Reference
QSR1823/401
Title
Information of Samuel Britten of Bedford, shoemaker, regarding theft of ducks from of Edward Peacock of Oakley, husbandman.
Date free text
1823
Production date
From: 1823 To: 1823
Scope and Content
Told by Mr [John Hopkins] Warden at 9 a.m. that he would be required that night. He was to disguise himself and leave Bedford about 6 p.m. to meet the Rushden waggon at watch it to Bedford. He left Bedford at 5.30 p.m. and was at the Falcon Inn, Bletsoe between nine and ten when the waggon stopped at the door. He bargained with the waggoner for a lift and got in there. The waggon did not stop until it got near the Queen's Head at Milton Ernest, where they stopped for ten minutes. During that time he heard Joseph Pearson of Bedford ask the way to Bedford, 'it was very dark and stormy.' "About a mile further on the waggon stopped and the waggoner put his head in at the tail of the waggon and called 'Batty' and 'Tom'. A man and boy who were sleeping in the waggon got up and the waggoner said 'If anything is put in, put it to the fore-part of the waggon ... In about five minutes time, a basket was put in ... the man named Groom who had spoken in the waggon, took hold of it and throwed it forward and another basket was handed in and as Groom was fumbling about it I told him there was room near my head. He put it there. I heard voices just before the baskets were put in, but I do not [know] whose they were. I found out that the last-put-in basket was full of dead ducks: I felt their webbed feet. I came on to Bedford. I stopped with the waggon at the Saracen's Head and there I jumped out and brought down Mr Warden."
Reference
Level of description
item