QSR1835/3/5/LR/b

Depositions and examination - John Read charged with riot at Lidlington on 14th May [deposition says Ampthill but clear from context that this should be Lidlington]

24 September 1835

From: 1835 To: 1835

James Osborn – he lives at Cranfield and is the Relieving Officer of the Western District of the Ampthill Union. On Monday 11 May he was at Lidlington to make enquiries as to the state of the paupers there and to try to make arrangements for finding work. When he got to Mr Bosworth’s the overseer’s he found about 50 persons assembled. John Read spoke to him first. Read had a hoe on his shoulder. Read asked what he was come for and he told him. Read said they did not want him there – they wanted money and money was what they would have. There was a cry in the crowd of “Blood of Money”. He can’t say Read then used those words. He went on into Bosworth’s house. The crowd pressed on him and Read was foremost. Bosworth tried to prevent them coming in, but they pressed so they all pushed in. Read came in head first. There was a great deal of noise and shouting all the time. He heard the words “Money or Blood” repeated many times. Read did not touch him. When he got inside the house the mob surrounded him. Read was still foremost. Four women were close upon him. Read was behind them in the crowd, perhaps a yard and a half behind. One of the women laid hold of his collar and they all kept on using threatening language – “Money or Blood”, “We’ll have your Money or Blood before you go”. Elizabeth Henman took some money out of his pocket which was afterwards given back to him. The constable then came to his assistance. He went into another room and after consulting with the overseer he paid money to the paupers who formed the crowd to the amount of £3 10s or thereabouts. He gave the money under fear. He considered his life was in danger. Though the women were the most forward in the house the men were all encouraging them behind. He observed John Read forward among them all the time. He had no authority to give any money by way of relief at that time. A man might have pushed forward without doing it voluntarily. That was not the case with Read, who was active and forward in what he did. Read followed him up in the yard in a menacing way. Thomas Bosworth of Lidlington – he is an overseer of Lidlington. On 11 May he remembers Osborn coming. There were a number of paupers assembled. He heard some threatening language used. Osborn appeared alarmed and made for his house with the mob following. He went after Osborn and tried to prevent the mob coming in. Read was the first. Read said Osborn was their Master and he would go where he was. The door was pushed open. Read and many others came in. Some went round to the other door. The room was quite full. A good deal of disturbance took place in the room. He heard the words “Blood or Money”. Read was in the house. Ruffhead the Constable came and Osborn got into another room. He went to him and agreed to Osborn giving them some money. Osborn was in fear. He did not altogether see much fear. He must say Read was first in the crowd. John Ruffhead – he is one of the constables of Lidlington. He recollects Monday 11 May. He went to Bosworth’s and found a great number of people assembled. He saw Osborn surrounded with 4 or 5 women close upon him. John Read was in the house. He did not see then he was more forward than the rest. He tried to quiet them. They would not hear Osborn. He got him away into another room. The mob continued in the outer room making a great noise and disturbance. He heard the words “Blood or Money” many times. Money was given them by Osborn. He considered Osborn was in danger. John Read – does not wish to say anything in his defence.

item

Read, John,
Osborn, James,
Bosworth, Thomas,
Ruffhead, John,
Henman, Elizabeth

AMPTHILL, LIDLINGTON, CRANFIELD, rioting, constable, Overseers, relieving officer