Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue
  • Reference
    QSR1861/3/5/6
  • Title
    Depositions of Charles Bates, plait dealer of Weston Turville. Sarah Ford, widow of Luton. Catherine Shane, wife of George of Luton. John Warner, blocker of Luton. Henry Francis, blocker of Luton. Ann Jones, wife of George of Luton. David Jaquest, police constable of Luton. In the case of Hezekiah Odell accused of stealing 67 score of straw plait.
  • Date free text
    10 June 1861
  • Production date
    From: 1861 To: 1861
  • Scope and Content
    Charles Bates: a plait dealer at Weston Turville and he attended the plait market at Luton. On 3 June he left a bag of plait close to where his stall had been in the market. It contained 4 bundles of plait; 3 pieces of ‘chip rustic’ and a piece of ‘straw rustic’. He missed the bag. The bag produced was the same and the bunched of chip rustic had his ticket on them. There were 67 scores in the 3 bundles and they were valued at £1 13s 6d. There were about 20 scores of the other straw. Sarah Ford: she was widow and a bonnet sewer. She lived at 54 Duke Street, Luton. She knew Odell and he came to her house with a parcel under his arm. He left the parcel there saying he would call again in 5 minutes. Odell was not gone long and returned. Soon after John Warner came in. Odell then said he would take the parcel away with him. Catherine Shane: wife of George and they lived with her mother Mrs Ford in Duke Street. She saw a bag at her mother’s house and the bag was laying against her mothers table in the front room. She looked in it and saw some rustic hip. The plait produced was similar to what was in the bag. John Warner: a blocker of 5 Duke Street, Luton. He remembered the prisoner coming to his house and asking him to let him leave a bag at his house. He told the prisoner he could if he liked and Odell said he would fetch it. He opened the door to see which way he went. He went into Mrs Ford’s just behind him and asked Mrs Ford what ‘Kiah’ had in the bag. Odell took the same bag to his house and took 3 bunches of rustic out of the bag. Odell asked if it was of use to him and Warner replied it was not. Odell said he would leave it and before leaving took a ten or score out of one of the bunches. Odell returned next morning with Henry Francis. Francis asked “is it right” and then Francis took away the bag and brought it back again. After Francis brought it back, Odell asked if he would tie up a bundle for him. Francis came again and took the plait. He believed the bag and plait produced where those which had been in his house. Henry Francis: a blocker living next door to the witness Warner. The prisoner followed him into his house and pulled some ‘chip rustic’ from his pocket. Odell said “Harry will you buy any of this here sort of stuff”. Francis said it was no use to him and asked if it was right. Odell replied “so help my God it is”. Odell said he had it from his brother at Clophill and had some from Bedford and that he wouldn’t sell it for the money only that one of his sisters had a fever and the other was confined. Asked how much he had, Odell replied 54 score and said it was at Jack Warner’s. He went with Odell to Warner’s and saw the plait there lying open. He took the plait to Mrs Jones and from what she said took it back again. He later went again to Warner’s and fetched it away to Jones’s house and left it there with Mrs Jones and the policeman. Ann Jones: wife of George, living at no.1 Hitchin Road, Luton. Francis took some plait to her house and took it away. He later brought it again and she gave it to PC Jaquest. She thought the plait was Bates’ by the tickets. She took them off and gave them to the policeman. PC David Jaquest: in consequence of information received he took the prisoner into custody at the Duke of Cambridge public house in Duke Street and charged him with stealing 3 bunches of plait. The prisoner said he knew nothing about it and he did not have plait about him. Statement of the accused: nothing.
  • Reference
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