QSR1868/2/5/5

Depositions of Elizabeth Merifield, wife of John, innkeeper of Dunstable. Elizabeth Carter, singlewoman of Dunstable. William Addington, police constable of Dunstable. Benjamin George, superintendent of police of Dunstable and Alice Lovell, wife of Thomas of Newton Longville. In the case of Ann Perry accused of stealing a pocket handkerchief, 2 pairs of womens drawers and a quarter pound of tea.

21 March 1868

From: 1868 To: 1868

Elizabeth Merifield: wife of John, keeper of the Saracens Head Inn in Dunstable. The prisoner had been in their service for 2 months. She discharged her on 9 March, with the prisoner having already had a months notice. The prisoner had been discharged because of complaints made by gentleman in the Billiard Room that they had not received their proper change from the prisoner. On 16 March, Elizabeth Carter drew his attention to a quarter pound of tea which had been found in the gas meter cupboard. The tea was kept in the bar cupboard. There was nothing else kept in that cupboard but tea. On 21 March, in consequence of a statement made to her, she sent for the prisoner who was living with Mr Cook, the farmer at Sewell. When the prisoner arrived she said to her that “Ann what did you put the tea in that cupboard for” and she replied “I put it there for use by the time it was wanted”. By the advice of the police and with the permission of the prisoner he went to Mr Cooks and searched the prisoner’s box. She found in the box a pocket handkerchief marked with her maiden name in ink. She also found between the bed and the mattress in the same room 2 pairs of drawers belonging to him. One pair was marked with a cross on the band with red marking cotton. One pair had insertion and embroidery at the bottom and the other was plain with pucks and hems. The value of the tea was 7d ½ and the value of the drawers and handkerchief 12s 6d. On her return home she gave the prisoner into custody. Mrs Cook was present when she searched the prisoner’s box and saw her find the items. On her returned from Mr Cook’s she had the articles she had found washed and afterwards gave them to PC Addington. The prisoner’s duties did not call her into the bar and she was forbidden to go into it. The prisoner might sometimes make tea from the tea caddy but never from the bar cupboard. [cross examination by Mr Scargill for the prisoner] she had a character with the prisoner from Mr George Horn. It was her duty or the duty of those in the bar to give the prisoner change for the Billiard Room. She had asked her husband whether he had given those articles to Ann and he said “certainly not”. It was no business of any person whether or not her husband had been constantly drunk since he had been at the Saracen’s Head. Elizabeth Carter: servant to Mrs Merifield at the Saracen’s Head. On 8 March she was on the landing and saw Ann Perry go into the bar and stoop down to the tea cupboard and take a quarter pound of tea and put it in her pocket. The prisoner looked up and saw her and pretended to be putting the cocoa malting straight. On 16 March she found a quarter pound of tea in the gas meter cupboard. She called her mistress’s attention to it. On 20 March she told Ann Perry of it and she said she had put it in the gas meter cupboard. PC William Addington: on 20 March he was sent for to the Saracen’s Head. Mrs Merifield charged Ann Perry with stealing tea. He asked Mrs Merifield if there was anything else and she replied she did not know. He asked the prisoner if she had any objections to him going and searching her box. She said he could and Mrs Merifield too. Mrs Merrifield went and on her return she charged the prisoner with stealing the articles produced and a quarter pound of tea. He charged the prisoner and she made no reply. Called on the request of Mr Scargill - Benjamin George: he had no conversation with the prisoner as to her plea. He did not advise her to plead guilty because her sentence would be lighter. Called by Mr Scargill – Alice Lovell: she lived in Newton Longville and was the wife of Thomas Lovell, a labourer. She had known Ann Perry from the time she had been 14 years which was 5 years. She had been in her employment for 2 years and she had always been of good character. She had not known anything wrong with the prisoner. Statement of the accused: nothing.

item

Perry, Ann,
Merifield, Elizabeth,
Merifield, John,
Carter, Elizabeth,
Addington, William,
George, Benjamin,
Lovell, Alice,
Lovell, Thomas

DUNSTABLE, Newton Longville, stealing, servant, tea, handkerchief, innkeeper, Dunstable Saracens Head