QSR1836/1/5/43

Depositions and examination - Josiah Brightman

5 January 1836

From: 1836 To: 1836

John Head Hootton of Kempston – on 30 December he missed a ram sheep from a field occupied by his mother Ann Hootton. The sheep was her property. The shepherd Francis Ambridge gave him the information. On the hedge side of the field was a plain footmark on a mole cast. In the next field he saw the same kind of footmark and fresh footmarks of a sheep. His mother had no sheep lying in that field. He has compared some shoes produced to him by the constable James Atterbury with the footmarks and they corresponded. James Atterbury, constable of Houghton Conquest – he apprehended Brightman that morning by warrant on a charge of stealing Mrs Hootton’s sheep. He took him to the cage and took of his shoes, which he took to Mr Hootton. They patterned the shoes with footlings which appeared to have been made by the same shoes. Edward Travis of Elstow, wheelwright – he is journeyman to John David Bunker of Houghton Conquest, wheelwright. Last Thursday William Pennyfather and Samuel Chappel killed a ram sheep. He saw them dressing the sheep in Bunker’s stable at about 9am. He did not notice the skin but knows it was a ram because he saw it alive in the same stable. They have had sheep there before. He said nothing to them. Bunker was giving his pony some victuals. The pony was wet and sweaty as if it had been out. He heard Bunker say the pony was sweaty and there was a sheep in the stable, and he would never let Penny father and Chappel have the pony again. Pennyfather, Chappel and Bunker later went out with Bunker’s cart and the same pony. Josiah Brightman – he went over on Wednesday to see John Armstrong at Wilshamstead to ask for a job. He met the 2 chaps on the road just before he got there and asked to ride in the cart with them. He did so and went to the Red Lion with them. He asked Mr Armstrong, who came into the Red Lion while he was there, and he told him to come to him the next day. He went to Thomas Crossley’s with them. Crossley was not at home. He then returned with them and they said they would go to his father’s. They could not find him so he left Pennefather and Chappel and went across the fields towards Houghton. He does not know what time he got home.

item

Brightman, Josiah,
Hootton, John Head,
Atterbury, James,
Ambridge, Francis,
Travis, Edward,
Bunker, John David,
Pennyfather, William,
Chappel, Samuel,
Crossley, Thomas,
Armstrong, John

KEMPSTON, HOUGHTON CONQUEST, ELSTOW, WILSHAMSTEAD, stealing animals, sheep, constable, wheelwright, carts, Wilshamstead Red Lion