A burglary was committed at Preston Post Office (see above) near Hitchin on Saturday night. About midnight, Mrs Frost, the postmistress, a widow nearly seventy years of age, and her daughter were roused from their sleep by a noise in their bedroom and found that two men (complete strangers to them) had made their way into the house. The frightened women screamed out and begged the men not to hurt them and the men taking hold of them by the throat said they would not do so but they must have money as their families were starving: their demand was for a sovereign each. Mrs Frost said she had not as much money in the house, whereupon one of the men said they had come to the wrong place. She gave them a half-sovereign which she took from the pocket of the dress she had worn during the day, this being at her request handed to her by one of the men. During this time the shorter of the two was holding Miss Frost. Miss B???, a schoolmistress who occupied another bedroom in the house was aroused by Mrs Frost screaming on the discovery that there were thieves in the house and she got up and hastened to a neighbours for help. She came back soon afterwards with Mr Brown and Mr Mead but by this time the burglars had got away. In addition to the half-sovereign they took two shillings and a few coppers from a tin in a stationery cabinet downstairs. No post office money is missing. The police were informed as soon as possible and a vigorous search for the burglars was made but no-one has yet been arrested. Access to the house was obtained by breaking a pane in a downstairs window and forcing back the latch. It is supposed that the men were not absolute strangers to the neighbourhood but had sufficient local knowledge to get into the house in the readiest way and to be able to go speedily into hiding when the alarm was raised. An odd fact in the case is that they shook hands with Mrs Frost and her daughter before leaving. (17 December 1904)

 

Harry Swain, labourer of Preston was charged with stealing two spirit glasses of the value of 8d the property of George Freeman, innkeeper of St Pauls Walden on October 7th. On a complaint of the glasses being missed, P.c. Wade made enquiries and found them at the house of a charwoman. He spoke to the defendant about this and he made certain statements in reply. Alice Freeman, daughter of the prosecutor spoke to seeing the defendant at the inn and to 6 glasses being missed. Elizabeth Arnold said that when the defendant, “who was her young man” came to see her at her lodgings, he left the glasses there. Mrs Freeman had served the defendant with two glasses of liquor outside the public house on that night. Swain pleaded not guilty but offered no further defence. He was fined 10/- including costs. The witness Arnold asked to be paid her expenses. The Chairman said she might think herself fortunate that she was not charged with receiving stolen goods. (3 November 1906)

 

MASTER and MAN. William Jackson, farmer of Hill End, Hitchin was charged with assaulting Samuel Peacock, a groom-gardener who was in his employment, on December 21st. The complainant said Mr Jackson found fault with him for not completely plucking two geese and witness rejoined that he had kept on plucking as long as he could see. With that the defendant committed the assault, throwing him down and almost strangling him and knocking his head against the door of a cart shed. Being cross-examined, the witness said he was quite sober. It was true that he used threats to the defendant but these were conditional on the defendant interfering with him. Strong language was used by them both. Giving evidence on his own behalf, the defendant said he paid the defendant his wages and ordered him off the premises. He did not leave and was thereupon put outside on the highway. Peacock was not sober at the time. Mr Jackson flatly contradicted the main part of the complainant’s testimony. After retiring to consider their decision, the Magistrates dismissed the case on the defendant paying the costs. (5 January 1906)

 

ACCIDENT. On Monday evening a serious accident befell a man named Weston who looks after the electric lighting at Temple Dinsley, the house of Mr Barrington-White. It would seem that the top of the blow lamp blew off when Weston was close by and that his clothes were set on fire. Fortunately help was at hand but he was severely burned and had to be taken to hospital where he remains under treatment. (16 November 1907)

 

PETTY SESSIONS. Arthur Jenkins, a labourer, was charged with assaulting his wife at Preston on March 5th. The complainant who has to walk on crutches because of an infirmity, said her husband came home the worse for drink and struck her with his hand on the side of the head. Jenkins said he gave her a slap on the face because she nagged him. He was bound over in his own recognizances to keep the peace for six months. (14 March 1908)

 

PETTY SESSIONS. Albert Ebenezer Fox (a labourer who has been a great many times convicted of offences against the Game Laws, appeared to answer a charge brought under the Poaching Prevention Act on May 12th. P.C. Chapman deposed that he stopped Fox on the highway at Preston and found seven pheasants eggs in his possession. The defendant said he picked up the eggs on the roadside and was going to give them to a gamekeeper. The Justices convicted him and a list of 83 previous convictions was put in by the police. A fine of 40/- including costs was imposed or in default a month’s imprisonment. Time in which to pay was refused and defendant remarked, ‘All right; I can do a month any time’. (30 May 1908)

 

STRAYING STEERS. Summoned for allowing six steers to stray at Preston on December 1 1924, Alfred Brown (64), farmer of Leggetts Farm Kingswalden was fined £1 10/-.

