QSR1837/1/5/4

Depositions and examination - John Johnson, charged wtih stealing 10 faggots from the Hon George Rice Rice Trevor

19 October 1836

From: 1836 To: 1837

Thomas Odell of Stagsden, woodman – last May he saw some faggots laying in a plantation called the Clay Pits in the Bromham Road. From information he received on 14 May he went to a person of the name of Garratt at Bedford and saw about 10 faggots which appeared to be like those left in the spinney. They are worth about 1s 5d and were the property of Hon George Rice Rice Trevor. He is woodman to Mr Trevor. Blanch Garratt, wife of John Garratt of No.60, Mortimer Street, Cavendish Square, London, labourer – on 12 May Johnson called on her at Bedford where she was then living and asked if she wanted to purchase some chips. She answered no, but said she would have no objection if they were faggots. He said Mr Golding had some he wanted to sell and would bring her some at 3 half pence each. She agreed to purchase a score. He then said he would bring them to her if she would give him ½ gallon of beer. She agreed to this. The next morning 13 May between 5 and 6am Johnson and a man named Richard Wilmot of Kempston brought her 10 faggots. Johnson did not tell her where they came from. She kept a beer shop and Johnson and Wilmot had the value of the faggots in beer. She later showed the faggots to Odell. Richard Wilmot of Stagsden, labourer – he has heard the evidence of Mrs Garratt and it is true. He met Johnson on the morning of 13 May on the Bromham Road. He was coming to Bedford with an empty dung cart and Johnson asked him to take 10 faggots to Bedford. There were 3 other cards besides his belong to his master, and the faggots were put into one of them. He took 5 of the faggots from the side of the road where they were lying and the other 5 from a spinney called the Clay Pit Spinney. When he got to Bedford he and Johnson and he thinks one of the boys who drove one of the other carts delivered the faggots. They had 2 quarts of beer at Mrs Garrat’s house. It was about 5.30am. Miller Golding of Biddenham, farmer – he is steward to the Hon. George Rice Rice Trevor of Bromham. About last May Johnson had his leave to dig up the roots in the Clay Pit Spinney for his own use. At this time there were a number of faggots laying there, but Johnson had no directions from him to take them or sell them. John Johnson – declined to say anything in his defence.

item

Johnson, John,
Rice Trevor, George Rice,
Odell, Thomas,
Garratt, Blanch,
Garratt, John,
Wilmot, Richard,
Golding, Miller

STAGSDEN, BIDDENHAM, KEMPSTON, BROMHAM, BEDFORD, London, stealing, wood, farmer, woodman, woods, beerhouse keeper, beer, carts, steward