John Hudgell ID 1010

1850 - 1918

Stanford Rivers

Manslaughter

The Ipswich Journal

Saturday July 7th 1866

     Commission signed by the Lord Lieutenant of the Count of Essex

     West Essex Millitia - Lient. E Bury to be Captain, vice Bridges resigned

  FATAL CASE OF STABBING - On Monday, an inquest was helf at Stapleford Abbotts. Before C.C. Lewis Esq., coroner, upon the body of a man named John Lucus Esq., who died from injuries received under the hollowing circumstances.

     On Saturday, the deceased and several other labourers including a youth named John Hudgell, were haymaking in a field belonging to their employer Mr Mollett of Stapleford Abbotts.

     During the afternoon in consequences of the rain, they all went into a stable to shelter. They afterwards went into the yard, when deceased and Hudgell commenced quarrelling about a sack.

     After some angry words had been exchanged deceased knocked Hudgell down, and the latter who had a knife in his hand at the time with which he had been eating his victuals jumped up and stabbed deceased in the lower part of his body.

      Deceased went into the stable, where he laid down apparently in great pain, and Mr J A Hicks surgeon of Chigwell Row, was sent for and rendered the poor fellow every assistance, but he never rallied and died the following morning about seven o'clock. 

     Hudgell, who had been apprehended by Police constable Cooper was not in attendance and after having been duly cautioned by the coroner, said he was sorry for what he had done but he did not mean to hurt him

  The Jury returned a verdict of 'Manslaughter'

     At the time John Hudgell was approximately 14 years of age and living with his family at Newport Hatch (Nupers Hatch), Stapleford Abbotts Essex.

     John Lucus was also a local man from Stapleford Abbotts and in the 1861 census aged 20 he was lodging at the Green Man Inn - Public House in Navestock.

    The crime took place at Penge (Lynge) Farm owned by 60 year old Edwin Mollett.

   John Hudgell went on to marry Gertrude Dinah Rush 10 years later.He was never in trouble with the law again.