QSR1861/4/5/4-7

Depositions of Thomas Franklin, yeoman of Shoeburyness. Peter George Kay, yeoman of Potton. Alfred Mayes, police constable of Potton. William King, police constable of Potton. Mary Ann Inskip, spinster of Potton. William Roslyn, labourer of Potton. Thomas Bumbery, labourer of Potton. Ann Lummiss, wife of George, victualler of Potton. In the case of Samuel Church, Sarah Church, George Wright and Margaret Wright accused of stealing 18 sovereigns from the person of Thomas Franklin.

25 September 1861

From: 1861 To: 1861

Thomas Franklin: he lived at Shoeburyness in the Essex. On 19 September he had been at Potton and was about to leave a little after 3pm when he went into the Bushel and Strike public house. He had a glass with a friend. The 2 men and 2 women followed them into the house and began the chatting to them. He told them he had nothing to say to them. The 2 men set on his friend and began to fight him. He told them they were cowards as they set on one man. The bigger of the men said he would fight him and they had a round or two until the man challenged him to go outside. He followed the man and the other prisoners outside. The man and the 2 women rushed at him and knocked him down. Whilst on the ground he felt a hand in his pocket and when he got up he missed £18. He thought £17 to be in gold and the remainder in silver. He accused the prisoners of taking his money but they denied all knowledge of it. He searched the ground but could not find it. The prisoners went away. He procured assistance and followed them and took them into custody. Whilst in the Bushel and Strike he had pulled out his money, which was loose, to pay for some ale. The prisoners were present. When the prisoners were apprehended the prisoner named Samuel Church said they only had 18 pence between them. He had not invited them into the public house. George Wright, the tallest of the men, had followed him into the parlour first. His friend threw Wright’s bundle out of the window. He had not been fighting for several minutes before the women came up and he had only fallen once. Peter George Kay: he had gone into the Bushel and Strike with Mr Franklin. He saw him pull out his money to pay for some ale. The prisoners were present. Whilst there, 2 men set on him and he called for Franklin to help. Soon after they all went out of the house together and when he got out he saw Franklin on the ground. The tall man and the 2 women were on top of him. When Franklin got up he had lost his money. PC Alfred Mayes: on 18 September he went to the Bushel and Strike public house and apprehended the prisoners on the charge of stealing £18 from Thomas Franklin. He was accompanied by William King, another policeman. After he had apprehended the prisoners he took the 2 men into another room and searched them but found no money on either of them. He instructed some women to search the female prisoners and they were taken into another room. A few minutes later he heard a great noise and he asked what the matter was. He was told one of the prisoners had some money which she refused to give up. He went in and saw Margaret Wright with her hands clenched and he forced her hands open and took out 3 sovereign. Wright said they belonged to her and whilst he stood there another sovereign dropped from her dress. The women prisoners had said they were willing to be searched. Margaret Wright had said she had no money on her and Sarah Church said she had the change from a 2 shilling piece having spent her purse on a dress and something else. PC William King: he was with Mayes when he apprehended the prisoners and Mayes afterwards had occasion to leave the house. Mayes left the prisoners in his custody and while he was gone Sarah Church asked for someone to take a pilot jacket she had in her hand and put it on her kit bag. He told her to give it to him but she said she would take it herself. On taking hold of it he heard something clink. He asked whose jacket it was and Samuel Church said it belonged to him but that there was no money in it. He examined the coat and found 2 sovereigns in the pocket. George Wright then said it was his jacket and told King to give it to him. Mary Ann Inskip: she assisted in the search of the female prisoners. She searched the smaller one, Sarah Church, first and found 18 pence upon her. She searched Margaret Wright and found some silver in her pocket. She stripped her and when she was putting on her clothes again she saw Wright put her hand to her bosom. She accused Wright of having some money and said she should call in a policeman if Wright did not give it to her. Wright handed her 3 sovereigns and said it was all she had. She observed Wright’s left hand was clenched and she called to Mayes. Mayes took 3 more sovereigns from Wright. Before Wright left the room she found 2 more sovereigns under the looking glass close to where she had stood. Another sovereign fell from Wright’s dress. William Roslyn: was present when there was fighting in the road. He was present when the prisoners were brought back to the Bushel & Strike. As they were going in George Wright gave Margaret Wright what appeared to be 5 sovereigns. Thomas Bumbery: on 18 September about 9am he saw all of the prisoners together. The short man came and said that they were hard up and asked for 2 pence. He gave it to him. Ann Lummiss: her husband, George, kept the Barley Mow at Potton. On the Monday night all of the prisoners slept at the house. On the Tuesday George Wright and Margaret Wright slept there again. After they had gone to bed, she took them a pint of beer. George Wright gave her 3 half pence and Margaret Wright gave her another half penny. They said it was all the money they had. Statements of the accused: Samuel Church – he knew nothing of where the money came from. Sarah Church – I know no more about the money than a child unborn. George Wright – he was at work for Mr Thomas Culott [?] all last summer. He knew nothing of the money that was lost. Margaret Wright – at the time the gentleman and her husband were having the row in the road, they all fell down in front of the house. She went inside and picked up her husbands cap. As she stooped to pick it up she saw 2 shillings, a half crown, a shilling and some sovereigns. She thought they were 11. She picked them up and put them in her pocket. She kept the gold in her hand. Her husband and the other man and his wife knew nothing about it and are quite innocent.

item

Church, Sarah,
Church, Samuel,
Wright, Margaret,
Wright, George,
Mayes, Alfred,
Franklin, Thomas,
Kay, Peter George,
King, William,
Inskip, Mary Ann,
Roslyn, William,
Bumbery, Thomas,
Lummiss, Ann,
Lummiss, George

Shoeburyness, POTTON, pickpocket, coins, Potton Bushel and Strike, yeoman, victualler