Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue
  • Reference
    QSR1837/3/5/21
  • Title
    Depositions - Thomas King, charged with stealing a watch
  • Date free text
    15 June 1837
  • Production date
    From: 1837 To: 1837
  • Scope and Content
    William Hutchins of Hockliffe, ostler – he is an ostler at the Bell at Hockliffe. He saw King there on Tuesday evening 13th June. He had a silver watch which he hung up on Tuesday evening at the head of his bed. A waggoner, and a man who takes care of his horses, and King slept in the same room with him. Between 3 and 4am on Wednesday he missed his watch and saw the hospital had left the room. He got up and gave the alarm. He also missed two pocket knives, his leather purse and one sixpence that was in it. The waggoner had lost his purse with a sovereign in it. He heard that a person like King had been seen at Luton. He went there and recognised him as the person who shared his room on Tuesday. He saw his watch in the hands of a gentleman at the Crown and Anchor. The watch seal and chain now produced are his, as are two of the knives and the leather purse. Ruth Everitt, wife of Joseph Everitt of Luton, victualler – King came to their house yesterday. Two lads, the sons of a man named Blake, came with him. King slept on the table for more than an hour. One of the lads asked her whether she would give King a lodging – she said she did not think she could. Blake then came in and asked if she would lodge the lad as he wanted to get his boys home to bed. When her husband came in she asked him and they agreed to lodge King. While she was at tea King brought her the watch chain and seal [now produced] and asked her to take care of it until the morning. She agreed. When she went into the tap room King said he was going to give her 10s to take care of until morning. She said he had better give her some more as he had more than he would want to spend. King gave her 15s [now produced] Soon afterwards King was taken on suspicion of stealing the watch. John Anthony, constable of Luton he was sent for to the Crown and Anchor and King was given into his charge on suspicion of stealing a watch. Henry Leeper told him that King had thrown a knife into the grate as he was sitting close to the fireplace. He asked Leeper to look for it and he found the knife now produced. He asked the two Blake lads if they knew anything about the property. Thomas Blake said he only knew what King had given to him, and produced the small knife and canvass purse now produced. John Blake then produced the large knife and the leather purse. He found another small knife on a ledge in the parlour. Charles Weston said it was his. The knife thrown behind the grate, the leather purse and the knife on the ledge were all claimed by William Hutchins. John Blake of Maulden, labourer – he went to Luton with his brother to see their father and mother. They met with King this side of Hockliffe on Tuesday night about 12.30. King was a stranger to them, walking the same way and the joined company with him. Between Dunstable and Luton King gave them each a knife and a purse [now produced]. King said it was bad luck to give a knife away and asked for a halfpenny for him. King gave one to his brother for a penny. King had plenty of money and paid for beer for them. They called at several public houses in Luton before they got to the Crown and Anchor where they asked the mistress if she could give King a lodging. The constable came and took King into custody. They were asked if they knew anything of the property, and he and his brother gave up the knives and purses. Charles Weston of Luton – he was at the Crown and Anchor the night before for some time. About 10pm King said to him “here’s a knife for you”. He had never seen King before that morning. He laid the knife on a ledge in the parlour. Henry Leeper of Luton – last night he was at the Crown and Anchor and saw King there in custody. King was sitting near the fireplace with his hand in his pocket. He saw King throw something behind the grate. He looked and found the knife.
  • Reference
  • Level of description
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