Monday (Before Colonel Olivier, Major Grubbe, and W. B. Seagram, esq.)
Two Gipsies, named Ambrose Smith and Thomas Smith, were summoned for obstructing the highway at Great Cheverell, on the 22nd of Feb. It was stated by the police that the two defendants were in the habit of travelling about the country with carts, which they frequently left at the roadside; but no notice had been taken of the obstruction which they had caused - nor would have been taken, probably, in the present instance, had not Mr. Watson Taylor's carriage chanced to come along just as one of the Gipsy's horses had turned his nose across the road; the Gipsies have left them for the time, to take (as they said) 'a little refreshment'.
A summons was then taken out without delay and it was stated that Mr. Watson Taylor's coachman would have appeared himself before the Bench to complain of the disrespect which the men shewed towards him when they were called to task for leaving their horses, but he was prevented from coming.
Col. Olivier said it was quite due to the public that the defendants should be shewn that they were not at liberty to obstruct her Majesty's highway with their carts. It did not, however, appear that they had been brought up for an offence of this kind before, although they were frequently about the lanes. They would therefore, in the present instance, be let off upon paying 11s. each, including costs.
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Extracted From:
Devizes and Wiltshire Gazette - Thursday, 24th March 1859
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