 

DEATH FROM A COW’S KICK. William Hare (62) a cowman living at Preston Green and employed by Mr Fenwick of Temple Dinsley died on Sunday as a result of being kicked on the head by a cow on December 27th.

(21 January 1911)

 

DEATH OF Mr. F ARMSTRONG. We regret to state that the death occurred on Tuesday at Hill Farm, Preston of Mr Frederick Armstrong, one of the most prominent and best known agriculturists in the Hitchin district. Of a genial and open-hearted nature, Mr Armstrong had hosts of friends in the neighbourhood and it is only just twelve months ago that he was entertained at a public dinner at Hitchin and presented with a life-sized photograph of himself by over a hundred friends. The deceased gentleman had farmed at Preston for over forty years and in his early days was for many years a member of the Herts Yeomanry. A staunch conservative of the old school, Mr Armstrong was a strong Churchman and took great interest in the building of the new church at Preston a few years ago. Mr Armstrong leaves a widow, three sons and two daughters. The interment will take place this (Saturday) afternoon. (1 April 1911)

 

COUNTY COURT.  Brown vs. Parke. The plaintiff, a butcher at Preston, claimed £6 as damages for an alleged breach of warranty on the sale of a cow. His evidence was that on buying the cow in October 1903 at the defendant’s public house at Whitwell, she was warranted to be in calf, being due to calve at the end of April or the beginning of May. She turned out not to be so and the plaintiff had to pay £5 5/- to his aunt to whom he sold the cow after being in his possession three weeks with the same warranty as he received with her. The cow was afterwards sold as barren at Messrs. Jackson’s sale yard for £6 5/-. The defendant denied giving any warranty that the cow was in calf. In giving judgment with costs to the defendant his honour remarked that he would be a bold man who warranted a cow to be in calf nearly eight months before the time it was supposed she would be due to calve. (10 January 1925)

 

Frank Ernest Brown of Preston was summoned for riding an unlighted bicycle on the highway in the night-time at Kings Walden on February 20th. He said that the night was so rough that he could not keep the lamp alight. A fine of 2/6d was imposed. Frank Ernest Brown was also summoned for driving unlighted vehicles on the highway in the night-time at Hitchin. He was ordered to pay costs. Frank Brown of Preston was fined 5/- and 4/- costs for riding an unlighted bicycle at Ley Green on August 16th. (7 March and 27 August 1904)

 

PETTY SESSIONS. William Brown and Arthur Spencer, boys of 12 or 14, admitted doing damage to the extent of 1/6d to hazel bushes, the property of Mr John Dew farmer of Ippollitts. Each was fined 1/-. (2 September 1905)

 

PETTY SESSIONS. Albert Smoothy, dairyman of Hitchin was charged with assaulting Reginald Joseph Brown a lad of 17 living at Preston. The complainant’s evidence was that he was sitting in the bar parlour of the Gloucester Arms public house with the defendant and two others after looking at a horse he wished to buy from one of the company. Smoothy asked to be paid some money witness owed him. Witness promised to pay him but before he could do so, the defendant hit him a severe blow on the eye. For the defence it was contended that the blow was a slight one and that provocation had been given. A fine of £1 with 10/- costs was imposed. (8 April 1905)

 

PENAL SERVITUDE FOR ARSON AT KINGS WALDEN. William Andrews (48) labourer, pleaded guilty to an indictment for maliciously setting fire to four stacks of corn and straw the property of Agnes Titmuss, and there was a similar charge against him in relation to four other stacks of corn belonging to William Taylor – the total value of the property destroyed being £950 – at Kings Walden on April 30th.

Mr F. Fulton who appeared for the prosecution drew the attention of the judge to the serious nature of the prisoner’s offence.

His Lordship asked if anything was known about his previous convictions for a similar offence?

Supt. J Reynolds stated that the prisoner was sentenced to 12 months’ hard labour for his previous offence but that it was afterwards reduced to six months on account of an injury to his head. (4 July 1903)

His Lordship: What was the value of the property destroyed in that case?

Sup Reynolds: £70.

His Lordship, addressing the prisoner, said he always sent a man to penal servitude in cases of this kind when there was a previous conviction for a similar offence. The prisoner must go to penal servitude for five years.

The prisoner stood motionless in the dock, apparently not realising the sentence passed upon him. His Lordship at once ordered his dismissal.

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