On Monday, 20 January 1913, Archibald Partridge, a cheese hawker of Hardington, stopped at the New Inn, West Coker, leaving his horse and trap in the archway.[1] When he returned to his trap, he found a whole cheese and a smaller portion missing. Determined to catch the person responsible, he went to report the crime to PC Hollard, the village policeman. On approaching the inn, Hollard saw a labourer named John Andrews outside and suspected him of being the culprit. After cautioning him, he asked Andrews to go with him to the skittle alley, where they found the missing cheese on some straw. Andrews immediately confessed, saying, “I stole it from the cart, policeman, and put it there. I am sorry and know I have done wrong.” He blamed his actions on the influence of drink.

In court, Andrews promised to stop drinking, and the magistrates bound him over to keep the peace for three months on his own recognisance of £5.

The magistrates treated Andrews surprisingly leniently. Three years earlier, they punished a ten-year-old boy charged with stealing cheese from Archibald Patridge by sending him to an industrial school.[2]

The letter that the Rev L R Cotter of West Coker sent to the chairman of the magistrates may account for the difference in treatment. In it, Cotter stated that if Andrews only gave up the drink, he would be a better man. Cotter knew Andrews’ wife well because she taught in the village Sunday School for several years.[3]

Andrews did get his life back together. He and his wife stayed together and raised their three children. He worked as a labourer for Petters and later the council.[4] He died in 1955 at the age of 88.[5]

A note on Archibald Partridge

Archibald Abraham Partridge was the youngest son of the village baker, Abraham Partridge, and his wife, Julia Taylor (nee Leach).

In 1901, Archibald married Ellen Jane Sansom of Sherborne (the Rev. Cleife’s cook), and they had six children: Mildred Olive, Stanley Abraham, Gilbert Archibald, Victor Claude, Erwin Gordon and Julia Ellen Monastir.

Ellen died in 1966, aged 90, and Archibald died the following year, aged 87.

References

[1] Western Chronicle, 31 January 1913, p.5.

[2] Dorset County Chronicle, 3 March 1910, p.12.

[3] Western Chronicle, 1 November 1901, p.8.

[4] RG15, piece 11308, schedule 183; 1939 Register.

[5] Civil Registration Death Index