QSR1862/1/5/1

Depositions of Joseph Andrews, professor of music and Sarah Frances Andrews, his wife of Luton. Kate Bamford, bonnet sewer of Luton. John Watts, coal carter. William Axton, butcher. David Jaquest, police constable. John Brightman, baker. William Frederic Knight, police constable. Frederick Parsons, baker. William Mizen, tailor. William Barford, tailor. Richard Lambert police constable. All of Luton. In the case of William Ackings accused of breaking and entering a dwelling house and therein stealing 6 silver tea spoons.

21 October 1861

From: 1861 To: 1862

Joseph Andrews: a professor of music residing at 18 Wellington Street, Luton. On 13 October he went to chapel about 6 o’clock. He returned about 7 o’clock to fetch a piece of music which he had forgotten and wanted as organist. The front door had a spring lock which he undid and went into the shop. He heard a noise upstairs and called out asking who was there. There was no reply but he heard someone run across the room over the shop. A person ran down the stairs and towards him saying “I’ll let you know who’s there”. He left the prisoner there and went out the front door. The prisoner followed and threw a pair of shoes at him. The prisoner ran down Wellington Street and he ran after him calling out “Stop him stop thief”. The prisoner was stopped outside the Dukes Head in Manchester Street. He had never lost sight of the prisoner and the prisoner had run without his shoes. He returned to his house and missed 6 silver spoons from a cupboard in his sitting room. Upstairs he found a writing desk had been prized open. Sarah Frances Andrews: she went to chapel on the evening of 13 October. Mr Andrews had gone before her. About 7pm she was fetched out of chapel and went home to find a crowd round her front door which was wide open. PC Jaquest came soon after and she went upstairs with him. The writing desk had been moved from its place on the sideboard onto the sofa and she found a ‘jemmy’ lying on the sideboard. Jaquest found marks on the writing desk which matched the ‘jemmy’. She had left for chapel with her cousin and all the doors had been fastened except for the front door which had a spring lock. She saw her cousin close the front door but they did not lock it as well. Kate Bamford: a bonnet sewer of Chapel Street, Luton. On 13 October she had been in Stuart Street about 7pm, not far from the Andrews shop. He heard someone holler “stop thief”. She ran down Wellington Street to see where it had come from. She found a pair of shoes about 10 yards from Mr Andrews front door and gave them to PC Jaquest. John Watts: a coal carter living in Park Street, Luton. About 7pm on 13 October he was coming down Upper George Street with George Parsons and George Fensom. Near the Brewers public house and found 3 keys wrapped in paper which a man just before them had kicked and they had fallen out. They picked them up and gave them to PC Knight. William Axton: a butcher of Park Street, Luton. He had been in Wellington Street about 7pm and had seen Mr Andrews go into his house. He heard Andrews call out when he got in. He then saw the prisoner run out of the shop. Mr Andrews called “stop thief”. He ran after the prisoner. The prisoner threw a coat away which he picked up and gave to PC Jaquest. PC David Jaquest: from information received he went to Mr Andrews shop and went upstairs with Mrs Andrews. They found a writing desk on the sofa and examined it and found someone had been trying to force it open. Mrs Andrews gave him a ‘jemmy’ which fitted the marks. He was given a pair of low[?] shoes by Bamford. Axton gave him an overcoat belonging to the prisoner. John Brightman: a baker of 53 Windsor Street, Luton. On 13 October he had been in Bute Street when he heard a cry of “Stop thief” and he saw a man running towards the Dukes Head public house. He went to the Dukes Head and over the gate in the yard he found some silver tea spoons. He took them to the police station and gave them to PC Knight. PC William Frederick Knight: he was in the police station on the evening of 1 October. Watts, Parsons and Fensom came to him and Watts gave him 3 skeleton keys. Fensom and Parsons each supplied one. John Brightman came and gave him 6 silver tea spoons which were identified by Mr Andrews. He tried one of the skeleton keys and tried it on Mr Andrews front door. The door unlocked with it. Frederick Parsons: a baker of 53 Windsor Street, Luton. On the evening of 13 October he was in George Street. He heard the cry of “Stop thief” and saw a man running down Wellington Street without any shoes. He ran and caught the prisoner against Mr Bramley the butchers. He ran beside the man down Manchester Street and the prisoner said there was nothing the matter and it was now all right. They got to the Dukes Head and the prisoner put his hands up to scale the gates. He put his arms round the prisoner and held him until Mr Andrews came. He got the assistance of another person and they took him to the police station. William Mizen: an apprentice to Mr Poulter, tailor at Luton. On 13 October he went to the police station with the prisoner. Close to the town hall he picked up some skeleton keys and picklocks which he gave to PC Lambert. William Barford: a tailor of Park Street, Luton. On 13 October about 8.50pm he was going down Wellington Street. Just before he got to the Earle [?] a little before Mr Andrews house, he kicked against the dark lantern and took it at once to the police station. PC Richard Lambert: about 7pm on 13 October he received the prisoner into custody. He charged him with breaking into Mr Andrews house and stealing 6 silver spoons. The prisoner said nothing. On searching the prisoner he found 5 latch keys and £1 5s 10 ½d. He afterwards received a lot of picklocks and keys from Mizen and a dark lantern from Barford. Jaquest gave him a pair of shoes which the prisoner had since owned and was wearing. Statement of the accused: nothing.

item

Ackings, William,
Andrews, Joseph,
Andrews, Sarah Frances,
Bamford, Kate,
Watts, John,
Axton, William,
Jaquest, David,
Brightman, John,
Knight, William Frederick,
Parsons, Frederick,
Mizen, William,
Barford, William,
Lambert, Richard

LUTON, breaking & entering, professor of music, bonnet sewer, butcher, coal carter, baker, tailor, silver, organist