QSR1869/4/5/3

Depositions of Alfred Thomas Sharp, master of the Woburn Union. Thomas Jeffs, porter of the Workhouse. In the case of William Eames accused of the unlawful assault of Alfred Thomas Sharp, being an officer of the Workhouse in the execution of his duty.

28 July 1869

From: 1869 To: 1869

Alfred Thomas Sharp: he was master of the Woburn Union Workhouse. The prisoner, William Eames, was an inmate of the workhouse. He was an able bodied man of 22 years and chargeable to The Common Fund of the Woburn Union. He had been in the Union and receiving relief from his infancy. On 26 July the prisoner applied to leave the workhouse. By the regulations of the Poor Law Board, an inmate of the workhouse was required to give 3 hours notice before being permitted to leave. The prisoner did not do so. The prisoner wanted to go immediately and said he was not going to do his regular work. Paupers who left the workhouse were required to do work within the 3 hours. He gave the prisoner a pound of oakum to pick but he refused. When he insisted that the prisoner should do so, the prisoner attempted to leave for the yard. When he stood before him, the prisoner struck him on the shoulder with his fist and tried to throw him down. The prisoner forced him against a wall and grazed the skin from the back of his hand. He was obliged to call to the porter of the workhouse for assistance. The prisoner was removed to the front hall. The prisoner attempted to kick him in the private parts. The prisoner kicked him 2 or 3 times. The prisoner was tripped up by the porter, secured and then given into the custody of the police. The prisoner was a very troublesome inmate and had behaved in an improper manner in the workhouse several times. He considered the prisoner to be the ringleader of the bad characters in the house. If assistance had not been rendered by the porter and he believed his life would have been endangered. The prisoner was a powerful man and he had been getting weak in the struggle. [cross examination] he had not attacked the prisoner before he assaulted him. He had acted in self defence. He did not strike the prisoner at all. Thomas Juffs: on Monday 26 July, just after breakfast, the mater of the workhouse called him to his assistance. The prisoner and the master were struggling together in the yard. The prisoner was very violent. The prisoner was removed from the yard into the waiting hall and tried several times to kick the master. The prisoner was secured and given into custody. He was obliged to throw the prisoner down on the ground before he was secured. When he saw the struggling the master appeared to be defending himself. Statement of the accused: on Monday, he applied to the master for his own cloth in a civil manner and said he did not wish to cause a disturbance. The master told him he would make him do 3 hours work of picking 1lb of oakum in the Receiving ward from 7am to 10am. The master told him to go to the Receiving ward and he went towards it. The master told the porter to weigh 1lb of oakum for him. He said that his intention was not o be locked up. He told the master he had not seen that rule hung up in the front hall or [?] room where the rules were required to be kept. When he entered the young men’s yard to go back to his work the master stood before him. He told the prisoner to keep him at arms length. The master threw his arms round him and flung him against the wall. In his efforts to get away he struggled but it was of no use. The master called the porter for assistance and they took him into the front hall and the master ordered the ported to put the belt on, which was done. He suffered for some time in the most terrifying manner. He was very sorry but did not make any disturbance. William Washington [on behalf of the defence]: he was the inmate of the Woburn Union Workhouse. He was 17 years of age. He had been inmate since infancy. On Monday 26 July he went with the prisoner to ask for his clothes. He saw the master of the workhouse. The master told the prisoner that he had to do 3 hours work and the prisoner said eh should not. They asked for their clothes to go out of the workhouse. The prisoner then went straight out of the hall. The master told him to come back. The prisoner said he shouldn’t. The prisoner and master began wrestling, caught hold of each other and shoved against the wall. The master took hold of the prisoner’s arm to prevent him leaving. Eames, the prisoner, dropped a book out of his pocket and the master picked it up. The master called the porter and the prisoner was taken into the Waiting Hall. He saw no blows struck and saw the prisoner trying to kick the master. The prisoner was laid down and a strap put on him. The prisoner was rather awkward and was put into the Receiving ward until the policeman came. He did see the Master take hold of Eames shoulders.

item

Eames, William,
Sharp, Alfred Thomas,
Juffs, Thomas,
Washington, William

WOBURN, Poor Law Union Workhouses, Master of the workhouse, assault, porter