QSR1833/3/5/24

Depositions of Thomas Perkins, yeoman of Sandy. Mr Gunning, Mr Filcox, Baron Bunting and Charles Charl[?]. In the case of Samuel Baines accused of stealing a quantity of wood.

26 June 1833

From: 1833 To: 1833

Thomas Perkins: he was gamekeeper to Francis Pym esquire and was appointed to take care of the woods. On Thursday 13 June he saw Samuel Baines, a wheelwright with 2 donkeys and 2 carts in the plantations. Both carts were loaded with wood. The bough of trees which had been blown off. He went up to him and said “Baines I am sorry to see you here but the law must take its course and I must tell my master.” Baines begged him not to tell and he said he could not do that. Baines unloaded the carts and went away. [?] Gunning: he never told the prisoner he had such orders. It was about 1pm when all the wood was unloaded. The prisoner said he was sorry if he had done anything wrong and wanted to leave the wood. The prisoner said he understood Mr Pym had given leave for people to take broken branches. He told Baines he must pay the penalty of 40 shillings. He had known him for 23 years and he was a man of good character and honesty. [?] Filcox: bailiff to Mrs Ongley at Sandy. He had known the prisoner 22 years and he was an honest sort of man and he had never known him to trespass. It was general practice to take wood that had been ___. He believed the people of the parish went to get wood. Hundreds went. Baron Bunting: he knew the prisoner from a child and he was always of good character. Charles Carlt[?] he had know the prisoner 12 years and had never heard ill of him. Statement of the accused: after his wife and Mrs Crispins had gathered up the wood. Mrs Crispins said to him that she wished he would let her put her wood in his cart [crossed through]. Perkins came up and told him he should have to pay for it and he laid the wood down. It was only fire wood. It was rotten wood which the wind had blown off. There were scores of people picking wood there.

item

Perkins, Thomas,
Baines, Samuel,
Pym, Francis,
Gunning,
Bunting, Baron,
Filcox,
Crispins

SANDY, yeoman, stealing, wood, bailiffs, gamekeepers, wheelwrights