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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Shropshire => Topic started by: Helen Dann on Friday 22 April 05 18:24 BST (UK)
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I've recently discovered that one of my great-great-aunts served time as a prisoner in Shrewsbury Prison (she was inside at the time of the 1891 census). None of my family knows anything about this, and I've no idea what her crime was - does anyone know if there's a way I can find out more information about someone's prison record?
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Hi Helen
I believe Shropshire Archives have HM Prison (Shrewsbury) records from 1875-1969
Try contacting them for information:
http://www.shropshire.gov.uk/archives.nsf
Hope this helps
John
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Hi John,
Many thanks indeed. I'll get in touch with them.
Regards,
Helen
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Hello Helen,
Try the 'Black Sheep Index' at
>http://www.lightage.demon.co.uk<
It has 100s of names of police, criminals, soldiers etc. who were mentioned in the Victorian Newspapers. If your ancestor is mentioned then you can buy a copy of the newspaper entry.
Good Luck;
Regards;
Derek
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Thanks very much, Derek - this looks useful :-)
Best wishes,
Helen
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Hi Helen,
I hope you find something. The last person that I recomended the site to was a Canadian lady. She contacted me afterwards to say that not only had she found her 'lost soul' but he was a 1st World War hero, which no one in her family knew about. In addition there was a column & half of reading & a photo of him too. She was absolutely delirious about it all!
Hope you have as much joy!
Regards;
Derek
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Hi Helen,
some more general info. on Shrewsbury Prison on the Rossbret institution site:
http://www.institutions.org.uk/
more specifically:
http://www.institutions.org.uk/prisons/England/SAL/shropshire_prisons.htm
Hope this helps,
Bob
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Thanks, Bob :-)
Regards,
Helen
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Hi Helen
I see from your profile that you are living in Worcester and researching names in Shropshire.
I live in Shrewsbury, so give me a shout if you ever need a guided tour!!!!!! I could take you to see the prison (not inside of course!!)
Jan
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Hi Jan,
Hehe, thanks! I used to visit Shropshire regularly when I was a child (all my grandparents lived there) but it's years since I've been back. It's a lovely place, I miss it :-)
Helen
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Hi Helen
If you ever need a change of scenery just PM me!!!!!!
Jan
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Hello Helen,
I also have an ancestor (3x g aunt) who was an inmate in Shrewsbury prison. Found her there on the 1881 census.
Did you have any luck getting information? I live in Surrey, so haven't really put much thought into it yet.
Rachel.
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Hi Rachel,
I'm a bit stumped, to be honest. I've had a look through the quarter sessions, but that was of only limited help - I found a reference to a person with my ancestor's name, but it related to a post-mortem rather than a conviction. Not really sure where I go from here - I'm dying to find out what she did, but I just can't seem to find a source of records.
Helen
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Hi Helen,
Shropshire Family History Society have published a CD for sale, of the Shropshire County Quarter Sessions from 1830 -1920 containing 15.000 surnames. >http://www.sfhs.org.uk/quartersessionsindex.asp<
If you find your interest on it then from a ref; number given you can order the relevant doc. from the Shropshire Records & Research Centre. Other than that then have you tried the Shrops. newspaper archives which will probably carry an account of your ancestor's misdemeanour. No doubt it will be reported in all it's Victorian gory detail. Even if she only perhaps pinched an orange or something.
Regards;
Derek ;)
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Hi Derek,
I've accessed the Quarter Sessions but couldn't find any reference to a conviction regarding my ancestor, unfortunately. But I've found the Shropshire Archives people very helpful (I've just ordered some digital copies of other records from them) so I think they will be my next port of call :-)
Helen