QSR1832/3/5/17-19

Depositions of John Tomson, farmer of Nether Crawley. James Smith, labourer of Luton. Henry Lawford, labourer of Luton. Henry Bates, chimney sweep of Luton. Thomas Hucklesby, labourer of Luton. Josiah Betts, gentleman of Nether Crawley in the parish of Luton. In the case of James Tuffnail, James Smith and Joseph Line acccused of stealing a quantity of fowls. [also John Carpener QSR1832/4/5/12]

26 April 1832

From: 1832 To: 1832

John Tomson: the hen house was broken open last Saturday night or early Sunday morning and a great number of fowls were stolen. They must have been stolen by someone who knew the premises well because they went into the stable and broke through the boards into the hen house. James Tuffnail and Joseph Lines worked for him the previous week and had both lived with him when they were boys. James Smith: Joseph Lines, James Tuffnail, Joseph Gray and John Carpenter all left the Cross Key, Luton about 10pm and went up to Nether Crawley having agreed to get some fowls out of Mr Tomson’s henhouse. Joseph Gray had told us where they were to be got and one or two of them went through the stable and broke into the hen house. They stole 16 to 20 fowls. Joseph Gray and Joseph Lines took them and hid them in their round frocks and we then came down to the bottom of Hart Hill and threw them into a ditch and covered them in grass. He and James Tuffnail then slept in a shed just by and the other slept not far off. Joseph Gray was the one who persuaded them to go. Henry Lawford: about 11am on Sunday morning he was walking across Mr Blundell’s Field and saw a quantity of fowls lying dead in the ditch. He called William Gutteridge who was coming down the hill at a little distance and showed the fowls to him. They counted them and found 14 of them. They then went and found 14 of them. They went to Mr Haydon’s house and told him what they had found. Henry Bates: about 4.30am on Sunday morning he went up the Hitchin Road after his ass. He saw John Carpenter and Joseph Gray come out of either Mr Blundell’s hovel or Mr Haydon’s wagon. He went up to the Hog Hall and when he came back Joseph Gray met him and asked if he was looking for his ass and that it was in Mr Blundell’s field. He saw 2 men lying in the hovel on the straw and Carpenter stood beside them. They were James Tuffnail and James Smith. He said to Carpenter "you had cold lodgings to night" and Carpenter replied that they lay in the wagon all night under the tilt. Thomas Hucklesby: on Sunday morning he met John Carpenter in the street and he asked whether he wanted to buy 2 fowls for 18 pence. There was another young man with him and Carpenter called him to one side when he asked him if he would buy the fowls. He said he did not want any. Carpenter said if he could not afford the 18 pence he could have them for a shilling. Josiah Betts: he resided with Mr John Tomson of Nether Crawley and last Sunday morning he was told that the hen house had been robbed. A quantity of fowls were shown to him before the magistrates on Monday and he could swear to 2 of the cocks being the property of John Tomson.

item

Tuffnail, James,
Smith, James,
Lines, Joseph,
Tomson, John,
Smith, James,
Lawford, Henry,
Bates, Henry,
Hucklesby, Thomas,
Betts, Josiah,
Gray, Joseph,
Gutteridge, William,
Haydon,
Blundell

Stopsley Nether Crawley Farm, LUTON, chimney sweep, farmer, stealing, fowls, Luton Cross Keys