QSR1899/4/5/5,6

Depositions of Thomas Bright Rogers, Coach painter of Rose Cottage Ravensden; Laura Rogers, wife of Thomas Bright Rogers of Ravensden; Florence Mary Wiles of Ravensden; Rosanna Hillyard of Ravensden; Percy Neep, Butcher of 17 York Street Bedford; Albert Frederick Dennis, Errand boy of 56 Bower Street Bedford; Thomas Rolls, Pawnbroker of 6 Lime Street Bedford; William Thomas Hopkins, Pawnbrokers assistant of Battenberg Road Kempston and JosephTabron Steer, Police Constable of Bedford In the case against John Henry Pinder and Herbert Charles Harper accused of breaking and entering the dwelling house of Thomas Bright Rogers and stealing three silver watches, a gold chain and other articles to the value of £6, the property of Thomas Bright Rogers.

22 August 1899

From: 1899 To: 1899

Thomas Bright Rogers said: I live at Rose Cottage Ravensden and am a coach painter. On Tuesday the 8th August instant about 5 in the morning I locked up my house and went with my wife to Liverpool. The 3 watches now produced were then in the house and also the silver chain produced also the case produced. I returned in the early morning of Wednesday the 9th August instant. I unlocked my front door and went into the house. Some of the inside doors, which I had left closed, were open. In the bedroom a tin box was open and my cash box turned upside down, a lion shilling a jubilee sixpence and a fourpenny piece were missing from the cash box. I also missed the man’s silver watch produced. Afterwards I missed the old silver watch, the chain and the medal produced. Outside the house I found the back window had been forced with a shovel. The 3 watches and 2 chains produced are my property. The case also produced is my property. I value the lot at about £6. Laura Rogers said: I am the wife of the Prosecutor. I went with my husband to Liverpool on 8th August instant. I left my watch and chain in my bedroom. The lady’s silver watch and the gold chain now produced are my property. We came back on the Wednesday morning. The watch and chain were not then in the house. I noticed all the doors were open. I also noticed that the window had been forced. Florence Mary Wiles said: I live at Ravensden. I remember the Tuesday after Bank holiday – I saw 2 men in Ravensden that day. The prisoners are the 2 men. I live near Mr Rogers and they were near my house. Rosanna Hillyard said: I live at Ravensden. I remember the Tuesday after the August Bank holiday. that day soon after 4 o’clock I saw the 2 prisoners in Ravensden. Percy Neep said:I live at 17 York Street Bedford and am a butcher. I know the prisoner Pinder. I saw him on Tuesday the 8th instant in York Street about 6.30 or 6.45 in the evening. I asked him what he would give for my cigarette case. He pulled out the old silver watch the silver chain and the medal produced and a lion shilling, which was bent and had a hole in it. I exchanged all these 4 articles for my cigar case. He also showed me the lady’s watch and gold chain produced. As to the lady’s silver watch he said he had bought it for his young lady and his young lady had upset him and he was not going to give it to her. I afterwards handed the watch, the chain and medal to Police Constable Steer. I parted with the lion shilling. Albert Frederick Dennis said: I live at 56 Bower Street Bedford and am an errand boy. I know the prisoner Pinder. I saw him on August the 9th in Gwyn Street about 11am. He pulled out a gold chain produced out of a purse, He said he found it up Honey-hills on Monday. He said he was going to take it to Mr Osborn’s to see what it is. He went into Mr Osborn’s in Gwyn Street. he was in about 5 minutes. I waited for him. he came out and said Mr Osborn gave him 5 shillings for it and he said Mr Osborn told him it was half brass and half gold. Thomas Rolls said: I am a Pawnbroker and carry on business at 6 Lime Street Bedford. I remember the prisoner Pinder coming to my house on the 10th August about one o’clock in the day with the lady’s watch produced. He gave the name of John Jones of Pembroke Street. He said he wanted to pledge the watch and he said he wanted as much as I could lend him. I took the number and I referred to the Police Report. I then went round to the front and the prisoner disappeared. I noticed his left hand was bandaged. I at once gave information to the Police. I handed the watch and ring to Police Constable Steer. William Thomas Hopkins said: I live in Battenberg Road Kempston and I am assistant to Mr Rolls the last witness. On Thursday the 10th I remember the prisoner coming into our shop with the lady’s watch produced. Joseph Tabron Steer said: I am a member of the Beds Constabulary and am stationed at Bedford. In the afternoon of Thursday the 10th instant from information received from Mr Rolls I went into York Street Bedford and saw the prisoner Pinder. I went with him to his house. I ascertained there is a John Jones in Pembroke Street. When we got to prisoner’s house I asked him if he had been over to Ravensden on Tuesday. He said “No”. I asked him where he was on Tuesday. He said “Round Kempston”. I asked him if he had been to Mr Roll’s shop he said “No.” I told him he would have to come with me and see Mr Rolls. I arrested him and brought him to the Police Station Mr Rolls came there. I charged the prisoner and found on him the cigar case produced. On Friday the 11th instant in consequence of information received I went to the house of the prisoner Harper 17 Bower Street and saw him. I said “Where were you on Tuesday.” He said “I went round Ravensden with Pinder.” I said “What did you do round there.” He said “Pinder sent me to the house to ask for a drink of water. I found there was no one at home and went back and told him. Pinder said ‘You stop here and watch while I have a look’. Pinder went round the back of the house. He got in the house by the back window.” [Mr Clare objects to any evidence of a statement by Harper as to any conversation with Pinder – Pinder not being present at the time the statement was made] Harper also said when Pinder returned he gave him an old watch and chain a jubilee sixpence and a fourpenny piece. Harper said “I threw the things in the River.” I said, “I shall have to take you to the Police station.” When we got outside his house he said “I will show you where the things are.” He took me to a hedge at the top of Russell Park. In a hole in the bottom of the hedge we found the man’s watch in the case produced. I took Harper to the Police Station and charged him. He made no reply. I searched him and found the comb and case produced statements of the accused: John Henry Pinder: I reserve my defence Herbert Charles Harper: I have nothing to say. Copy of Memorial of William Harper and others sent to The Right Honorable Secretary of State (Home Department) dated 11 November 1899, outlining the case and detailing that at the Quarter Session on 1st November 1899 Herbert Charles Harper was undefended; both prisoners pleaded guilty; Pinder was sentenced to 3 months inprisonment and Harper was not remanded to a Workhouse or otherwise dealt with so that enquiries might be made as to his age, antecedents or previous career but was sent to a Reformatory School for 5 years (when he would have attained 19 years of age); and that if enquiries had been made it would have been found that Harper was living at home with his parents who were respectable people, he was not beyond parental control and had no previous criminal record. The memorialists therefore represent that as the boy is a comaparatively innocent child the Reforatory puts him in danger of associating with older and more hardened offenders; and submits that the punishment awarded to Harper was more severe than the circumstances of the case required and that the period of detention exceeded the statutory limit; and prays that Harper may be discharged or that the period of his detention may be reduced.

22 pages

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Rogers, Thomas Bright,
Rogers, Laura,
Wiles, Florence Mary,
Hillyard, Rosanna,
Neep, Percy,
Dennis, Albert Frederick,
Rolls, Thomas,
Hopkins, William Thomas,
Steer, Joseph Tabron,
Pinder, John Henry,
Harper, Herbert Charles

Ravensden Rose Cottage, RAVENSDEN, Bedford York Street, Bedford Bower Street, Bedford Lime Street, Kempston Battenberg Street, BEDFORD, coach painter, butcher, errand boy, pawnbroker, stealing, watches, gold chain, breaking & entering