QSR1830/479-480

Prosecution of Thomas Wright and Jesse Horton both of Astwood, Buckinghamshire, labourers, for stealing 14 cheeses from Joseph Coleman, grocer and cheesemonger, High Street, Bedford St Paul. Information of George Allen, porter to Mr Coleman, and part of information of John Ambrose Walton, journeyman to Mr Coleman, both of Bedford St Paul. [Remainder of Walton's information and other depositions at QSR1830/520-524].

October 1830

From: 1830 To: 1830

George Allen: went to Great Linford wharf and collected 2 hogsheads of sugar and 54 cheeses. Found cheeses missing between Astwood and Stagsden, there being only 18 left in the wagon. Going back towards Astwood found seven cheeses lying in the road, but could find no more. Made enquiries at Astwood, but could hear nothing of the cheeses. Asked John Wright, brother of the prisoner Thomas Wright, to bring a lanthorn and return to the wagon with him. Wright said that the only person he knew who had been down the road was his brother Thomas, and fetched his brother and Jesse Horton. They helped search for the missing cheeses, and were later joined by Robert Payne. One of the four suggested that they should look behind the hedges by the roadside, and very soon afterwards eight cheeses were found on one side of the road and seven on the other. They searched further but could not find any more. He offered them a shilling for a drink whixh they refused, but said that if his master liked to give them something the next day they would be glad of it. All 54 cheeses were Leicester cheeses and weighed from 10 to 14 lbs each. The cheeses were marked and he saw the wharfinger write the usual tickets for them which he later delivered to John Ambrose Walton, Mr Coleman's journeyman, on his return to Bedford. John Ambrose Walton: purchased for Mr Coleman at Leicester "a quantity of cheese being the whole of a dairy. They were small plain common cheeses all of the same kind and quality. They were uncoloured - I bought some from another dairy at Leicester which were coloured. I should know them from any other dairy's by their small size and appearance. I have been in the habit of buying large quantities of cheese and observing the difference". Ordered them to be delivered to Deacon's Wharf, Leicester, to be landed at Linford. "It is usual for the wharfinger to put the initial letter of the surname of the purchaser upon any cheese when delivered for carriage and some other mark to distinguish the dairy if the cheeses are from more than one - the first mark is generally a cross - if more than one dairy, each other dairy is usually marked progressively with figures". When Allen returned about midnight and old him the waggon had been robbed, he examined the cheeses that remained and checked them with the Linford Wharf paper [continued in QSR1830/520-524].

item

Coleman, Joseph,
Allen, George,
Wright, Thomas,
Wright, John,
Payne, Robert,
Horton, Jesse,
Walton, John Ambrose

Saint Paul Bedford, BEDFORD, Astwood, Great Linford, Buckinghamshire, Leicester, porter, grocer, cheesemonger, wharfinger, water transport, stealing, cheese