QSR1867/3/5/21

Depositions of James Linford, baker of Luton and Elizabeth, his wife. Matthew Judge, watchmaker of Luton. Mark Bryant, apprentice of Luton. Elizabeth, wife of Richard Blindell, manufacturer of Luton. George Smith, inspector of police of Luton. In the case of Elizabeth Fowler accused of stealing a silver watch, the value of £2.

1 July 1867

From: 1867 To: 1867

James Linford: he was a baker and grocer in Windsor Street, Luton. The prisoner used to lodge with them. On 25 June, from something he heard, he went to Mr Judge the watchmaker and was shown a watch. It was the one he had lost. It is ‘No. 784’ ‘Joseph Wells, Barnet’. It was worth £2. Elizbaeth Linford: she was the wife of James Linford. The prisoner had a room at their house and left 3 weeks ago. The prisoner’s room had been on the same landing as hers. About 5 weeks ago she missed a silver watch out of a drawer in her bedroom. On 20 May the prisoner paid her some money which she owed her. She thought it was 10s 6d ½ in silver. She asked the prisoner where she had the money from and the prisoner said he had taken it for work from Mrs Blindell. She had missed the watch 2 or 3 days before. About a fortnight ago she told the prisoner she suspected her of taking the watch and the prisoner said she was sure she had not. The watch produced was the one she had lost and was marked ‘no.784’. Matthew Judge: he believed the prisoner to be the person who came to his shop about 6 weeks ago and had asked him to buy the watch produced. He had given her 12s 6d for it. The glass, hands and dial had been broken. He had put in new hands, dial and glass and it had been generally repaired. On 25 June he heard that a watch had been stolen. He showed it to Mr Linford. He did not recall what he said about it. He did not recollect what coins he had paid for the watch with. Mark Bryant: an apprentice to Mr Judge. He saw the prisoner looking into the window 5 or 6 weeks before. She came in and sold a watch. It had been in very bad condition. He saw the prisoner again on Saturday at the police station. He was sure she was the same person. He had seen her looking in the window 3 or 4 times. Mary Ann Blindell: wife of Richard Blindell a straw manufacturer. The prisoner worked for her husband. She had been working for him on 18 May and was paid either 6s 3d ½ or 6s 4d for her work. It had been paid in 2 two-shilling pieces, 2 one shilling pieces and 3d ½. Inspector George Smith: he apprehended the prisoner in a warrant at Peckham in Surrey on 29 June 1867. He told her she was wanted on suspicions of stealing a watch. She said she had not stolen a watch and had not sold a watch to Mr Judge. He produced the watch given to him by Mr Judge and identified by Mr Linford. The prisoner said she had never been in Mr Judge’s shop in her life. Statement of the accused: nothing to say.

item

Fowler, Elizabeth,
Linford, James,
Linford, Elizabeth,
Judge, Matthew,
Bryant, Mark,
Blindell, Richard,
Blindell, Elizabeth,
Smith, George

LUTON, Luton Windsor Street, Peckham, stealing, watches, watchmaker, baker, apprenticeship, straw manufacturer