QSR1861/2/5/2-3

Depositions of Sarah Boddington, wife of William, dealer in Straw Plait of Mansworth. Ellen Treacher, wife of Thomas, dealer in Straw Plait dealer of Pitstone. William Hiriam Higgins, straw hat manufacturer of Luton. Richard Lambert, police constable of Luton. George Smith, police sergeant of Luton. In the case of James Sibley and Henry Gibbs accused of stealing 16 score yards and a half of rock straw plait and 9 score yards and a half of improved straw plait.

1 April 1861

From: 1861 To: 1861

Sarah Boddington: she attended Luton Market as a dealer in straw plait. She was at market on Monday 11 March and lost 2 bunches of plait. It was 22 ½ score of rock edged plait and 19 ½ score of improved. It had been safe at 9am and she missed it between 10 and 11am. She had seen Gibbs about her stall that morning but did not sell him any plait that day. She had been in the trade and attended Luton market for 20 years. She saw the rock edged plait at Mr William Hiram Higgins on the Friday after she had lost it. The following Monday she saw the improved plait with Higgins. Both plait was her husband's property. Ellen Treacher: the improved plait produced was part of 19 ½ scores she had sold to Boddington at Ivinghoe market 8 weeks ago. It had been made by her 3 little boys and was tied up in ½ scores. William Hiriam Higgins: a manufacturer and dealer in straw plait. He had bought the bundle of rock edged plait from a woman who gave her name as Mrs Gibbs on 12 March. The ticket on the plait was in his handwriting and he put the name of Gibbs on it when he bought it. The bunch of improved plait was bought from the same person on 16 March. He gave up both bundles to PC Lambert. PC Richard Lambert: on 18 March he went to Gibbs's house and found a large quantity of plait there. He took Gibbs into custody and charged him of stealing the plait in the company of James Sibley. Gibbs said he had not stolen it and had had the improved plait for 3 months and the rock plait had been Sibley’s. Police Sergeant George Smith: on 23 March he took Sibley into custody on the charge of stealing plait in the company of Gibbs on 11 March and 18 March. Sibley said they had taken the plait and that Gibbs had taken it and he had held the bag whilst he put it in. Sibley said that when they had got what they wanted, Gibbs had carried the plait down to his house and he had gone too. The prisoner said that some of the plait had been sold to Mrs Gibbs and had been worked up into bonnets. Sibley said he would not have gone had it not been for Gibbs. The plait found up the chimney by Lambert in his father’s house was part of the stolen plait. Sibley said he would tell the truth about it and would have given himself up if he had not been taken as he knew he was guilty. Sibley absconded between the 18 and 23 March but he found him in a cupboard at his brother in laws. Statements of the accused: James Sibley & Henry Gibbs – not guilty.

item

Gibbs, Henry,
Sibley, James,
Boddington, Sarah,
Boddington, William,
Treacher, Ellen,
Treacher, Thomas,
Lambert, Richard,
Higgins, William Hiram,
Smith, George

Pitstone, LUTON, stealing, straw plait, straw plait dealer, straw hat manufacturer