RootsChat.Com

Beginners => Family History Beginners Board => Topic started by: Squidward on Monday 11 June 07 19:51 BST (UK)

Title: prison records etc
Post by: Squidward on Monday 11 June 07 19:51 BST (UK)

Hi how can I find out about any convictions my ancestors might have had. I've seen the victorian prisoners photo album on national archives and the old bailey website but they only have records from the south. The strand of my family im thinking of are from yorkshire.
Squid

Title: Re: prison records etc
Post by: suttontrust on Tuesday 12 June 07 13:28 BST (UK)

Do you mean you want to find out IF they had a criminal record?  If they weren't notorious enough to feature in an online database the local record office would be your best bet.

Title: Re: prison records etc
Post by: Squidward on Tuesday 12 June 07 14:27 BST (UK)

Thanks,
  Yes I have no idea whether they had a criminal record or not, but I would imagine they would have been in in trouble at some point. What kind of records exist?
Squid

Title: Re: prison records etc
Post by: jorose on Tuesday 12 June 07 17:07 BST (UK)

Try a quick search on A2A:

http://www.a2a.org.uk/

Particularly if anything comes up under 'Quarter Sessions', 'Sessions of the Peace', 'Petty Sessions'.  Try just the surname if it's uncommon enough.  Sometimes there's very little information in the index and you need to go to the original info at the record office, sometimes it gets quite descriptive:

Ref: QSF/355/D/4, 1797.

Quote

Settlement Examination of Thomas Mackenzie, vagrant :- Born in America; merchant seaman; resided at Leeds with his mother & at Beverley. Has wandered with Christopher Nelson (as QSF/355/D/5) in Holderness & has defrauded Ann Smith of Halsham innholder, for liquor supplied to him.

Usually the quarter session records are for things like settlement examinations, minor crimes such as small thefts (probably the reason one of my Cornish ancestors was held in bridewell and given a whipping!), bastardry cases, 'keeping the peace', illegal gambling or running an unlicensed alehouse (often together).  I've also seen early records for slander, which showcase the insults of the time, as in this one from 1718:

Quote

Jane Ashton c Geo Clayton for slander saying she was "a scold, prophane swearer, curser, brawler, and keeping a scandalous house for tippling" - articles of exception, depositions.

Title: Re: prison records etc
Post by: colinjohn on Tuesday 12 June 07 17:09 BST (UK)

Hello Squid

You could try this site:
http://www.lightage.demon.co.uk/index.htm#Police%20Index
You'll have to pay to get useful information.

Read the TNA guidance leaflet on the subject:
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/RdLeaflet.asp?sLeafletID=253

Try searching the Times online archive; you'll have to use a library to access it (but search the RootsChat archive for more details of how you could do this).

Good luck

Colin

Title: Re: prison records etc
Post by: Squidward on Tuesday 12 June 07 20:12 BST (UK)

Thanks for your replies