QSR1869/1/5/28c

Depositions of Thomas Hyde, labourer of Toddington. Joseph Turvey, labourer of Toddington. William Tatman Goodman Hicks, surgeon in practice at Toddington. John Olden, police constable stationed at Toddington. Benjamin Lawrence Hawkins, surgeon of Woburn. In the case of Thomas Brasier, a solider in the Royal Artillery, accused of maliciously wounding and inflicting grievous bodily harm on Thomas Hyde.

28 December 1868

From: 1868 To: 1869

Thomas Hyde: on 21 December he was at the Pheasant public house with Joseph Turvey. About 8pm a soldier and 3 companions came in. The soldier, whilst there, pulled off his coat and wanted to fight the best man in the house. No one had said a word to him. The soldier left and he and Turvey went to go home. There was a row in the street. The soldier came and stabbed him in the ear without saying anything. He had not spoken to the soldier all evening. He did not know him and had not seen him before. The next morning he was obliged to go to Dr Hicks and he attended to him. His ear bled a good deal and was very painful. He was struck with something about 8 to 10 inches long which he had seen glitter in the prisoner’s hand. Joseph Turvey: on Monday 21 December, about 6.30pm he went to the Pheasant public house. About 8pm the same evening a soldier and 3 other men came into the tap room and had some beer. Whilst the soldier was in the ouse he wanted to fight the best man. No one interfered with him. Neither he not Hyde spoke to the soldier. He and Hyde left about 10 minutes after the soldier. There was a row outside. The soldier came up to hyde and struck him and he saw something in the soldiers hand which glittered. It was the length of his hand. William Tatman Goodman Hicks: he was a surgeon practicing at Toddington. On the morning of 22 December Thomas Hyde came to his surgery. He examined him and he had a wound through the lower part of his ear which had penetrated the flesh of his neck. The wound was made with a sharp instrument and it was a very dangerous wound. Sergeant John Olden: In consequence of hearing the soldier had stabbed some men he went to Eversholt and told him he was charged with wounding William Fossey and other men. The prisoner said he didn’t do it and that he had knocked 2 or 3 men over in self defence as any other men would have done. He was in a soldiers uniform. Benjamin Lawrence Hawkins: he was a surgeon in practice in Woburn. On 28 December he examined Thomas Hyde who appeared to have received a wound to his ear. It was torn wound he believed caused by a stick. Statement of the accused: nothing to say.

item

Brasier, Thomas,
Turvey, Joseph,
Hyde, Thomas,
Hicks, William Tatman Goodman,
Olden, John,
Hawkins, Benjamin Lawrence

TODDINGTON, EVERSHOLT, Toddington Pheasant, grievous bodily harm, wounding, surgeon, soldier, Royal Artillery, public disorder