Henry Bishop PIFFE - Chippenham *COMPLETED*

[KB783]

If anyone is going to the History Centre please could they find out more details of the offences committed by Henry Bishop PIFFE aka Henry BISHOP. In particular I am interested in the surnames of the victims as they are undecipherable. Perhaps a newspaper report exists.

He was convicted at Wiltshire Assizes on 6 Mar 1854 for two counts of Larceny.
1) On 9 Feb 1854 Parish of Chippenham stealing in a dwelling house of Thomas BISHOP (His Uncle) £20 in money of Edwin Charles ??
2)  On 9 Feb 1854 Parish of Chippenham stealing in a dwelling house of Thomas BISHOP a Watch and Chain of Francis

At the time he committed the offences Henry was a soldier in the 47th Regt. of Foot. On Joining he gave his name as Henry BISHOP which is the name he was charged in. He was imprisoned at Devizes Prison whilst awaiting trial.  Prior to joining the Army Henry was apprenticed to his Uncle Thomas BISHOP a Cabinet Maker. In the 1851 Census he was living with his Uncle at Cook Street Chippenham.

[familydar]

A couple of lines in the Devizes & Wiltshire Gazette of Thursday 9th March 1854:

Henry BISHOPS (note the "s"), the two victims were Edwin Charles JAY and Francis McSWINEY.

Sentence 3 months but presumably you know this.

regards
Jane

[KB783]

Jane,

Thanks for your help.

There seems to some doubt that the reporter may have misspelt the names. Henry George Bishop was arrested on 9th Februray 1854. He was in Devizes prison until his trial on 6th March 1854. Could I impose on you at your next visit to look for a newspaper report covering his arrest.

Keith

[familydar]

I'll ask at the desk next time I'm there if a different newspaper might have this sort of coverage, but from what I saw of the one I looked at, news reporting was very different in 1854 from nowadays, and I didn't spot any accounts of arrests at all despite the sessions having to deal with (according to the report) 60 or 80 cases.

[familydar]

Just had a quick look on ancestry, 1851 census, using forenames without surnames and Chippenham as a town, there's a Francis PIFFE but I presume you've already found him and he's the reason for your interest in Henry's victims.

regards
Jane

[KB783]

Just had a quick look on ancestry, 1851 census, using forenames without surnames and Chippenham as a town, there's a Francis PIFFE but I presume you've already found him and he's the reason for your interest in Henry's victims.

regards
Jane

Yes Francis (Should be Frances) PIFFE is Henry's sister, he is also on that census as Henry B PIFFE, and I assume that the offences took place at that address in 1854. In 1861 she is in london with her father and stepmother.

Keith

[familydar]

Sending this from the record office as it's chucking it down and I have no wish to get soaked on the way home!  Sorry it's taken me a while.

Henry Bishop's victims variously identified as:

Devizes & Wiltshire Gazette 16 Feb 1864 C E JERRY and Francis SKURREY
Wiltshire Independent 16 Feb 1854 E C JERVY, Francis SKURREY
Wiltshire County Mirror 14 Feb 1854 Edwin Charles JURY, Francis SKURRY

I couldn't find an account of the trial in the WI or WCM, just the remand, but you now have a few more name variants to be getting on with!

Happy xmas 

[KB783]

Thank you very much for your effort.

And a merry christmas to you also.