QSR1866/3/5/9

Depositions of Frances, wife of Thomas Peek, baker of Luton. Daniel Brickworth, recruiting sergeant of Luton. In the case of John O'Brien accused of obtaining a quantity of bread and meat by false pretences.

18 June 1866

From: 1866 To: 1866

Frances Peek: wife of Thomas Peek, a baker of Elizabeth Street, Luton. On Friday 15 June about 10am the prisoner came to the shop. He had been in the previous evening with Recruiting Sergeant Brickworth. When he came in on the Friday he said “mistress I want something to eat” and she asked what she could get him. He asked her if she knew the recruiting sergeant who he had come in with the night before. She told him she did and the prisoner said the sergeant had sent him in to get something to eat. He said the man was short of money and had a wife and family to keep. He said the sergeant was writing to head quarters today to get some money and then he would pay her and that the sergeant had to keep him. She said “how long Sir?” and the prisoner replied perhaps a month or a fortnight until the sergeant got some more recruits to take up with him. Upon what the prisoner said she let him have 9d ½ of meat and 1d ½ of bread. She would not have let him have it if he had not said the sergeant had sent him and would pay for it. Daniel Brickworth: he was a recruiting sergeant in the 16th Regiment of Foot and was recruiting at Luton. He had in no way authorised the prisoner to go to Mr Peek’s shop and get bread and meat on his account. He had enlisted the prisoner on the night of 14 June and had showed him Peek’s as a place he could get food. He saw the prisoner buy and pay for some then. The next morning the prisoner was taken before the doctor and rejected. That was before 10am. He told the prisoner to go away as he could have no more to do with him. He received information soon after that the prisoner had received goods and false pretended that he would pay for them. He followed the prisoner to Dunstable and there the prisoner was taken into custody by the police sergeant. Statement of the accused: nothing.

item

O'Brien, John,
Peek, Frances,
Peek, Thomas,
Brickworth, Daniel

LUTON, Luton Elizabeth Street, false pretences, baker, recruiting officer, sergeant, bread, meat, 16th Regiment of Foot