QSR1835/2/5/4

Depositions and examination – John Redman charged with stealing 4 hens from the hen house of Elizabeth Line at Marston Moretaine

24 March 1835

From: 1835 To: 1835

Richard Line of Marston Moretaine, farmer – he manages the farming business for his other, Elizabeth Line. His mother’s fowls usually roost in a building made for that purpose, over a part of the cow hovel and within the farm yard which is entirely enclosed by buildings, a pale fence and a gate. The door of the hen roost is usually kept locked and was so on Wednesday evening 11th March. That night or early Thursday morning the hen roost door was broken open and number of hens stolen. He believes more than a score. About 6am on Thursday he found the door had been thrown off its hooks by a plough paddle which he found against the door which had been taken from the stable. He found the door still locked and hanging by the hasp to which the lock was fixed. From information he received he had reason to suspect that the stolen fowls, or part of them, were concealed in Redman’s house at Houghton Conquest. The house was searched under a warrant and some fowls were found which he believes are some of those stolen from the hen roost. George Line – he is grandson to Elizabeth Line. He lives in her house and acts as her horsekeeper. He saw her hen house had been broken open. He was sometimes in the habit of serving the fowls and knew them well enough to be able to distinguish one from another. The greater part of his grandmother’s fowls used to roost in the hen house. They were all stolen on that night except the cock. He has seen the fowls now produced by the constable and believes them to be his grandmother’s but cannot positively swear to more than one of them. He can swear to the one he holds in his hands by its comb, which lies on one side, and from the feathers on the breast being of a different colour to the rest. He described this fowl to his uncle Richard Line before seeing it. James Atterbury – he is constable of Houghton Conquest. Yesterday he was entrusted with the execution of a search warrant to search the house and premises of John Redman. He found 8 hens and 2 ducks concealed in a little barn behind his house, four of which he brought away then. He fetched the rest later. George Line believed four of them to be their fowls and said he could swear to the hen with the comb lying on one side. John Redman – said he bought the fowls from some person, but did not say from whom he bought them.

item

Redman, John,
Line, Elizabeth,
Line, Richard,
Line, George,
Atterbury, James

MARSTON MORETAINE, HOUGHTON CONQUEST, stealing animals, fowl, poultry, farmers, horsekeeper, constable