31st October 1834
Stamford Mercury
The following charities to the poor widows of the parishes of Baston, Langtoft, and Deeping St. James, in this county, appear under the will of the Rev. John Mossop, late of Langtoft,—the rents and profits arising therefrom to be received by the Vicar and Churchwardens of the respective parishes for the time being, and to be distributed by them among the poor widows on St. Thomas' day for ever: viz., to the poor widows of Baston one moiety of four acres of land situate at Langtoft;—to the poor widows of Langtoft, the other moiety of the said land; and to the poor widows of Deeping St. James, a moiety of a piece of land situate in that parish called the Park's Island.
4th July 1834
Stamford Mercury
A shocking accident last week befel a poor boy named Coddington, servant to Mr. John Gee, of Langtoft, who was killed near Park Wood side, it is supposed by imprudently riding on the shafts of a cart, as he was found on the road with his skull fractured. The lad was sent on Wednesday with the cart to fetch gravel, but no evidence could given how the accident happened. Verdict, accidental death.
Stamford Mercury
A shocking accident last week befel a poor boy named Coddington, servant to Mr. John Gee, of Langtoft, who was killed near Park Wood side, it is supposed by imprudently riding on the shafts of a cart, as he was found on the road with his skull fractured. The lad was sent on Wednesday with the cart to fetch gravel, but no evidence could given how the accident happened. Verdict, accidental death.
11th March 1831
Stamford Mercury
The Court opened at eleven o'clock on Monday
Baron Vaughan observed that he was much gratified to see so numerous an attendance the magistrates and gentlemen of the county, determined to support the laws of the land, and thus render the best homage to the government under which they lived. Although this was the first occasion on which he had been called upon to assist the Grand Jury in the administration of justice, still he flattered himself that he should not be received or regarded as altogether a stranger: he had been in the habit of attending the assizes at Lincoln for years as barrister, and had the satisfaction of perceiving during that long period how excellently the duties of jurymen were fulfilled in that court: and though the catalogue of crime that day presented to their notice was one of a most fearful and unprecedented nature, yet he was persuaded that it was not to be ascribed to the want of diligence on the part of the magistrates, of vigilance in the police, or want of attention to the wholesome restraints of prison discipline. It was subject for congratulation that in this county, notwithstanding the excitement and disturbances which had prevailed in other parts of England, (and to which, as many of the Grand Jury were doubtless aware, his attention had been lately directed,) the lower orders of the people had in general manifested a due reverence for the laws.
Stamford Mercury
Crown Court.
Before the Hon. Baron Vaughan.
The Court opened at eleven o'clock on Monday
Baron Vaughan observed that he was much gratified to see so numerous an attendance the magistrates and gentlemen of the county, determined to support the laws of the land, and thus render the best homage to the government under which they lived. Although this was the first occasion on which he had been called upon to assist the Grand Jury in the administration of justice, still he flattered himself that he should not be received or regarded as altogether a stranger: he had been in the habit of attending the assizes at Lincoln for years as barrister, and had the satisfaction of perceiving during that long period how excellently the duties of jurymen were fulfilled in that court: and though the catalogue of crime that day presented to their notice was one of a most fearful and unprecedented nature, yet he was persuaded that it was not to be ascribed to the want of diligence on the part of the magistrates, of vigilance in the police, or want of attention to the wholesome restraints of prison discipline. It was subject for congratulation that in this county, notwithstanding the excitement and disturbances which had prevailed in other parts of England, (and to which, as many of the Grand Jury were doubtless aware, his attention had been lately directed,) the lower orders of the people had in general manifested a due reverence for the laws.
Rape at Langtoft.
John Pickering, aged 57 was charged with having attempted to commit rape upon the person of Ann Roberts, a child 6 years of age living at Langtoft, on the 22nd of April last. This case was presented at the last assizes, on which occasion the learned Judge then presiding advised the trial to be postponed until the child had received more instruction of the principles of the Christian religion. The Judge, however, still found the child betray such infirmity of mind, that he thought the justice of the case would not be advanced by examining her as a witness. The principal features of the case were that the prisoner had asked the child to go to the baker's for a loaf of bread, and the mother thinking her absence long, went to Pickering's, who putting his head out of the chamber-window, told her that she had not returned ; she then went to the baker's, and upon her return home found the child there, who complained of the injury she had received from the prisoner. Two women who were present when the mother examined the child, deposed to the appearances.— The prisoner whilst he was in hold, wanted to have the matter made up, and offered to give Ellen Roberts, mother of the girl, 5s. for that purpose The counsel for the prisoner called two witnesses ; one of whom Elizabeth Ellis, stated that a conversation took place between the child and herself about 2 or 3 days after the prisoner had been charged with the offence, and the girl said her mother had told her to say what Pickering had done to her, as she should get some money of the old fellow, and she (the child) should have a plum-cake and a new white frock for saying so, but if she told any body of this she would flog her. Thomas Bingham, the other witness, said he saw the little girl go into the prisoner's house during his absence; when Pickering came in he heard him scold her because she had gone up stairs and dirted the room She did not stop in the house above two minutes witness was on the spot during the whole time, and did not see Mrs Roberts go into the house.—The statement of Elizabeth Ellis, was met by a counter-statement; Mrs. Roberts saying that she found that witness had offered to give the child 2d. if she would say that Mrs. R- had instructed her to say that Pickering had committed the offence, and if she refused Mr. Pickering would kill her when she got to Lincoln.—The Judge, in summing up, remarked that the evidence given by Bingham differed materially from the confession of the prisoner upon his examination, for he (the prisoner) said, "when Mrs. Roberts came to his house to enquire for her child," whereas the witness stated that she never came at all. The jury returned a verdict of guilty, and the prisoner was sentenced to one year's imprisonment to hard labour in Kirton house of correction.
