QSR1861/4/5/10

Depositions of William Thompson, labourer of Warden. Hampden Inskip, watchmaker of Shefford. George Pryor, police constable of Southill. In the case of Jesse Collip accused of stealing a watch.

12 October 1861

From: 1861 To: 1861

William Thompson: a foreman in Mr Whitbread’s brick yard at Warden. On 8 October he was at work in the yard and saw the prisoner going towards a room he occupied in the yard. When he went to his room to breakfast he missed his watch. He advised the police the same day. The following day, Pryor, the policeman showed him a watch which he identified as his. The prisoner had worked for him at the yard on the previous Saturday. He had invited the prisoner to his room to breakfast and the watch had been on the mantle piece. PC George Prior: in consequence of information received he went on 9 October to Mr Hampden Inskip, a watchmaker at Shefford, and received a watch from him. He them saw William Thompson and received a description of the watch. It compared with the watch he had received from Inskip. Thompson was shown the watch and identified it. He apprehended the prisoner on the charged him. The prisoner began to cry and said Inskip had given him 10 shillings for the watch. He told the prisoner he would be obliged if he would repeat that, and the prisoner did so. The prisoner asked if Prior thought he would get 6 months for it. Hampden Inskip: a watchmaker at Shefford. On 8 October the prisoner went to his house and offered a watch for sale. The prisoner said his name was Wheatley and he was from Langford. The prisoner said he had bought the watch from George Simms and had it 12 months. The prisoner said he was obliged to sell it as he was out of work. He offered to lend 10 shillings on the watch. The following day PC Pryor came to the shop and enquired about the watch. He gave Pryor the watch. Statement of the accused: nothing to say.

item

Collip, Jesse,
Thompson, William,
Inskip, Hampden,
Pryor, George,
Prior, George

Old Warden, SOUTHILL, SHEFFORD, stealing, watches, watchmaker