Any suggestions on how to trace this arrest/commital?

[Ruskie]

I've just searched elsewhere and found a possible family with a three month old James Hodgson.

Father is John, a blacksmith, and mother is Elizabeth.

This James has a number of older siblings.

He was born in "Hutton Roof" Westmorland. This appears to be between Kirkby Lonsdale and Burton in Kendal.

I'm not sure if this might be your James?

Added: I have found the same family in the 1891 census with same place of birth for James.
Added: I may have found him in 1901 living in Northumberland with his older brother - occupation Navvy, born Lupton.

[Emma Hughes]

Yes that is him as a child. His brother was my great great grandfather. The 1901 is correct too! On the 1911 his surname was mispelled as Hadgson, in Leighton Healey near Masham

[Ruskie]

Emma, I couldn't see any mention of him in newspapers related to a conviction, though it would be worth others looking in case I missed something.

Have you looked at all of James' siblings in 1939 in case he is with them rather than in an institution? 


Might he have been involved in WW2? 

I am still very interested to hear from Scouseboy about the 1962 death he found. If he has information about your ancestor it is unfair that he has not returned to tell you more.

[Emma Hughes]

To be honest I have had limited success tracing the siblings. They have such common names its almost impossible.

Sister...Francis 1864 Lupton, I know was married to a farmer possibly called barrow, or her duaghter possibly married a farmer call barrow, daughters maiden name unknown. Ive never found them even though I have their house address.

Sisters..Mary 1866 Lupton and Fanny 1866 Lupton, I've never found them but I did find a baby called Ann 1880 (grand daughter) in the house with the the parents so I assume she belonged to one of the girls.

Brother Edward 1867 Lupton, he was married, had children then went on the run. Police gazette for his arrest. Never seen again.

Brother John 1870 Lupton, my ancester. James was never seen again after the arrest/commital.

Brother George 1873 Lupton, he stayed with parents then went on to live alone.

Sister Alice 1875 Whittington, emigrated to Canada

Brother William 1878 Hutton Roof,  Ive never found out anything about this sibling at all

Then James

I will try again today perhaps and see if anything turns up. I wish, not for the first time, that they would have given their children original names

[JenB]

I may have found him in 1901 living in Northumberland with his older brother - occupation Navvy, born Lupton.

Yes, that is him, he was living at Catcleugh in 1901, presumably working as a navvy on the reservoir being built there.

The free index to the 1911 census shows some of his children born at Catcleugh.

(Not relevant to your search I know  Catcleugh is an amazing piece of work and well worth a visit if you're in the area  http://www.northumberland-cam.com/catcleugh-reservoir/ )

I spent some time yesterday trying to find newspaper references to him, but no luck I'm afraid.

I am still very interested to hear from Scouseboy about the 1962 death he found. If he has information about your ancestor it is unfair that he has not returned to tell you more.

Yes, we're still eagerly waiting for the information he's found.

[Ruskie]

The fact that James was living in Catcleugh and highly likely to have been working on the reservoir is interesting and adds a bit more depth to the man and his story. Thanks Jen.

As there is no mention of James in any newspapers, I am now wondering if there is any value in searching asylums for James. I think there are usually restrictions on access to records, but even if there was an admission record, that would be helpful. Emma, do you have a last sighting of James - place and approximate date?

Come on Scouseboy! We know you're out there! Please tell us about the 1962 death that you found for James!!!!! You want to help Emma don't you?    In fact, I can see your little green light in on right now -  so give us some help here please ....

[ScouseBoy]

Why don't you search for his death certificate?   around 1962

There was an indication that he was alive in 1955,  so I took into account his probable dob  and suggested searching  either side of 1962, starting in 1962.

I used maths and probability. It was not that I had found a specific death on an index.

[Emma Hughes]

Yes he was working on the catcleugh reservoir. 4 generations of my family worked on it at the same time and my great grandmother was born there. My great great grandmother and his sister were arrested for running an illegal pub in their hut. The fine was massive! There is an open day, the final open day this year, this Sunday and I would love to go but I live on an island off the south coast and it is a 7 hour trip ): Maybe next year.

 After the catcleugh reservoir the family parted. James and family, his mother and her family went to the Leighton reservoir. My gg grandfather John and his family went to Wales to work on Brecon reservoir. The reservoirs were so dangerous, my great great grandfather lost one son near catcleugh in an accident aged about 3 and another son in the brecon reservoir, he drowned aged 13. I have ordered James's birth certificate so just waiting. I will have a look at the deaths again.

Thankyou everyone

[Ruskie]

Why don't you search for his death certificate?   around 1962

There was an indication that he was alive in 1955,  so I took into account his probable dob  and suggested searching  either side of 1962, starting in 1962.

I used maths and probability. It was not that I had found a specific death on an index.

Oh. That's disappointing. I thought you found something solid rather than made a wild guess. He would have been 81 years old in 1962, so, although not impossible, he is unlikely to have lived far beyond 1962.

It is possible that the last "sighting" of him in 1945 or 55 may have been because he had died rather than run off somewhere.