I know I said in an earlier post that Adolphe Norman who married in August 1884 and Norman Adolphe who had a gaol record could not be the same man, but now I am not so sure.
The Norman Adolphe of the gaol description book is mentioned a number of times in the New South Wales Police Gazettes in the period 1890-1897. He was well known to the police, and spend periods in gaol. He is always shown as Norman Adolphe in these records with Norman as his first name and Adolphe was his surname. But could he have reverted his first name and surname for his marriage and his life with his wife? (Or perhaps the police dealings was the reversion.) Could this man have been the Adolphe Norman who married in Ryde on 7 August 1884, fathered a child with the surname of Norman in 1885, and was sued for divorce through the courts in 1894 as Adolphe Norman?
The Norman Adolphe who had dealings with the police was:
(1) arrested for the offence of passing a cointerfeit coin to Catherine Hiney, in May 1890 [14 May 1890 Police Gazette] as a result of which he was tried in Sydney, and he was found not guilty.
Coining at Carlingfford.
NORMAN ADOLPHE Of Carlingford, pleaded not guilty at the Quarter Sessions on Wednesday to a charge of passing a counterfeit shilling on Catherine Hiney, landlady of the Eastwood Hotel, Ryde. Adolphe had been iving in Carlingford for some years, and lately picked up with a tinker with whom he travelled about Ryde . A number of spurious coins had been passed on several townspeople, and suspicion was aroused against the tinker; but he was too cunning and disappeared before he could be arrested. Adolphe was watched, and caught passing the shilling in question in exchange for a glass of beer, and on the hut at Carlingford where he lived with the tinker being searched a mould for coining the shilling and several bad shillings were discovered. His defence was a total denial of all guilty knowledge, and that he had been made a catspaw of by the tinker. After deliberating for four hours the jury returned a verdict of not guilty, and Adolphe was discharged.Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate, 31 May 1890
(2) 1ST CONVICTION. Then he was back before the courts in October 1890 for wife desertion for which he was fined £2 15s or in default 12 months gaol. (He was married but their is no marriage found in the name of Norman Adolphe [or similar].)
(3) 2ND CONVICTION. Next he was charged at Parramatta Court on 6 Feb 1892 and sentenced to 2 years hard labour for passing a cointerfeit coin to Mary Anne Thurston and Anne Daley [10 Feb 1892 Police Gazette, gaol record]. He was sent to Parramatta Gaol. He received remission on 28 Sep 1893 and was released from gaol early [11 Oct 1893 Police Gazette].
(4) 3RD CONVICTION. He received a sentence of 3 years on 31 Jan 1895 in Sydney for again passing a counterfeit coin to Mildred Adams. He was at first sent to Parramatta Gaol [6 Mar 1895 Police Gazette, gaol record]. This is recorded as his 3rd Conviction in the Police Gazette of 11 Aug 1897 when he was in Trial Bay Gaol.
(5) 4TH CONVICTION (not on his gaol record).
SATURDAY, MARCH 19.
(Before Mr. G. M. Pope J.P.)
OBSCENE LANGUAGE.
Norman Adolphe, hailing from La Belle France,
[note La Belle France is not a place, it just means beautiful France]
demonstratively denied the soft impeachment that he had on the previous evening made use of obscene language in Glebe-Street, Ryde.
Senior Constable Ross gave evidence to the effect that he saw the defendant come out of the Steamboat Hotel about 8 o'clock on Friday evening and go in the direction of Gladesville. Overtaking two females, he interfered with them, and persisted in forcing his company upon them despite their protests. One of the women said she would give him in charge if he did net leave her and her companion alone, and it was then that Adolphe made use of the obscene language complained of. Witness, who had followed in company with Constable Kelly, thereupon arrested him. The prisoner went quietly enough for about 300 yards or so, and then he resisted most violently. It was with great difficulty that the two police officers handcuffed him, and then be had to be carried to the lock-up by three policemen— the full strength of the Ryde detachment.
Fined 20s, or 14 days' imprisonment.Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate, 26 Mar 1898
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/85844161(6) 5TH CONVICTION. In Newcastle in Jun 1898 he gets 20s or in default 7 days gaol for travelling on a boat without paying his fare.
The details that this man gave to police about when he immigrated appear to be incorrect. He said he immigrated at the age of 10. He said he immigrated on the Alexander in 1868. The newspapers reveal 2 ships by that name in 1868, an "Alexander" plying between Australian ports, and an "Alexander Duthie" which arrived on 8 Jul 1868 from London. Passengers were:
Mr. and Mrs. Dashwood and servant, Mr. and Miss McKenzie and servant, Mrs. McNab 9 children and servant, Mrs. Rolliston and two children, Miss Rolliston, Dr. Campbell, Mrs. McLean, Miss M. Douglas, Messrs. J. Marks, Cole, and Stephens. [Please note that these were all paying passengers.]
Sydney Morning Herald, 9 Jul 1868
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/13169085The only way that he could have been on the "Alexander Duthie" was if he was a boy crew-member and he jumped ship.
