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Milton Regis
Reference to this establishment has been found in the papers of
1865 and 1867 and that it was a beer house. Other
information at present is unknown.
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Maidstone Journal and Kentish Advertiser, 22 May 1865.
Petty Sessions Sittingbourne.
Mary Dawson, for stealing a flat-iron and a sheet, belonging to Mr.
Cooper, of the "Comicals" beerhouse, Milton, was committed for 21 days.
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From the Whitstable Times, 30 March 1867. Price 1d.
POLICE COURT. Monday.
(Before Col. Dyke).
Stephen Bennett, a labourer, and Thomas Bassant, a beer retailer, both
living at Milton, were charged— Bennett for having on the 23rd Jan.,
stolen a pig, the property of William Chapman, a farmer, at Bobbing, and
Bassant for receiving the pig well knowing it to have been stolen. McCarthy Stephenson, Esq., appeared for prisoners. William Chapman said I am a fruiterer and farmer, and live at Bobbing.
On the night of the 23rd January last I had 20 pigs in a yard in my
occupation, in the parish of Borden. The next morning I missed one of
the pigs. I saw in a corner of the yard a quantity of blood, as though a
pig had been killed there. I immediately gave information of the robbery
to the police. William Horton said:—I am a labourer, and live at Milton. About a week
before I was charged with stealing fowls here, Thomas Bassant, of the “Comicals,"
Milton, said to me, “If yon listen to me I'll learn you how to get a
living without hard labour.” I said, " How?” He said, there's some pigs
so and so." I said, “Whereabouts?” He said if you mind to go and get
one, I'll buy one of you.” I and the prisoner Bennett went to the other
side of Borden village and got one, and brought it to Bassant's house.
He said he would give me a pound for a four-score pig. This pig did not
weigh four-score by a pound or two, and so he gave us 16s. only for it.
He weighed it before us. It was about eleven o'clock at night. We killed
the pig in the middle of the yard, which is just beyond Mr. Fokelsy's
house at Borden. Cross-examined by prisoner's Attorney:- I was convicted at the last Kent
Sessions for stealing fowls, and sentenced to 21 days. The offence was
committed subsequent to the pig being stolen. Watson, the policeman,
asked me about the pig. He cane to my mother's house and told me he
should apprehend me on Monday. He never told me or promised me anything.
I told him I knew something about it. I was frightened when I saw the
Policeman, as I knew what he was coming for. I was sure it was about the
pig. I knew it because Bassant came to my house on the Saturday and told
me I had better get out of the way. I was never convicted before the
fowl case. I told Bassant I should do no such thing, and I stopped
indoors till Watson came. I did not see Bassant afterwards. Willis, who
was convicted with me and sentenced to seven years penal servitude, and
Hopkins knew of the robbery of the pig. The pig did not squeak and as
soon as we killed it we put it in a sack. It was caught by the nose to
prevent it a making a noise. We carried it by turns to Bassant's house.
We got there about half-past 11 or a quarter to 12. There were several
in the tap room when Bassant weighed the pig. There might be twelve
people drinking there. They saw it weighed, and some of them bet on the
weight. The pig was scalded before it was taken into the taproom. Bassant scalded it. I saw him doing it. I was in Willis's room at the
time, and saw him through the window. No one asked me to give
information in this case. I first told the police about it on Saturday,
having got home from Maidstone gaol on Friday night, and when Watson
came about noon, he told me he should apprehend me for stealing the pig.
I was rather frightened. He did not ask me what I knew about the matter.
He said I should be brought before the magistrates on Monday. He did not
tell me it would be better for me to say I had stolen this pig. I have
had no inducement offered to me by the police or any one else to make
this confession. This was the whole of the evidence given by this man. He was originally
charged with being an accomplice, but the case against him was withdrawn
in order to bring him in as a witness. His evidence was corroborated
very materially by a woman named Jemima Hudson, who cohabited with a man
named Willis, (since convicted), and lived at the house of the prisoner
Bassant. She stated in her evidence that another pig (beside the one
with which prisoners are charged with stealing), was brought to the
house of the prisoner Bassant, and that he (Bassant) had asked the men
to get some geese, and he would buy them. In fact he would buy anything
they brought him. Both prisoners, under the advice of their solicitor, reserved their
defence, and were committed for trial at the next Quarter Sessions. |
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From the Maidstone and Kentish Journal, 1 April, 1867.
Petty Sessions, Monday.
Before Lieutenant Colonel Dyke. Stephen Bennett and William Houghton,
labourers, were charged with stealing a pig, value 25s. the property of
William Chapman, at Bordon, on the 23rd of January. This case was
remanded from Friday last for the apprehension of Horton; but at this
hearing, Superintendent Green offering no evidence against him, he was
discharged.
