QSR1837/1/5/23-24

Depositions and examination - Thomas Hardwick and Joseph Hardwick

15 December 1836

From: 1836 To: 1837

Robert Savage, constable and night watchman of Ampthill – after he went off duty this morning he watched the farm premises of Messrs Coleby and Phillips according to directions he had received from Mr Phillips. Soon after 7am this morning he saw Joseph Hardwick coming out of the farm yard with a bag on his back. He followed Hardwick into the town and then stopped him. He took Hardwick and the bag into the premises of Coleby and Phillips in the town. He then searched the bag and found it contained some Savoys and about a peck of potatoes. Mr Phillips accused Hardwick of stealing them from him. Hardwick said his father gave him the savoys and he took the potatoes himself and as going to send them to his brother in London. Thomas Hardwick the father works for Coleby and Phillips at their farm. He took Thomas Hardwick into custody. Mr Phillips accused him of stealing the potatoes and the savoys. Thomas Hardwick said he cut the savoys and gave them to his son, and gave him the potatoes too, and that the potatoes were his for he dug them up. James Phillips of Ampthill, druggist (affirmed as member of the Society of Friends) – Thomas Hardwick is employed by himself and his partner George Coleby. He has for some time suspected him of stealing potatoes and set a watch. Joseph Hardwick his son was brought to him that morning and he accused him of robbing him of the savoys and potatoes. Joseph Hardwick said his father gave him the savoys but that he had taken the potatoes himself from the farm yard. He sent Savage for Thomas Hardwick and asked if he knew anything about the savoys and potatoes. Thomas Hardwick said he gave them to his son, and that the potatoes were his perquisites, which grew on their [Coleby and Phillips] land but were dug up after the crop had been taken. They keep a quantity of potatoes in a barn in their farm yard and he believes the potatoes in the bag are part of them. Thomas Hardwick has never had permission directly or indirectly to take any potatoes away. There are about a peck of potatoes in the bag. Thomas Hardwick is employed by them as a confidential man on the farm and is entrusted with the keys. Thomas Hardwick – he knows the potatoes came from Mr Phillips premises and he gave them to his son that morning to take away, but he dug them out of the ground some time ago after the crop was gone and they are his perquisites. There are a few more in the farm yard now in a tub that belong to him. Joseph Hardwick – he took some of the potatoes out of the tub in the barn and his father put some in.

item

Hardwick, Thomas,
Hardwick, Joseph,
Coleby, George,
Phillips, James,
Savage, Robert

AMPTHILL, stealing, cabbages, potatoes, constable, night watchman, farm labourer, druggist, Quakers