QSR1833/4/5/29

Depositions of Charles Goode, shoemaker and constable of Ampthill. Eliza Juggins, semstress of Ampthill. John Shaw, High Constable of Ampthill. Frances Whiteman, widow of Ampthill. Henrietta Timms, aged 7 years, daugther of William Timms. In the case of William Timms accused of the assault of Henrietta Timms

7 September 1833

From: 1833 To: 1833

Charles Goode: on 7 September having been told that a female child of William Timms, a breeches maker, had been very much beat and ill used by her father, he went to Mrs Whiteman’s were the child was at school and saw her. The child was Henrietta Timms, aged about 7 or 8 tears and he saw she had been very much beaten about the arms and a shoulders. The bruises were very bad. On enquiring of Mrs Whiteman he heard it had been done by the father and that the child was so hurt the day before she had been obliged to put her to bed. He went to Mr Shaw, one of the High Constable to tell him. On the same day he went to Mr Cardale the magistrate at Millbrook and there met Mr Shaw and the child. He agreed to take the child into his care until the case could be heard at the Petty Sessions. Eliza Juggins: she lived next door to William Timms, a breeches maker of Ampthill and had done for the past 3 years. She knew the child. She had frequently heard some of the children in William Timms house as if they were being severely flogged. She saw Henrietta Timms about 2 o’clock on the afternoon of Friday coming out of the house crying. She saw Henrietta had been beaten. He heard her cry out “O Pray” once. John Shaw: one of the High Constable of the division of Ampthill. On Saturday he was informed by Charles Goode that a female child of William Timms had been shamefully beaten by her father. He went to Mrs Whiteman where he was told it was a school. He saw the child who was very much bruised by blows to the arms and shoulders and it appeared in a starved state. He asked the child how she came in that state and she said that her father had beaten her and he often did so. He took the child to Mr Cardale’s but as he was not at home. He brought her back and when taken her a second time William Timms attempted to take the child away from him and used scurrilous language to him. He got one of the constables assistance and took the child on to Mr Cardale. Frances Whiteman: her daughter, who lived with her, kept a Children’s Plaiting School. Henrietta Timms, the daughter of William Timms of Ampthill comes to the school and had done for 12 months or thereabouts. Last Friday afternoon when the child came to school she was crying bitterly and was so aggregated she could not hold a limb still. She and her daughter examined Henrietta and found her shoulders and arms much swollen as was the left side of her body. They bathed her with vinegar and did what they could to ease the pain she was in. She asked the child if she had any dinner and she said she had not so she gave her some and to put in her bed. She did so because she thought it was heresy to recover her from the ‘Taking’ she was in. She asked the child how she came to be beaten and she said her father did it because she did not get home at 1 o’clock as she had not left the school till half past 1. She had done her mornings work but it was not measured off till then and she could not go before. The child was not the best tempered child but upon the whole was a good child. Her daughter taught the children to read and had taught the child to read the Bible but not lately for want of a book. Mr Timms had desired his daughter should go home at 12 but something it was forgotten and she told Mr Timms it would be better for her not to go home until 1 o’clock, the same as the other children. Henrietta Timms: she was aged 7 years on 5 December. On Friday she went to Jane Whiteman’s Plait School. She had finished her work and was about to go home when Jane Whiteman came to measure it. As soon as it was done she went directly home to her father’s house for her dinner. Her father was William Timms of Ampthill and was a breeches maker. He own mother was dead but she had a step mother. She dined with her fetcher and mother o a Sunday but not on any other day as she did not get home from school until they were done. She never had as much as she wanted. When she got home on the Friday her father asked her why she had not got home sooner and she said it was because she hadf not done her work. Her father directly took a short stick and flogged her with it on her shoulders. She had been flogged with it before but not as much as then. She was very much hurt and cried out. She didn’t know how many blows her father gave her. Her father never stopped her mouth when she was crying. Whilst he was beating her she ran out of the house and he struck her again as she was going out. She did not dare ask for any dinner. She had no supper the night before and have had any suppers. When she got away she went back to school. Judy Horsepool gave her some bread and butter and when she got to school Jane Whiteman and Mrs Whiteman dressed her back and shoulders. The marks they saw were caused by the beating her father had given her. She was afraid to go home. Statement of the accused: he acknowledged himself at fault in correcting the child so severely. He was very sorry but did not know he had corrected her so severely and why he had. She was a very tiresome child. The mother can do nothing with her and so he took it into his hands. The stick produced was the one he beat the child with. It was the small end of the stick. He had not beaten the child for 2 months until Friday. She was an obstinate disagreeable child and very dirty.

item

Timms, William,
Goode, Charles,
Juggins, Eliza,
Shaw, John,
Whiteman, Frances,
Timms, Henrietta

AMPTHILL, assault, child abuse, shoemaker, seamstress, High Constable, breeches maker