QSR1895/4/12/1

[Petty Sessions] Depositions of William Bland Battams of Carlton, Farmer; Reginald William Battams of Carlton; Allan Watts of Carlton, Groom; Henry Clark, Harrold, Police Constable. In the case of George Goodes, Harry Goodes and Harry Mole all of Carlton. Boys of the ages of nine and ten years respectively, unlawfully and feloniously did steal take and carry away ten live pigeons of the value of five shillings the property of the said William Bland Battams.

11th October 1895

From: 1895 To: 1895

This Deponent William Bland Battams on his Oath saith as follows:- I am a Farmer and live at Carlton a week last Thursday about 6pm I was driving to Turvey. I saw 3 boys by the side of Carlton Hall Wood close to which I have a Dovecote. I thought the 3 boys were the Defendants. I have about 400 pigeons in the Dovecote. This Deponent Reginald William Battams on his Oath saith I am the son of the Prosecutor. On Monday September 30 about 10.30am I went to Carlton Hall where the Dovecote is and I found one padlock on the Dove House broken and the other had been tampered with but not broken. I set a man named Allan Watts to climb the Dove house and he reported that some of them had gone. I then went to the Defendant Harry Mole what he was doing there on the Thursday evening the 26th September he denied having been there at all. I then went to PC Clark and told him. I thought he would find the Pigeons at Goodes. He went to Goodes and brought George Goods and [ten] young pigeons to me. I asked the boy where he got them from and he said “The Dove House” He said his brother Harry and young Mole were with him. He said he and Harry Mole broke the lock between them, he said his Father did not know he had the Pigeons, but his mother did, and she told him that Reggie Battams would give it him. This Deponent Allan Watts on his Oath saith I am Groom to Mr Battams. On September 25th I went to the Dove House to see for some Pigeons but there were none ready and I locked the place up when I came away same as usual. I went there again on the 30th and got 13 Pigeons and found there were some of the young Pigeons missing. I thought from about 7 to 17 missing. This Deponent Henry Clark On his Oath saith I am Police Constable Stationed at Harrold. On September 30 I received information from Mr Reginald Battams that his Dove House had been broken into and some Pigeons taken. I went and saw George Goodes at his Parents House and asked him what nights he was at Carlton Hall Farm. He said “Thursday night” he said his brother Harry and Harry Mole were with him. I asked who broke the lock on the Dove House and he said “Harry Mole broke it with a stone” I asked him if he kept pigeons and he said “Four”. Which his Brother sent him from Wellingboro’ I then went into the Barn with the boy and found the ten Pigeons now produced. I said how do you account for the other 6 and he said “he had them from Mr Battams pigeon house” I said “Did the others have any?” he said yes Harry Mole had 2. He said they had 10 altogether and Harry Mole gave his to his Brother Sam. I afterwards saw Mole who admitted having had 2 of the Pigeons which he had given to Sam. I asked if the other 8 Pigeons all belonged to him and he said No some of them belong to his Brother Harry. Statement of Accused George Goodes “I did some of it” Statement of Accused Harry Goodes “I did not go” Statement of Harry Mole “I helped to break the lock”

4 pages

item

Battams, William Bland,
Battams, Reginald William,
Watts, Allan,
Goodes, George,
Goodes, Harry,
Mole, Harry,
Clark, Henry,
Mole, Sam

CARLTON, HARROLD, Wellingborough, police constable, farmer, groom, pigeons, stealing