QSR1866/4/5/4-5

Depositions of Thomas Brown, of Chalton, in the parish of Toddington, a foreman in the employment of Messrs Brassey and Ballard, Railway Contractors. James Busby, police constable stationed at Harlington. John Olden, police sergeant stationed at Toddington. William Gibson, minor of Chalton. Henry Small, railway contractor of Luton. In the case of Joseph Bushby, labourer and late of Harlington, and his wife Ann. Both accused of stealing a quantity of boards, sleepers and sprags used for the Midland Extension London and Bedford Railway.

3 September 1866

From: 1866 To: 1866

Thomas Brown: a foreman in the employment of Messrs Brassey & Ballard, who had railway works in the course of construction at Harlington, on the new Midland Railway. He lived at Chalton in the parish of Toddington. There had been a heading or small tunnel constructed by the village of Harlington. There were certain boards used in the forming of the heading. They were brought to Harlington in the first or second weeks of July. He had missed the boards and spraggs lately from the works. Spraggs were used on the railway for stopping carriages. On 1 September he went with the PC’s Busby and Olden to the house of Joseph Bushby, a labourer of Harlington. They found a large quantity of sleepers and spraggs and a board or two in the barn and garden. The larger part of the wood was in the garden covered over with other wood and straw. There was enough of it to fill 2 carts. He identified the sleepers, 2 boards and spraggs as being the property of Messrs Brassey and Ballard. The value of the wood was 6 shillings. PC James Busby: on 1 September he went in the company of the last witness and Sergeant Olden to the house of Joseph Bushby at Harlington. He was present when Brown identified the sleepers, spraggs and boards as the property of Messrs Brassey and Ballard. He saw the prisoner, Ann Bushby and asked her to account for the wood in the barn. She said she picked up part of it on the lane, the same as other people. He went in search of Joseph Bushby but did not find him until Bushby gave himself to him in the morning. He told Joseph Bushby he wanted to know about the wood in the barn and the prisoner replied he had fetched some of it. Sergeant John Olden: on 1 September he went to the prisoner’s house with Busby and Brown. In the barn and garden they found a quantity of sleepers, spraggs and 2 boards which he knew to be used in the railways. He heard PC Busby asked Ann Bushby how she accounted for the wood and she said she had picked it up lane like the rest of the people. William Gibson: he was a minor in the employment of Messrs Brassey and Ballard. He had worked at the heading or tunnel at Harlington. He identified the boards produced as those used at Chalton and brought thence to Harlington at the latter end of July. They corresponded with other boards used on the works. Henry Small: he lived in Luton and had charge of the No.6 contract works from New Mill End, Luton to Flitwick. Chalton and Harlington were between the 2 places. There had been a heading constructed at Harlington. The 2 pieces of board produced were similar to the boards used at the heading. The long piece was used for packing on the head truss and the short piece for poling. No person had right or authority to take away or sell the boards, sleepers or spraggs. When the sleepers were old they were sold at public auction. Such boards as those produced would not have been sold at any time. Statement of the accused: Joseph Bushby: he had put a few broken spragss there and was in the receipt of parish allowance. Ann Bushby: she had never said such a thing to Busby and she had not spoken a word. Both policemen had sworn false. She had never said a word ay all.

item

Bushby, Joseph,
Bushby, Ann,
Brown, Thomas,
Busby, James,
Olden, John,
Gibson, William,
Small, Henry,
Brassey, Thomas,
Ballard, Stephen

Chalton, TODDINGTON, HARLINGTON, LUTON, stealing, railway contractor, Midland Railway Company, foreman, railway worker, tunnels