4th March 1831
Stamford Mercury
The assizes for this county will open on Saturday, before Lord Lyndhurst, Chief Baron of the Exchequer, and Sir John Vaughan, Knt.
John Pickering, aged 57, laborer, charged upon the oath of Ellen the wife of Thomas Roberts, of Langtoft, laborer, with having carnally known Ann Roberts her daughter, an infant the age of five years and eleven months, at Langtoft aforesaid, the 22d of April last.—Discharged on his recognizance to appear at these assizes to answer such charge as shall be then preferred against him.
Stamford Mercury
The assizes for this county will open on Saturday, before Lord Lyndhurst, Chief Baron of the Exchequer, and Sir John Vaughan, Knt.
John Pickering, aged 57, laborer, charged upon the oath of Ellen the wife of Thomas Roberts, of Langtoft, laborer, with having carnally known Ann Roberts her daughter, an infant the age of five years and eleven months, at Langtoft aforesaid, the 22d of April last.—Discharged on his recognizance to appear at these assizes to answer such charge as shall be then preferred against him.
30th July 1830
Stamford Mercury
The Judge, after congratulating the Grand Jury on the smallness of the calendar, begged to solicit their attention to two or three cases which particularly demanded their consideration.—Two cases of alleged rape, one upon the person of an adult person, and the other upon a child years age, would demand a particular portion of attention, especially as it was very easy to make a charge in such cases, and very difficult matter to disprove it, especially as a very material alteration in the law had taken place during the last few years, by which the proof of the offence was rendered more easy, and the evidence against the prisoner of course became more open to suspicion. He begged them to discriminate between the places in which violence had been used; as there might be situations in which a prisoner, taking advantage the time and place, and notwithstanding the cries and resistance of the person, obtain his object,—and there might be others in which, notwithstanding the opportunities of escaping, the parties might, after consenting, have brought the charge from religious motives*
Stamford Mercury
Crown Court
Before Mr. Justice Gastelee.
The Judge, after congratulating the Grand Jury on the smallness of the calendar, begged to solicit their attention to two or three cases which particularly demanded their consideration.—Two cases of alleged rape, one upon the person of an adult person, and the other upon a child years age, would demand a particular portion of attention, especially as it was very easy to make a charge in such cases, and very difficult matter to disprove it, especially as a very material alteration in the law had taken place during the last few years, by which the proof of the offence was rendered more easy, and the evidence against the prisoner of course became more open to suspicion. He begged them to discriminate between the places in which violence had been used; as there might be situations in which a prisoner, taking advantage the time and place, and notwithstanding the cries and resistance of the person, obtain his object,—and there might be others in which, notwithstanding the opportunities of escaping, the parties might, after consenting, have brought the charge from religious motives*
Rape at Langtoft.
John Pickering, aged 56, laborer, of Langtoft, was charged with committing rape on the person of Ann Roberts, of the same place, a child about 6 years old, on the 22nd of April last. The Judge said he had read the depositions, and it did not appear to him that there was sufficient evidence to convict the prisoner of the capital offence. His Lordship then examined the mind of the child, and although she repeated the Lord's prayer by rote, it was evidently without any appearance of thinking about what she was saying; and it also seemed that she had never received any instruction in the principles of the christian religion. The clergyman of the parish in which she had resided, his Lordship observed, should be requested to attend to her, and to instruct her to distinguish between good and evil: the trial would therefore stand over till the next assizes, the prisoner being in the mean time liberated on bail.
5th December 1823
Stamford Mercury
On Monday last, Charles Newborn, of Barnack, gardener,— Newborn Pask, of Ryhall, shoemaker,—and John Thompson, of Pilsgate, mason, were committed to Peterborough gaol, the two former as principals and the latter as accessary (and intended to be a witness for the prosecution) in the stealing of geese from the premises of Mr. Burbidge and Mr. Mean Ufford, the night of Wednesday the 26th ult.—Same day, Edward Kingsland, of Langtoft, poulterer, was committed to the gaol of this borough, on the charge of receiving the above stolen property, knowing it to be stolen.
Stamford Mercury
On Monday last, Charles Newborn, of Barnack, gardener,— Newborn Pask, of Ryhall, shoemaker,—and John Thompson, of Pilsgate, mason, were committed to Peterborough gaol, the two former as principals and the latter as accessary (and intended to be a witness for the prosecution) in the stealing of geese from the premises of Mr. Burbidge and Mr. Mean Ufford, the night of Wednesday the 26th ult.—Same day, Edward Kingsland, of Langtoft, poulterer, was committed to the gaol of this borough, on the charge of receiving the above stolen property, knowing it to be stolen.
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