Transcription by Veanne Treasure of documents held at the Somerset Heritage Centre - March 2011


Q/SR 509 ? 125

Depositions of Witnesses against Robert EMERY, John TREASURE and Edward TREASURE all late of Shepton Mallet in the said County Colliers for burglary ? taken on oath this fourteenth day of April 1840 before me the undersigned one of Her Majesty?s Justices of the Peace acting in and for the said County.

Sarah STOWELL on her oath saith as follows:

I am widow residing at Evercreech in the County of Somerset and keep the Bell Inn. I went to bed about eleven o?clock last night having fastened the inside shutter of the bar window and locked the door of the Bar. George REAKES called me this morning and told me the House had been broken into. On my coming down stairs I found the shutter turned back and the Bar window open and one square of glass taken out of the window and the following articles which I left n the Bar last night taken away. That is to say, one whole cheese, two pieces of other cheeses, part of a side of Bacon and two Hams. A glass quart bottle containing peppermint cordial, another quart bottle containing Gin, also a decanter containing Brandy and another decanter containing Rum, and a Jar containing moist sugar. The ham and cheese now produced by James SOMERS also the Bottle now produced by Richard WEBB are one of the Hams and the whole cheese and the bottle which contained the peppermint cordial taken from my Bar last night. The piece of cheese also now produced by William CHINNOCK is also one of the pieces of Cheeses taken from the Bar. I found the Sugar Jar in the garden near my house.

Signed Sarah STOWELL


George REAKES on his oath saith as follows:

I am servant to Mrs STOWELL. I fastened the outside shutter of the Bar window about half past ten o?clock last evening and then locked the front door of the house and went to bed. I got up about five o?clock this morning and on coming down stairs after I had unlocked the front door I went to take down the Shutter of the Bar window and found it was already taken down and the window was open and the square of glass was gone from the window. I then called up my mistress. The piece of cheese now produced by William CHINNOCK is my mistress?s property. I cut off part of it for my supper last night.

The mark of (X) George REAKES


Hannah HODGES on her oath saith as follows:

I am servant in the employ of Mrs Sarah STOWELL. The piece of cheese now produced by William CHINNOCK was in the cupboard of the Bar last night. I made the cheese ? it is my mistress?s property.

William CHINNOCK on his oath saith as follows:

I am the Tithingman of Chesterblade in the parish of Evercreech. I was present and saw Stephen BOYCE of Evercreech take the piece of cheese now produced out of the prisoner Robert EMERY?s pocket. This was on Maze Down Hill. The prisoners John TREASURE and Edward TREASURE were present. They were all quite stupefied with drink. I also know the field where Richard WEBB found the bottle now produced it is on the side of the direct road from Mrs STOWELL?s house to where I found the prisoners.

Signed William CHINNOCK

Richard WEBB on is oath saith as follows:

I picked up the bottle now produced about ten o?clock this morning, in a field by the roadside leading to Chillinge. The field belongs to farmer William CLARKE.

The mark of (X) Richard WEBB

Taken and sworn by the before named Sarah STOWELL, )
George REAKES, Hannah HODGES, James SOMERS and )
Richard WEBB in the Presence of the prisoners this )
fourteenth day of April 1840 before me )

Signed J T TALBOT


The prisoners being asked what they have to say to the above charges say as follows:

The said John TREASURE says ?I know nothing at all about it.?

The said Edward TREASURE says ?I was not nigh the place.?

The said Robert EMERY says ?I was not nearer the house than Mazedown.?

Taken before me signed J T TALBOT