Mr. Stevenson, of Chatham appeared for the prisoner.
William Chapman deposed:- I am a farmer living at Bobbing. On the night
of the 23rd of January I had 20 pigs in a yard in my occupation at
Borden. On the following morning I missed one of them, and in the corner
of the yard I saw a quantity of blood, as as though a pig had been
killed there.
William Horton stated:- I'm a labourer at Milton. About a week before I
was charged with stealing fowls at this court, Thomas Bassent, of the "Comicals
Beerhouse," Milton, said to me "If you listen to me I will tell you how
to get a living without hard work." I said "How?" and he said "There are
pigs, so and so." I asked whereabouts and he replied "If you have a mind
to go and get one, I will buy one off you." The prisoner Bonnett and I
went and got one from the other side of Borden village, and we brought
it home to Bassent's house.
The case was here reminded for a short time, to enable a warrant to be
issued for the apprehension of Bassent.
Thomas Bassent, was then brought up, charged with receiving the pig
knowing it to have been stolen, and the above evidence was read over to
him.
Horton, Cross-examined by Mr. Stephenson:- I was convicted at the last
quarter sessions for stealing fowls, and was sentenced to 21 days' hard
labour. That offence was committed since the pig was stolen. Watson, the
policeman, asked me about the pig, and told me he should apprehends me.
He told me nothing about it, or promised me anything.
Jemima Hudson said:- I am a single woman, living at Sittingbourne. I
lately cohabited with Willis, and we lodged at the house of the prisoner
Bassent, at Milton, as man and wife. Before Willis was convicted, there
were two pigs brought to Bassett's house at different times. One of them
was brought about 2 o'clock in the morning by Willis, Hopkins, and
Bennett. Bassent bought it and cleaned it. He wanted them to bring it
home alive for him to kill it, but they would not do so, as they're
afraid the pig would squeak and betray them. The other pig was brought
home a little after 12 one nights by Bennett, and Horton; they brought
it into my room and cleaned it. The next morning Bassent brought it, and
his wife asked me to see it weighed; it was about 13lb weight. I heard
Bassent tell them to go and get some geese and he would buy them, as he
would also buy everything they got. He told me not to say anything about
it if a policeman asked me, and I did not. Bassent went to my mother's
house on Saturday, and inquired for me, and I went to his house in
consequence. He asked me if I meant to split about the job, and I told
him I did. He said, "If you go up there (meaning the police-Court),
don't bring me into it.
By Mr. Stephenson:- I had been living with Willis nearly nine months. I
knew all about the fowl stealing, and should have stated it, but Bassent
told me not to. I knew the two pigs brought into my room with stolen.
Bassent told me not to give information about it, and I did not, but I'm
very sorry for it now. Willis had the money for his share, but I do not
know how much he had. Bassent wanted me to leave the room, but he did
not say why. Beside keeping the "Comicals," Bassent has as a small shop,
where he sells pork, rabbits, and sundry other things.
Mr. Stephenson, for defence, contended that, with regard to Bassent,
there was no evidence to prove that he knew the pig was stolen; and with
regard to the prisoner Bennett, there was only, he said, the testimony
of the girl Hudson, and he appealed to his worship not to convict his
clients without of corroboration of her evidence. The prisoners reserve
their defence, and were committed for trial at the East Kent Quarter
Sessions, to be held on 9th April.
Mr. Stephenson applied for Bassent to be held to bail, but the
application was refused.
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From the East Kent Gazette, Saturday, 9 March, 1867.
Fowl Stealing at Milton.
Steven Willis, 26, and William Horton, 17, labourers, were indicted
for stealing 12 live tame fowls, the property of John Binford Hole,
at Milton next Sittingbourne. On the morning of the 25th of January,
he found that the staple of his henhouse had been forcibly drawn;
entrance had thus been obtained, and 12 fowls of a choice Dorking
breed, stolen. Mr. Hole communicated with the police, and himself
and police constables Knight and Watson traced three sets of
footmarks across several fields; one of the men evidently having a
wooden leg. Suspicion fell upon the prisoners, and they were taken
into custody, when Horton said, "There were only two of us." Knight
took Horton's boots, and compared them with one set of footmarks.
There was a peculiarity about the boots viz., one of them had but
half a heel, and it's fellow no heel at all. They exactly
corresponded with the marks. Horton afterwards sent for Knight to
his cell, and wanted to see his mother. Knight told him he could not
do so, as the third man had not been apprehended, when he said "I am
very sorry for it; it was all through Stumpy (Stumpy being the
soubriquet of Willis in consequence of his wooden leg.) He persuaded
me, and a man named James Hopkins, and we took the fowls about 11
o'clock at night. (Hopkins is the man who is still at large.)
Willis's lodgings was searched, and two fowls were found under the
floor, some bricks having been taken out from the front door step
outside the house, and the skins &c., of some fowls were found in
his back premises.
