The main characters:
Charles Stevens - the son of Preston “schoolmaster” Simon Stevens, baptized in 1827 and aged 19
in 1844.
John Ward – born 1811, the son of William and Ann Ward. Living at Preston in 1844 and 1851.
Poacher.
William Crew - born 1823. Living at Chequers Lane, Preston in 1861.
Winch. (Several Winches lived at Preston)
FIRE AT PARSONAGE FARM, KINGS WALDEN 9 December 1844 Hertfordshire Mercury
On Monday night about half-past eleven o’clock a fire broke out in the farmyard of Mr George Roberts
of the Parsonage Farm, Kings Walden which destroyed several barns and their contents. Mr Roberts
had not long returned from the fair at Lilley Hoo and had only just retired to his bedroom when a cry of
fire attracted his attention and he immediately proceeded to the window from whence he perceived
that his own farm buildings were on fire. He instantly went down stairs and assisted by some of his
men and others who had been attracted to the spot succeeded in getting out the greater portion of his
livestock. The fire however extended with such fearful rapidity, being favoured by the direction of the
wind, that it was found impossible to save the poultry and they consequently fell a prey to the flames.
The fire originated in the neighbourhood of the cart shed from whence it extended on all sides with
great fury. Two powerful engines from Luton and Hitchin were soon on the spot and rendered the
most valuable assistance. Some difficulty had to be encountered in the endeavour to keep up a
sufficient supply of water, in consequence of the distance it had to be brought; this difficulty, however,
was to a certain extent surmounted by the admirable arrangements made. A double line of labourers
and others formed from the engine to the spot where the water was situate and the buckets were
handed up and down the lines with great facility. The adoption of this plan and the activity and
judgement of the persons managing the engines were at last successful in preventing the extension
of the fire. A very large barn in the farm-yard, full of grain, was thus saved and also the dwelling-
house and rick-yard which at one time was considered to be in great danger. The farm-yard, with the
exception of the barn alluded to (and a few sheds), was entirely destroyed. The cost is estimated at
£1,500. The farm belongs to W. Hale Esq. of Kings Walden Park. The buildings are insured in the Sun
Fire Office and the stock in the Phoenix. Too much praise cannot be awarded to the conductors of the
engines and the men who worked them and the officers of the constabulary police for the exertions
which they made upon the occasion. No clue has been obtained as to the origin of the fire.
A LETTER TO THE HERTFORDSHIRE MERCURY
Dear Editor,- I am induced to address you concerning the late fire at Mr George Robert’s farm, Kings
Walden in order to disprove an uncharitable statement which appeared in the County Press last
week, assigning the cause to reduction of wages.
Whether this was an ideal offspring arising out of the fertile imagination of your contemporary or a
statement founded on itinerant report is known best to those who have submitted it to the public. That
general or individual reputation should be thus assailed, unsupported by respectable evidence must
appear to every well regulated mind, a gross innovation of the sacred claims of British character. In
order that the public mind may be relieved on this subject, I have felt it my duty to submit matter of
fact to its notice.
At the period of this incendiary fire, Mr Roberts had no less than 16 labourers in his employ, a number
far more than adequate at this season of the year, to the extent of the work, several of whom were
receiving 2/6d per day, others 2/- and some (which charitable feeling suggested, rather than a
suitable return) 9/6d per week, simply on account of his aversion to the practice of availing himself of
the services rendered by the industrious labourer during the summer months and then turning him
over to the tender mercies of the English Bastile during the inclemency of winter.
And to prove still further his highly reputable position as an employer, one third of his men have
served him twenty-five years and the remaining two-thirds average ten years. A reciprocity of kindly
feeling existing between Mr Roberts and his men; in fact (to use his own words immediately after the
fire) he said they had always been a united family, seeking to promote each other’s good; nor could
he for a single moment entertain any suspicion with regard to his labourers on this serious matter –
no reduction of wages having taken place or even contemplated by Mr Roberts.
This is practical evidence – and it is to be hoped for the future, when journalists undertake to define
cases involving general, or individual character, they will be supported by TRUTH.
From an Advocate. Ashwell, Herts 17 December 1844.
The Hertfordshire Mercury added a further comment: “The County Press stated generally that the
conflagrations which have just occurred in that district were attributed to the reduction of the
labourers’ wages by the neighbouring farmers. No such reduction, it appears has taken place and Mr
Roberts himself is a very liberal employer. The County Press well deserves our correspondent’s
censure for circulating such unfounded and malicious reports. We regard the giving utterance to such
statements, unless they are known to be true, as a species of moral incendiarism because the minds
of the ignorant and the vindictive amongst our rural population are thus supplied with dangerous
suggestions and some are probably induced to commit crimes they would not otherwise dream of.”
On 27 January 1845, Charles Stevens was tried with starting the fire. The trial was reported thus:
Mr G W Roberts – I occupy the Parsonage Farm at Kings Walden. Mr W Hale is the owner. On 9
December 1844 there was a fire at my premises and between £600 and £700 worth of property was
destroyed. The fire broke out at the back of a barn in the direct road from Frogmore to Ley Green.
The prisoner lived at Ley Green at the time. He had been in my service but was discharged for
misconduct at the harvest preceding. The fire broke out at twenty-five minutes past eleven.
John Ward, labourer – I live at Preston, near Kings Walden. I knew the prisoner from a child. I
remember the fire at Mr Roberts’. On a Sunday about five weeks ago I saw the prisoner at Styles’
public house. There were several in the house. We drank together and left about half-past two o’clock
in the day. Stevens left first and I followed him to his father’s house and had a bit of dinner with him.
