Perth Prison

[blackcat153]

Hi, Jessie,

Still not sure of the conventions around using this chatroom, so have sent you some info in a private message.
Let me know if you manage to dig up any more info on William!
Janice

[gerryfarrell]

Hi There,

I hope you don't mind me adding a wee bit to this thread, I've been researching a couple of rogues from my past a husband and wife who often used alias's during their crime spree who finally spend 10 yrs in perth prison in 1879.
I discovered them to be crooks from a poor law application which listed the date he was sent down on his wives application.
I then looked on the NAS online search and found a few possible references. Having only this week visited and viewed these Court papers I was quite amazed at how hard they were on criminals back then. At a young age of 14 he got 10days & 25 stripes with the whip for pickpocketting a silk hankerchief.
His theving spree went on over several years along with his wife and all later crourt records show the crime as theft aggravated by previous conviction. Under the Penal Servitute Act which had abolished transportation crimes sommitted with previous conviction were dealt with a 7 year jail term. So a silk hankie, a couple of watches and a tobacco tin cost him most of his adult life in prison. Seems even back then with hard labour it didn't deter them all.
Keep looking for your relations records on NAS as theyre definatly facinating reading if you find them.

Gerry

[ibi]

Serious crimes were tried in the High Court of Justiciary, and these records still exist, except that most often you only get the name of the panel (accused), the alleged crime, the name of the judge, sometimes the names of the witnesses, the where and the when, and the verdict; but no detailed record of the trial, i.e. the evidence of and cross examination of the witnesses.

However, it's near certain that there will be a near verbatim report in a newspaper somewhere, depending on where the crime was committed, and where the High  Court was sitting.  The index to these in on-line.

On top of that, all the productions, i.e. interviews with those involved, maps, digrams, descriptions, etc., in the runup to the trial, is still there in Edinburgh at West Register House, and can make fascinating reading, but you need to visit WRH.

Lesser crimes, for the era in this thread, were tried in the Sheriff Court.  Sadly, with very few exceptions, kept as an example of the records, the Sheriff Court records have not been kept.

ibi

[jackiekucer]

hi my parents r both buried at dalbeth in their own family plots but with no headstones how do l go bout finding out where they r buried my fathers family plot is thomas he died in jan 1982 n my mum's family plot is diamond she died in nov 1989, is dalbeth still closed or is it opened up again can u please help thanks
jackie

[Lass]

Hi Jackie

I think you may get a better response with your query in a more appropriate  thread - why don't you try this one:

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,82762.30.html

Lass x

[Jessie Thomson]

Serious crimes were tried in the High Court of Justiciary, and these records still exist, except that most often you only get the name of the panel (accused), the alleged crime, the name of the judge, sometimes the names of the witnesses, the where and the when, and the verdict; but no detailed record of the trial, i.e. the evidence of and cross examination of the witnesses.

However, it's near certain that there will be a near verbatim report in a newspaper somewhere, depending on where the crime was committed, and where the High  Court was sitting.  The index to these in on-line.

On top of that, all the productions, i.e. interviews with those involved, maps, digrams, descriptions, etc., in the runup to the trial, is still there in Edinburgh at West Register House, and can make fascinating reading, but you need to visit WRH.

Lesser crimes, for the era in this thread, were tried in the Sheriff Court.  Sadly, with very few exceptions, kept as an example of the records, the Sheriff Court records have not been kept.

ibi

I'd like to access the newspaper on-line index if you could point me in the right direction. William Thomson, the prisoner, was an inmate in 1881 and came from rural Aberdeenshire so the records would be in "The Aberdeen Journal". I guess he was a lesser criminal belonging in the Sheriff Court record arena - even with the help of "black cat" nothing could be found. However an on-line newspaper index could prove to be very fruitful.

Many thanks - Jessie Thomson

[flst]

Hi Jessie,
If you  telephone the headquarters of Aberdeenshire Library & Information Service,Meldrum Meg Way,Oldmeldrum on 01651 872707, they will be able to help. Very friendly staff will do a look up of the paper & send a photocopy of any relevant information. You can also visit in person & find out what information they may hold there.
flst

[Jessie Thomson]

Dear flst,

Thanks very much for that information. I'll give them a try.

Jessie Thomson

[jackiesim18]

I also have an inmate in 1881 census and cant find out what she was in for.  Her name was eliza fleming ms brown.  can anyone help?