Steven Willis now said neither he nor Horton took the fowls, but
Hopkins.
Horton said he was very sorry.
The jury found the prisoners guilty.
Six previous convictions at St Augustine's, Canterbury, where
recorded against Willis, his punishment varying from 2 months to 3
years' penal servitude.
The learned Chairman said he had no doubt Horton had been led away
by the older men, and he will be sentenced to 3-weeks hard labour
only. Willis was evidently a most incorrigible offended, and he
will be sentenced to 7 years' penal servitude.
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From the Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald, 13 April, 1867. Price 1d.
PIG STEALING
Stephen Bennett was charged with stealing a pig, the property of William
Chapman, at Borden, on the 23rd January, and Thomas Bassant was charged
with receiving the same knowing it to have been stolen. Mr. Barrow presented. William Chapman said he was a farmer at Borden. In the latter part of
last January he counted his pigs and there were 20. He again counted
them on the 23rd of January and there was one missing. There was a
quantity of blood lying in the yard, as if a pig had been slaughtered
there. He valued the pig at about 25s. William Horton said he was a labourer living at Milton, and knew Bassant. Shortly before he was charged with stealing some fowls, he saw
Bassant at the “Comicals” public-house, at Milton. While he was there
Bassant said to him, “If you will listen to me I will teach you to get a
living without hard labour.” He (Horton) said, “How?” Bassant replied,
"There are pigs at so and so, if yon get a four score pig I will give
you £1 for it.” Horton and Bennett then went to Mr. Chapman's, the other
side of Borden, and got one of the pigs and killed it in the yard, put
it in a sack and took it to Bassants house. Bassant weighed it and found
it weighed less than 4 score so that Bassant only gave them 16s. for it.
On a Thursday in March a policeman came up to his (witnesses) house.
Just before he came Bassant told him to get out of the way as quick as
he could because the policeman was coming to take him into custody. He
refused to move from the place, and remained there till the policeman
came in. When the policeman came he said he should lock him up till
Monday on the charge of stealing the pig. He was then locked up as a
prisoner till he went before the magistrates at Sittingbourne. Cross examined:- The pig was weighed before a number of persons, who
were in the tap room, and they bet on its weight. Other unimportant
evidence having been adduced. The Jury found the prisoners Bennett and Bassant guilty. The former was
sentenced to four months' hard labour, and the latter to eight months. |
Further information regarding the above mentioned William Horton has been
found below.
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From the East Kent, Faversham and Sittingbourne Gazette, Saturday 13 August, 1870.
Fatal accident on the River.
On Saturday afternoon, while the Palmerston saloon steamer was
proceeding up the river, about a mile from Sheerness, a passenger
named William Horton, 22 years of age, fell from the paddle box into
the river. The boat was immediately lowered. The unfortunate man
floated for a few minutes, and then struck out to swim, but before
the boat could get to him he sank, and was seen no more.
The Palmerston did not resume her passage until all hope of saving
the man was gone. The excursionist, who's pleasure trip came to so
melancholy a termination, was a coach-plater, living at number 11,
Denmark Street, Soho.
It is supposed that he had been drinking rather freely, and while
sitting on the pedal box fell asleep and toppled over. His father
and two brothers were on board at the time. He has left a wife and
two children.
The body was found floating on Wednesday morning by waterman name
Setley, who brought it to into Sheerness harbour, and had it placed
in the dead house. Mr. W. H. Bell, the deputy coroner for the city
of Rochester, held an inquest on the body on Thursday, when, after
hearing all the facts of the case, the jury immediately returned a
verdict of "Accidental death by drowning." |
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From an email received 5 October 2020.
The female witness in the case, Jemima Hudson, was my great-grandma. I am now 75 years old, my grandad was born to Jemima only a couple
of months after the court case, by which time Stephen Willis was in
Portland Jail for 7 years. Despite that, Jemima, who had been
residing in the Comicals Beerhouse, and 'co-habiting' with Stephen
Willis, christened my grandad Stephen Willis Hudson (no dad's name
on the birth certificate) - wow! In one of the newpaper articles it
shows that Stephen Willis had a wooden leg, and that is how he had
been found out after stealing chickens - pretty easy to trace across
a muddy field! I just got my DNA results from Ancestry and there are
ZERO matches to the Willis name, or any name of his associates
mentioned in the news articles. As Jemima resided in the Comical
Beerhouse, there were plenty of males around, so it is doubtful if I
will ever find out who my real great-grandad was. None of this adds
to your article, but I never knew my own dad, and he was born way
way back in 1891 - true! Best Wishes, Nick Hudson, Reading. |
LICENSEE LIST
COOPER Mr 1865+
BASSANT Thomas 1867+
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