QSR1864/4/5/1c

Depositions of George Mardlin, police constable of Turvey. John Pacey, foreman to the Duke of Bedford of Oakley. George Rowney, labourer of Steventon. Thomas Rowney, labourer of Steventon. John Poole, bricklayer of Steventon. Richard Dewberry, carpenter of Eversholt. In the case of William Brown accused of stealing certain wood, the value of 3 shillings.

23 July 1864

From: 1864 To: 1864

PC George Mardlin: he saw the accused at work at a cottage in Steventon on Tuesday 5 July. He told the accused he had come to see him about some wood and wanted to go to his premises to see if it was there. The accused walked with him a few steps and then said he knew what wood he meant; it was the wood he had on Friday night. He said his master, Mr Pool, had given it to him to make some stool legs. They walked to the prisoner’s house and he asked Brown to unlock the barn. Brown refused and was told he would be taken into custody if he did not. Brown opened the door and he saw the wood inside. The prisoner said he had sent the wood home by a boy named Rowney. John Pacey: he was foreman to the Duke of Bedford for the Oakley district. John Poole was building a house in Steventon Park under his direction. The timber was sent ready cut from the saw mills at Woburn. He could identify 3 pieces of wood from being at the house but could not identify the other 4. He last saw the wood at the cottage on 28 June and saw it again in Mardlin’s possession on 5 July. He did not give the wood to the accused. One of the pieces had been used to support the arch of the windows. George Rowney: he lived at Steventon and would help plough. He knew the accused and recollected him asking him to take some wood in a cart on 1 July. The accused put the wood in the cart and they took the wood away from the cottage at Steventon Park. John Pool was building the cottage. The accused told him to take the wood to his own house and said Brown said he would call for the wood at night when he went home. There were other people at work at the back of the cottage when he was given the wood but he did not see Mr Pool. Thomas Rowney: he was the father of the last witness. He recollected his son bring home some wood about 3 weeks ago. The accused came for the wood the same night and took it away. He was at work at the back of the hovel at the cottage being built in Steventon Park. They could not see the front of the cottage from the back. The accused said he was to have the wood in exchange for other wood. He did recall the accused taking 3 little pieces of wood to the cottage and they were used to make legs of trestles. John Poole: on 1 July he was building a cottage in Steventon Park for the Duke of Bedford. The wood used in the building was sent by the Duke of Bedford. He did not authorise the accused to take any wood and it was not given to him. The accused did bring some wood for the trestles and was to take a little firewood for them. Mr Pacey overlooked him. The materials belonged to the Duke. Richard Dewberry: he was a carpenter and lived at Eversholt. He was in the employment of the Duke of Bedford and worked at a cottage building in Steventon Park. He had never given any wood since he had worked there to the accused not said he might take some. He did not see George Rowney come for the wood. Statement of the accused: he was innocent of the charge against him.

item

Brown, William,
Mardlin, George,
Pacey, John,
Rowney, George,
Rowney, Thomas,
Poole, John,
Dewberry, Richard,
Duke of Bedford

Steventon, TURVEY, EVERSHOLT, stealing, wood, foreman, OAKLEY, bricklayer, carpenter, Stevington Park