QSR1862/1/5/4

Depositions of Martha Ellingham, single woman of Eaton Bray. John Ellingham, labourer of Eaton Bray. Eliza Turner, widow of Eaton Bray. Sarah Ann Kempson, single woman of Eaton Bray. William Jeffery, police constable stationed at Eaton Bray. In the case of Fred Janes accused of the violent assault, with intent to ravish and carnally know, Martha Ellingham.

12 November 1861

From: 1861 To: 1862

Martha Ellingham: on the evening of Friday 1 November she was on her way home from Mr Eustace house. She was a daily servant there. She met Sarah Ann Kempson and Mary Impey at the corner of the green in Eaton Bray. She stopped and talked with them. Fred Janes and Thomas Crawley came up to them. Janes went on towards Stanbridge and Crawley stopped with them. After a minute or two Janes came back and the girls bid each other good night. The girls went towards the church and Crawley followed them. She went towards her home. As soon as they had gone Janes grabbed hold of her round the waist and kissed her. She told him to let her be but he pushed her through some mud and up against the rails of the fence around the green. She tried to get away but he pulled up her clothes. She struggled with him and got over the stile but he went after her and caught her and again pushed her up against some rails. He pulled up her clothes. His trousers were undone. [Description of assault]. She called out. The rails broke and they both fell down. She got up but he threw her down again and pulled up her clothes. [Further details of assault]. He tried to have connection with her. She called out as loud as she could. She was 160 yards from her house, the wind was blowing and it was raining fast. He let her up when she hallooed and she got away. He followed her and threw her down again in the middle of the green. She hallooed for her father and brother John. Whilst her brother and Janes were talking she got away home. She changed her dress and went to PC Jeffery. The next day she gave PC Jeffery the dress she had on at the time. Her brother asked her what the matter was. She left her brother with Janes. Immediately she got home she told Mrs Turner. The prisoner was a stranger to her. He appeared in liquor at the time. She saw no one but Crawley with the prisoner. When her brother came up she was on the green standing near the stile. Her house was about 40 yards from the stile. John Ellingham: brother of Martha Ellingham. He had been home on the evening of 1 November and left home about 6.45pm. He walked down the path leading to the recreation ground and heard someone crying. He walked towards them and found it to be his sister. She said “if you don’t let me alone I’ll tell the policeman”. He found his sister he asked what the matter was. His sister said “I’ll let you know what’s the matter he had been pulling me about shameful”. She was crying. He asked who he was and she said he was a butcher from Stanbridge. He said the prisoner, who he them knew “it is you Mr Fred is it” and told Janes he ought be ashamed of himself. Janes asked who the girl was and Ellingham replied she was his sister and “you’ll know it”. Janes touched him on the arm and asked who he was. It was dark. He left Janes saying that he would hear more of it tomorrow. His sister had left. Janes and a man by the name of Neville came to him in Eaton Bray and said he would like to have it settled. He did not hear anything about £3. Janes said he had sent Neville to him to try to settle the matter. Neville said Janes wanted to settle and would give 18 shillings to him and a sovereign to his sister and father and also pay the court fees. Eliza Turner: a widow at Eaton Bray. She was at the house of the complainant on the night of 1 November. Martha came home about 6.50pm . Her brother had just left. She did not notice her dress. Martha seemed very dull and burst out crying. She asked her what the matter was and the complainant replied that “I shan’t be pulled out by him” but she mentioned on name. Martha went and changed her dress and said she was going to the police. Sarah Ann Kempson: on the evening of 1 November she was in the company of Mary Impey at the complainant at the green in Eaton Bray. A man by the name of Crawley and another man came up. She and Impey left and Crawley followed, leaving Martha with the other man. Soon after she heard the complainant talking very loud. She could not hear what she said but she talked as if she wanted to get away from the man. She heard no more. Impey was with her at the time. Crawley left them before Mrs Browns. She did not ask anyone to treat her or heard anyone else ask. She did not see a third man. PC William Jeffery: about 7.30pm the complainant came to him near the chapel. It was dark evening and it had been raining. The complainant was crying and said she was going down to his house and he asked her what the matter was. She said she had been insulted by Janes the butcher of Stanbridge. She said Janes had met her by the green and pushed her against the rails and pulled up her clothes. She had got away from him but had been thrown to the ground. He told her to get a warrant and she did. He apprehended the prisoner and told him the charge. The prisoner said “I only touched her” and that he wished he had sorted it that morning. The prisoner later said he had not got into her and had only touched her with his hand. The prisoner said there were no witnesses but a man had appeared afterwards at the green. He received the dress from Martha Ellingham on 2 November. He asked the complainant’s brother if he was going to protect her and if he had a lawyer. Statement of the accused: he wished to defend himself through his attorney.

item

Janes, Fred,
Ellingham, Martha,
Ellingham, John,
Turner, Eliza,
Kempson, Sarah Ann,
Jeffery, William,
Crawley, Thomas

EATON BRAY, STANBRIDGE, assault, sex crimes, servant