Joyriders of 1880

The Midsummer Session of 1880 was full of a variety of cases. However, 2 cases show some crimes are timeless. On 17 July 1880, Charles Goode went to the Wheatsheaf public house at Houghton Regis with friends Edward Stevens and Austin Bourne. After spending some time drinking together, he noticed Stevens and Bourne had gone missing. He went outside to find his pony and cart had gone. He watched Stevens and Bourne, both rather drunk, driving the cart up Chalk Hill. He spent the night looking for it, until at 3am he saw Stevens looking out of his bedroom window, and was told where to find the pony and cart.

Just 2 months later, the Charles Goode was again involved in the theft of a pony and cart. This time he was the offender, not the victim. After a few drinks with his friend Alfred Ayres he borrowed a pony and cart from Mr Cannon in Luton, as he fancied a bit of a drive. The cart was due back by 3pm but the journey took them to The Half Way House in Luton, and on to Houghton Regis, Markyate Street, Redbourn and St Albans. They ate at St Albans and then went to London Colney and stayed the night. Goode ends up selling the pony and cart in King Cross pub, so he could go on to Barnet fair. He is accompanied by his brother Henry, who the police describe as “an associate of thieves and prostitutes in Kings Cross”.

Charles Goode was found guilty of stealing the pony and cart and sentenced to 5 years penal servitude with further 3 years police supervision. The 1881 census shows him serving his time in Pentonville. It was perhaps a suitable sentence when you consider, not only did he have past form, but he had also appeared in 3 of the 4 Quarter Sessions in 1880. In the Epiphany Session he had been accused of stealing flour and at the Easter session he was found not guilty of stealing a coat from his own brother, Frederick.

You’ve got to wonder if that the last we’ll see of Charles Goode, or whether we’ll see him cropping up again in 5 years time. I’ll keep you informed.

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Extract from the Bedfordshire and Luton Archive and Records Service catalogue

Repeat Offenders : James Negus

Whilst working on this project, there are some names we're starting to become very familar with. It's not unusual for the volunteers on the project to announce "oh no...Mr X is back again".

James Negus looks likely to become one such man. The cataloguing of the Bedford Gaol database is an ongoing project but already Mr Negus appears more than once! Negus was a journeyman Brickmaker by trade. On this occasion, the facts suggest he may have got lucky considering he had 8 previous convictions to his name.

George Graves was keeper of The Cock public house in All Hallows, Bedford and also a Rag Merchant. He had employed Negus for 3 weeks to carry out goods and exchange them for rags and bones. It was Negus's duty to come home every night and give an account of what he had done in the way of exchanges. He was paid 15 pence a day and some ale, bread and cheese. The prisoner lodged at the house too. On 24 April 1852 he sent the prisoner to Marston and Liddlington with a cart drawn by 3 dogs. He had with him 9 shillings worth of crockery to exchange for rags and bones, a wicker basket, 2 canvas bags and a weighing machine. Negus failed to return when he should and this made Graves uneasy and he stayed up until 1 o'clock waiting for him. At 6 o'clock the next morning he set off in search of him.

He made enquiries of him at Marston and was directed to Newport Pagnell. At Newport Pagnell he was informed the prisoner had sold some rags and gone in the direction of Woburn. On the way to Woburn, he heard Negus had sold a wicker basket at the Leathern Bottle at Wavendon and offered 3 dogs and a cart for sale.

He found Negus at Leighton Buzzard and gave the information to the police. He went with Constable Worsley to Negus’s lodgings and the prisoner was taken into custody. On the premises he found the dogs and cart (which was broken) and the police constable produced 2 canvas bags and a weighing machine. Graves identified them as his property. Negus said he was sorry for what he had done and would not have done it had it not been for the drink. The value of the property was 40 shillings. Not an insignificant sum.

In his defence, Negus said he had started to go home from Newport Pagnell about 12 o'clock but as he jumped on the cart it overbalanced and broke. He did not like to return with the broken cart and so thought he had better go away altogether.

Unfortunately despite George Graves colourful journey following Negus around Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire, it was decided there was No True Bill to answer. However, it looks like we'll be coming across James Negus again very soon (in Epiphany 1853 to be precise...).

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