Gloucester Prison

[JaneyH_104]

Victor,

I've just got home from London to see this: what a wonderful surprise after a dull day in the office!  Many, many thanks once again. 

You mention the "previous convictions" box being ticked on the prison record from 1922.  The only thing I'm aware of is a motoring offence in 1920.  The Gloucester Journal newspaper reported on 4 September 1920 that Oliver was summoned before the Gloucester City Petty Sessions on a charge of driving a motor car insufficiently illuminated on 18 August, and of not having his identification plate illuminated.  He was fined £1.  At this time Oliver was involved in running a garage in Newnham, although the business was apparently wound up in 1921.  I have a copy of a notice from the London Gazette stating that the business partnership between Oliver William Bowdler and James Watkins, carrying on business as automobile engineers, at Central Garage, Newnham, under the style of Bowdler & Watkins, was dissolved by mutual consent on 21 January 1921. 

It would be fascinating to find whether the motoring offence was the only "previous" that my great-grandfather had, or whether there is more to uncover!

Kind regards, Janey

[Victor Harvey]

Hi Janey,
I have already checked the Glos Archives (GA) Goal Database and Oliver does not appear there. The database does not show any entries as it only includes pre-1900 entries from memory.
You'll have to rely on the Gloucester Journal report, although I could provide you with a transcription, but you seemed to have covered that.
Victor

[JaneyH_104]

Victor,

I had a brief subscription to the BNA website so I have the full text of the newspaper articles. Thanks once again though.

[franpow]

Thank you Victor, I spoke to my mum today, revealing all that you had done for me. Her answer was "That her father was in the Army! so it couldn't be him
How strange. Thanks anyway

[Victor Harvey]

Hi Janey,
Researching the previous convictions of Oliver BOWDLER is proving somewhat difficult. There is no index of prisoners so I am obliged to search each volume page by page. Each volume consists of 350 entries, so I have started working backwards from 1922.
The 2 volumes checked so far has taken me back to 1919 without success,
I have pre-ordered 2 more volumes, 1915-1919 & 1913-1915 for next Tuesday and will get back to you with my findings.
Victor

[Victor Harvey]

Hi Janey
My visit to Glos Archives (GA) today proved fruitless. I checked 2 further volumes of the Record of Previous Convictions, 1913-1919, and still NO sign of Oliver BOWDLER.
I have pre-ordered 2 more volumes, 1910-1913, for next Saturday and will continue the search. This now adds up to 1,400 entries checked and is proving to be a bit tiring.
Victor

[Victor Harvey]

Hi Janey,
I only managed to check 1 volume today, 1911-1913, but found nothing. The search continues next Tuesday. Only 5 volumes left!
Victor

[Victor Harvey]

Hi Janey,
I have now completed the task of searching through the Previous Convictions, Gloucester Prison, some 10 volumes x 350 entries, 1888-1922, and there is NO trace of an entry for Oliver BOWDLER.
Victor

[JaneyH_104]

Dear Victor,

I'm extremely grateful to you for devoting so much time to looking at the prison records for me.  I'm sorry that it proved a fruitless search - perhaps my great-grandfather wasn't quite the rogue I feared, at least when it came to his dealings with the law.

Janey