At the time of the 1901 England Census Fred Carey, age 28, born in Ringmer Sussex, farmer's son, was with his parents in Ringmer Sussex.
At the time of the 1911 England Census Fred Carey, age 38, born in Ringmer Sussex, farmer, and wife of 5 years Hannah, age 44, born in Withyham Sussex (no children), were living in Broyle Villa, Ringmer Sussex.
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RINGMER.
A labourer named Trigwell, of Broyle-lane, Ringmer, was at Lewes Police Court on Monday, committed on a charge of maliciously wounding Fred Carey, farmer, of Middle Broyle Farm, by cutting him in the neck with a knife. It was stated that prisoner had formerly been in the employ of prosecutor.
West Sussex Gazette, 18 January 1912, p. 11
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THE RINGMER CASE.—John Trigwell, 40, a labourer, pleaded not guilty to maliciously wounding Fred Carey, at Ringmer, on 9th January. Mr. Rowand Harker prosecuted. Fred Carey, Middlebroyle Farm, Ringmer, stated that prisoner was previously in his employ and lived in one of his cottages. Witness had occasion to raise the rent, and subsequently gave him notice to leave, the notice expiring on 8th January, 1912, when he was owing witness six months' rent. He was proceeding home on 9th January when he was overtaken by prisoner as he was lighting up his bicycle lamp. Prisoner asked him for his rent book, and witness replied "The best thing for you to do is to go home Jack, and come and see me another day." Subsequently prisoner commenced to be abusive, and threatened to murder him. They went on down the road, another man, named Marchant, being with them. On reaching the by road leading to witness's house witness took up a stick for protection. After going some little distance along the by road heard a rush behind him, and on turning around saw Trigwell coming up shouting, "I will murder you." Witness let him get within two or three feet of him, and then dealt him a blow on the head with the stick in self-defence. Prisoner had a knife in his uplifted hand, and the blow which witness gave him diverted the direction of the knife, but it cut witness on the side of the neck. Witness shouted for help, and Marchant came up and took the knife from prisoner. Later prisoner threatened to punch witness and after walking for a short distance, he returned again and attacked him. Witness, however, got hold of him, threw him down, and held him down until he asked him to let him get up. Prisoner : Did I prosecute you for my wages before you sacked me? No. Did you sack me yourself and pay me my money, or did you give it to a lad? I sent your wages down because the evening before you were desperate. Thomas Marchant, Lower Mount, Ringmer, gave corroborative evidence. Mr. H. Vallance, Lewes, described the wound as four and a half inches long, and a quarter to half an inch deep at one end, and was quite superficial at the other. By prisoner : The wound could not have been caused by a bramble. Prisoner stated that since he had prosecuted Carey successfully for his wages he had been treated badly by Carey, who had stopped him getting his livelihood. Prisoner alleged that Carey attacked him, and that he took out the knife to make him release his hold. "I had to do it to save my own life, the same as I did in South Africa—return blow for blow." He called his housekeeper, who spoke as to his good behaviour toward her, and said that while in South Africa prisoner suffered from sun-stroke. Prisoner : I served two campaigns for Queen and Country, and this is my first offence. I hope and trust the jury, on account of my character, and for my children, to do their best. The jury found prisoner guilty of a common assault, and the Judge, in view of prisoner having been in custody nearly two months, bound him over to be of good behaviour.
Brighton Argus, 6 March 1912, p. 3
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