RootsChat.Com
England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Lancashire => Topic started by: andrewalston on Saturday 08 August 09 22:04 BST (UK)
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This week I've been looking at the Criminal Registers just added on Ancestry. It explains why one of my 1st cousins 3 times removed was in prison at the 1891 cewnsus.
I'm glad he's not a direct ancestor. He got 12 years for rape. I went to the library and read the Lancaster Guardian for the court reports. I find myself in awe of the woman who stood up in court three times and told her story. "The statement of the prosecutrix was not materially shaken by the cross-examination to which she was subjected by the counsel for the defence". Good on her!
The people in court were surprised at the length of sentence handed down by the judge. The same day a chap up for malicious wounding was bound over to keep the peace, because his victim gave him a character reference. This judge was obviously an enlightened chap.
Anyone else found criminals in their tree and sided with the victims?
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I found a newspaper report for someone I believe to be one of mine - being done for ticket fare evasion on a bus! And then there was my great aunt who was in trouble for serving after hours in her pub.... But fortunately no real villians ;D ;D
Milly
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Hi,
I had a look as on my husbands tree there was supposedly a murderer, but no first name was ever mentioned. I reckon I have found him as he had a family surname as his middle name just like his brother :o ;D Bit of a let down really as he was aquitted of the crime of killing and slaying a certain person. Still wondering whats the difference is between killing and slaying?? ??? I too think I need the Lancaster Guardian as I can only find details of the aquittal in the online newspapers.
Mo
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Worse, I have a politician, in Phoenix, AZ.
Hibee
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I have a 9 year old relative who was convicted in 1876 of stealing some fruit and bread and was sentenced to 21 days hard labour and 4 years reform school. :o It happened just before Christmas, and his father had already been in jail for neglecting his family, so I guess the lad was trying to look after his family.
http://vcp.e2bn.org/prisoners/2043-1811-dennis-fairey.html
Gillg
p.s. I know he wasn't a Lancastrian, but I am. :)
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How sad - did he serve his full term?
Ginger
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Haven't been able to find out, but he was back home with his family in time for the 1881 census.
Gillg
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Like GillG I am a Lancastrian, but the relative I found was b. Birmingham. He was Samuel Hyatt alias Clulo. He was my gt gr father's cousin. He was imprisoned for stealing a table cloth! July 1869.
I found the court case in one of the free Newspaper sites, sorry cant remember now :-[
He was imprisoned for 4 months.
It does not say when he was released.
He did have a difficult time.... His father died when he was in his early teens. His mother re-married, then also died. He took his stepfather's name. His stepfather married his mother's sister, then died too!.This all happened before he was 18.
I never could find his birth, a marriage or a death or an entry in a census after the 1861!
Kooky
There is a lengthy thread about him in the Warwickshire board.
Sorry I still dont know how to link threads ::)
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My chap's uncle had also been in court, over 20 years earlier, charged with stealing two ducks.
The verdict then - NO BILL.
;D
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When you read the Gaol Records it's frightening to see what severe sentences were given for petty crimes. Just compare them with today's slaps on the wrist! I can't imagine what kind of Hard Labour my little 9 year old had to carry out, poor chap.
Gillg
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Hi Gillg
Thank you for the fascinating site! As you say, very sad. At least some things have moved the right way. A great resource for anyone studying the topuc with a class.
Lucky you, though. Fancy finding a photo, too.
Best wishes
Emms
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When you read the Gaol Records it's frightening to see what severe sentences were given for petty crimes. Just compare them with today's slaps on the wrist! I can't imagine what kind of Hard Labour my little 9 year old had to carry out, poor chap.
Gillg
I found a 'twig' on my tree ...........................sentanced for Burglary ................ to DEATH !
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Emms
Apparently the little chap is so appealing that his photo has been used in several books by local historians as well as that particular site. I hadn't realised that photos were taken of criminals as early as 1876.
Gaille
I've been studying Gaol Registers lately, and have found several examples of extreme sentences being commuted, for example someone who was condemned to death had the sentence commuted to transportation for life. Another person had his sentence to transportation for 7 years commuted to be served on the prison hulks. So maybe your twig was spared the gallows.
Gillg
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I have a 14 year old ancestor who was sentenced to 1 month's hard labour for stealing a pint of sherry from his employer. A 48 year old man who was with him at the time had his sentence commuted from hard labour to merely 'being detained' because of health reasons - seemed a bit unfair to me.
Mind you young Thomas never got into any trouble again.
;)
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My Gt,Gt Gf died in prison charged with larceny in 1886 I have the full coroners report about his death, it's really sad to read.
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grandfather served 3 years in trenches, Paschendale etc., and tried to commit suicide some years after - this was apparently a crime and he was cautioned by the Lancs Cief Constable for it. he tried again some years later and was successful (Newspaper report that he'd never been the same since he came back from France.). The past really is another country - so glad I don't live there.
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My Grandfather William, George, Henry Wright married at the age of 18 and went to France in World War 11. He returned in 1918 after suffering Shell Shock and lived with his wife who was several years older than himself. He went up to Middlesbrough to find work and after two months married another woman. As a result she was pregnant when his legal wife went searching for him. William was arrested and sent for trail at York Assizes and sentenced to 9 months for bigamy. The headlines in the press read , Remarkable Case at York Assizes. Youth had two wives at 20.
Sorry to say I cannot find which prison he was sent to or what became of him after discharge. The baby, my Mother was put up for adoption and she died in 1975 never knowing her Birth name or reason`s for being adopted.
I have found the legal wifes Grandchildren from her second marriage but no one has ever heared about the bigamist.