The prisoner’s father was there. The prisoner asked me whether I could keep a secret. I told him I
thought I could. He said, “Then I’ll tell you what I’ve done” I set George Robert’s farm on fire on
coming home from Frogmore. I struck a whole box of Lucifer matches and stuck them in the corner of
the barn and ever since I did it I have not had a night’s rest and that’s the reason I listed for a soldier”.
The prisoner had enlisted that morning (note: in 49th regiment of foot) “I knew the prisoner from a
child. I remember the fire at Mr Roberts’. On a Sunday about five weeks ago I saw the prisoner at
Styles’ public house. There were several in the house. We drank together and left about half-past two
o’clock in the day. Stevens left first and I followed him to his father’s house and had a bit of dinner
with him. The prisoner’s father was there. The prisoner asked me whether I could keep a secret. I told
him I thought I could. He said, “Then I’ll tell you what I’ve done” I set George Robert’s farm on fire on
coming home from Frogmore. I struck a whole box of Lucifer matches and stuck them in the corner of
the barn and ever since I did it I have not had a night’s rest and that’s the reason I listed for a soldier”.
The prisoner had enlisted that morning. He said he could not sleep at night because the fire was
always before his eyes. The prisoner’s father was in the house at the time but he is rather hard of
hearing. The prisoner spoke low. I told it to Winch on the same night. I am on good terms with the
prisoner”.
During his cross-examination, John said: “That is the way I keep a secret (laughter). I don’t recollect
who were in the beer shop. There were several there – perhaps ten persons. I don’t recollect exactly
how long it is since he told me. I have been in trouble three or four times, but for nothing besides
poaching; don’t recollect being charged with stealing two ducks and a drake; may have been, but if so
it is a long time ago and I don’t recollect it. I don’t know if I ever stole a dung fork. I know Richard
Roberts. I don’t recollect saying anything to him about a reward. May have said, “If I had told a lie, I
would swear to it”. I don’t know what I expect to get for this case. He said he could not sleep at night
because the fire was always before his eyes. The prisoner’s father was in the house at the time but
he is rather hard of hearing. The prisoner spoke low. I told it to Winch on the same night. I am on
good terms with the prisoner”.
Re-examined – never heard any reward was offered.
By the Judge – Don’t know what regiment the prisoner enlisted in; don’t recollect stealing any ducks.
William Crew, a labourer from Bendish, Kings Walden, examined – I remember the night of Mr
Robert’s fire. It was the same night as the fire at Lilley Hoo which I started to go to with two others.
We could not find where it was. While looking for it, we got to Kinsell End, near Mr Roberts’s and I
saw the prisoner and somebody with him coming from Lilley Hoo and going towards Ley Green. We
all went together to Ley Green; left the prisoner close to his own house which is about a quarter of a
mile from Mr Robert’s farm. About half-past ten, as we went on past Mr Robert’s farm, the fire had not
begun. Went to Frogmore with John Bucks and smoked and drunk. Afterwards, saw the fire at Mr
Roberts.
The learned judge in summing up said: There could be no doubt in the minds of the jury that the
premises of the prosecutor were fired on the 9 December and very little doubt – judging from the
position in which the fire broke out – that they were fired wilfully. It was proved that at the harvest
preceding the occurrence, the prisoner was discharged from Mr Robert’s service for misconduct, but
that was slight evidence against him, for it did not follow that he should, on that account, be guilty of a
crime so heinous. The only other evidence against him was that of John Ward and if the jury believed
he was trustworthy and accurate then there could be no doubt of the prisoner’s guilt, for he had told
Ward that he was the person who set the premises on fire. It would however be necessary to see how
far they could rely upon the evidence of a man like Ward.
It was rather singular that the prisoner should confide such a secret to him – and if he had chosen to
confide to another this wasting sorrow of his heart, it was strange that he should have done so in the
presence of a third person, even though that person were deaf. The commencement of the alleged
confession was also rather abrupt and strange. – “I set George Robert’s barn on fire”. This certainly
was a strange way of commencing the story, and the words that followed – “I struck a whole box of
Lucifer matches and stuffed them in the barn”, were equally strange. Even supposing it were true that
the prisoner had made the confession stated, it would be matter for consideration whether he might
not have made it for the purpose of escaping from the army into which he had enlisted. Untrue
confessions of guilt had been made for such purposes before and the prisoner’s admission might
have been made with the same view.
It was stated that the prisoner was sober at the time, but people did not generally enlist at public
houses without having something to drink and there was a probability that the confession, if made at
all, was a drunken one.
The main question though was, however, whether the jury could rely on the evidence of Ward, whose
memory was so infirm that he could not recollect whether he had ever been charged with stealing
ducks or who was so bad as not to tell the truth on a matter like that. It was also worthy of
consideration that the statement alleged to have been made by the prisoner to the witness Ward did
not agree with the facts as stated by other witnesses. Ward stated that the prisoner told him he fired
Mr Robert’s barn as he was coming from Frogmore to Ley Green. Now, they had the evidence of two
men who came home with the prisoner and left him at his own house and then went on past Roberts
farm to Frogmore where they smoked and drank together; the fire broke out after that time and they
came back to it. They thus had the prisoner brought to and left at his own home for some
considerable time before the fire broke out, instead of setting fire to it as he came past from
Frogmore. At a later hour, another man picked him up at his own house and went with him to the fire.
If Ward’s statement were true, then it was clear that the prisoner had told him some circumstances
which were not correct – and was it likely that if he made the statement at all, he would have departed
from the truth in these particulars.
The jury – We can’t believe in the evidence against him to say that he is guilty. Not guilty.
A History of Preston in Hertfordshire
Preston in the news:
Parsonage Farm fire (1844)