QSR1835/4/5/37

The depositions of William Sanders; James Hull; John Field; William Payne; James Brown In the case against James Jackson accused of assault with intent to commit an unnatural crime

02 September 1835

From: 1835 To: 1835

Deposition of The said William Sanders upon his oath as follows about harvest time three years ago whilst I was in bed with James Jackson Parish Clerk of Sundon in the said County of Bedford he the James Jackson pulled up my shirt in bed and began to act on my Backside in bed, but I would not give way to it, why do you not lay still no one can lay still for you. I got out of bed sat down on the side of the bed. I did not to bed again. About three o’clock in the morning, John Field was in bed with us at the same time James Jackson was trying to enter my back parts when I charged him with trying to take improper liberties with me he said if I have done so I was asleep did not know what I was about. I dressed myself when the hour for work arrived I went to work. I told James Jackson he ought to knave known better. Deposition of The said James Hull upon his Oath saith as follows: In February last I was lodging at my fathers house in the Parish of Sundon James Jackson, Parish Clerk, at that time and Labourer came and asked me about nine o’clock at night whether I would be so kind as to go sleep with him at Widow Samms as he was so [uncky] it was a very windy stormy night. I told him Jim I have no objection to go and sleep with you, when I got into bed he was in bed but we both went into the bedroom together I immediately dropt off to sleep, between one and two in the morning I was awoke by James Jackson pulling up my shirt and put his private parts against my backside, I turned over when he so attempted and I says what have you been at to him, he showed asleep as soon as he thought I was asleep again he began pulling about my privates and putting them against him, I got out of bed and gave him some sharp words, I swore at him damned him and told him he ought to be ashamed of himself he said he had been asleep, I said he had not been asleep. This was between four and five o’clock in the morning. I then sat on the bed put on my clothes and left the House, the last words we had he said good morning do not say a word about it, I told him I should it was a thing that ought to be known. I went immediately into the Barn and told William Sanders how James Jackson had been [aserving] of me. William Sanders made answer that James Jackson had served him a good deal like it. Deposition of The said John Field upon his Oath saith as follows about three years ago this harvest I was lodging at Mrs Elizabeth Samms in Sundon when I first went there James Jackson slept with me the first night I was awaken about three o’clock in the morning by James Jackson trying to take indecent liberties with me he had pulled up the tail of my shirt he pushed his private parts against my backside I said to him Jim why don’t you lie still I can’t sleep for you, he then pretended to be snoring then I awoke I then went to sleep again and he thinking I was asleep he began again pulling up the tail of my shirt I then turned round my belly towards him when he laid hold of my private parts and began mauling it against his this was about 3 I then [got] up I told two or three of the Harvest men of what Jackson had been doing Thomas Billington of Sundon was one I told but I cannot tell who they were. The second night when I went to bed with Jackson I cautioned him about his doings he said I was a story teller and that he would [harm me less] I then went to bed with him and when I was asleep he awoke me by doing the same to me as he had tried to do the first night. I slept a fortnight with him and he tried five times to do the same I did not tell Mr Thompson of it because [by] Harvest time I had no place to sleep in except with Jackson at the end of five nights after I had been at Mrs Elizabeth Samms William Sanders came to lodge then and he slept in the same Bed with Jackson and myself. Jackson slept the outside then Jackson tried to do the same again to me I did not name Jacksons conduct to Sanders when he came to sleep with us because I did not wish to make any fuss about it. Sanders the second night of his sleeping with me and Jackson told me in the morning while Jackson was in the room that Jackson had been trying to take liberties with his backside same as he had done to me. I told Sanders after he had slept the first night what Jackson given to and I said I would not lie in the middle. Jackson said we were very false story tellers he would have us up he never did. Deposition of the said William Payne upon his Oath saith as follows: On the 22nd day of August last James Hull came to gather my Pears and after he had gathered my Pears we were talking together and Jacksons name came up I said to him did James Jackson ever bugger you? And he said no nor ever offered such a thing and I said where you make such a disturbance in the town for he said because I could not sleep I said are you going to hang a man because you can’t sleep and he said no more. James Brown said: Some night last January James Jackson came to my mother’s house at Sundon and asked me to come and sleep with him as he was unked sleeping by himself at Widow Samms. It was 9 o’clock when we went to bed we both undressed in the same room. When I got to sleep I was awakened by his pulling me about the privates I asked him what he was at? he pretended to be asleep and snoring he was not asleep because he asked me what ailed me he then laid still and did not touch me any more. I got up at 5 o’clock and left him abed the close of the next day I went home to my mothers and told her how Jackson had scared me. Jackson left Widow Samms for two days and as she did not like to be left by herself she asked me to come and sleep I said I would come if Jackson was not there. I went and slept there as Jackson was not present and I also slept the night following when I was in bed the second night Jackson came home and came into the room I was asleep but was awakened by his pulling me about the privates. I told him to lay still he never said a word but I dressed myself directly and went home to my mothers and next morning I told Mrs Samms of his conduct. I never slept with him afterwards.

5 pages

item

Jackson, James,
Brown, James (d),
Field, John,
Payne, William,
Sanders, William,
Hull, James,
Samms, Elizabeth,
Billington, Thomas

SUNDON, labourer, parish clerk, assault, sex crimes, rape