Illustration by Christine Fuller
24 year old May Bush lived with her parents and siblings at Rookery Farm, Great Ellingham.
May worked in the dairy for her father, farmer William Arthur Bush. She was proficient in dairy skills. Indeed, in the July of 1911, May received a commendation at the Butter Making Championships held at the County’s Royal Show.
Court Case
A report of a court case concerning the disappearance of some linen belonging to May Bush, appeared in the Downham Market Gazette on the 25th January, 1913. The circumstances of the case were as follows:
On the 6th January, 1913, May washed some linen and hung it out to dry. The next morning, it had gone. She reported the matter to the Police.
This was not the first time that May had had linen taken from the same place.
Suspicion fell upon her father’s worker, Walter Albert Warren of Great Ellingham. He was arrested and appeared before the Magistrates at East Harling charged with stealing the underlinen which was valued at 2s. [Two shillings]
The court was told that whilst Warren worked for William Arthur Bush on Rookery Farm, he had no right to enter that part of the garden where the clothes were hung out to dry.
Charles Kerrison, a team-man (presumably also working for William Bush), told that court that he noticed ‘nothing of a suspicious nature about the prisoner’ on the day the theft was alleged to have taken place.
Police Constable Dixon told the court that he kept observation on the orchard where the linen hung. About 6.50 am he saw someone take something from the line, and then run away. He followed and found the defendant in a corner of the yard.
When asked about the theft, Warren denied all knowledge. The articles were found beneath a manger.
In the event, the Magistrates decided to give Warren the benefit of the doubt and dismissed the case.
Walter Albert Warren
Extract from 1906 Ordnance Survey Map. Second Edition. Surveyed in 1881. Revised 1904.
The 1911 census finds the Warren household living along the Watton Road. The household comprises 33 year old Suffolk born Walter Albert Warren with his 31 year old wife Ruth Ann and their seven children – Walter Albert 14, Frederick William 11, Beatrice Ellen 10, Edna May 8, Frank 5, Mary 2 and two month old Henry William.
Walter and Ruth Warren have been married for some 15 years. During the marriage, the couple had had nine children. Sadly, two children had died.
I am reasonably sure that Walter Albert Warren and his son, Walter Albert Warren, were both working at Rookery Farm for William Bush. Walter Snr is employed as a cowman and Walter Jnr is employed as a groom.
I think it likely that it was Walter Albert Warren Jnr (then aged 16) who appeared before the Magistrates in 1913.
Neighbours
Living next door to the Warren family is 49 year old Charles Kerrison with his wife, Louisa. The Kerrisons have been married for 28 years, but had no children.
I have no doubt that the Warren and Kerrison households were living at Rookery Farm Cottages.
It follows that Charles Kerrison would give his support to Walter Warren at the Magistrates’ Court. A conviction could jeopardise both Walter’s and his father’s jobs – and the family’s home!
Sources:
1911 census RG14/11473/53-55
25th January, 1913 Downham Market Gazette. Accessed via The British Newspaper Archive website