James,
Cleaver, Richard,
Eames, Joseph

STANBRIDGE, LEIGHTON BUZZARD, false pretences, beer, brick making, victualler, beer shop keeper