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Okay, Southerngal, Widds1965, and tenjin, we all need to connect!!  I have copies of several of the newspaper articles regarding the trial and execution of my great-great grandfather, I do have a scanned copy as well of the Disbury article in which it actual mentions my great grandfather and his brother and their emmigration to Canada.  I have been researching this intensively and know that they spent some time in the Farringdon Workhouse before their sister brought them to the Fegan Home to be sent to Canada. 

Never mind, I can talk more indepth with you about it all in a more private way! I will definitely be emailing you tenjin!!  You have no idea how much the discovery of all this has shocked and amazed my family!  My great-grandfather, Thomas Carter, was a very gentle and quiet man, obviously not at all like his father!!

I am so excited!!  I contacted a genealogy librarian about a copy of an article regarding the watchfield murder case that had been published in the "Berkshire family Historian" and she sent me a digital copy.  when I thanked her and provided ore information about why I had requested the article she wrote back offering to look for further information and mentioned the reading Gaol records and the Berkshire Assize records held at the BRO and offered to check for the information for me when she's in Reading on Friday!!

I am thrilled!!  So funny I've been trying to find someone to look this information up for me (especially now that I know definitely that this is my family) and out of the blue, without my even asking someone offers  

Thanks to everyone here who provided me with information and I will be sure to keep you posted on what is discovered!

Angela

That's strange because I found last night the coroner's inquest into the body of the second wife (it stated that the skeleton still had stockings on the legs and they had recovered the entire skeleton including the skull and complete jaw bone).  The coroner actually interviewed the daughter Annie as well as a long time neighbour.  I downloaded the article but I see the downloads don't include the date and paper name so I will double check that (I'll post it when I find it--for curiosity sake).

Thanks so mjuch for the reference to C19 Newspapers!!  I was on it for hours last night (bought a 7 day/200 article membership) and it was amazing!  They even had illustrated articles on the story.  I would still like to look into the actual jail records at BRO but wow.  Unfortunately it didn't lead me any closer to determining where Thomas went afterward and if he did come to Canada (ergo be my great-grandfather).  I have a definite feeling about it.  Very awful though to think this might have happenned in the family.

Angela

Thanks Kimbrey.

I may just do that!  I live in Canada so the cost is definitely less than it would be to travel to England   Admittedly I'd rather just find soeone already heading there who has time to take a peek for me and maybe just charge for copies and postage but I may just have to bite the bullet and pay a little more.  At least I could get a quote and see (might not be so bad).

Thank You so much.  I did find these sites but wanted to dig further.  I've contacted the author of the Watchfield Chronicles website to see if during his research he may have collected copies or transcribed more of the mentioned newspaper reports or any other information.

I also found the existence of an article "The Watchfield Horrors" by David Disbury in "The Bershire Family Historian" journal (Jun 1998).  Someone at the Bershire Research Centre is going to look it up for me next week and hopfully scan or send a copy.

What I'm really after is first hand/ primary sources of information i.e. the newspaper articles detailing the case and trial (I've read that from July to December 1893 the local Swindon Advertiser reported the events in detail) and I discovered that the Berkshire Records Office supposedly hold Reading Gaol records and prisoner photos covering that period from the following Berkshire Family Historian article:
http://www.berksfhs.org.uk/journal/Dec1999/dec1999ReadingGaolPhotographs.htm
I thought that might be a good lead.
My problem really lies in the fact that I am in Canada and the records are in England and not at present digitalized and accessible online.  The idea that this man is very likely my great-great grandfather is obviously a bit unsettling and perhaps a mugshot would be a bit morbid but it may also indicate some family resemblance to my great-grandfather.  What I am really hoping to seek out when all is said and done is what happenned to my great-grandfather Thomas Carter after the trial and his younger siblings.  I am of the opinion that he ended up in Canada after being in some kind of foundling home.

As you can imagine I want to gain as much information as possible to determine what transpired considering it was such a troubling event!!
Thanks again.