August 2005 RootsChat Challenge

[Joanna Tolhurst]

The Times, 11 January 1897  (page 4, column B)

     A REVENGEFUL TICKET-OF-LEAVE MAN.

At the County Magistrate's Office at Carlisle, on Saturday, Joseph BELL, a
mason or miner, aged 41, was brought up charged with having changed his
residence without notifying the fact to the police as he was bound as a
ticket-of-leave man to do; also with carrying firearms with intent to
murder. The prisoner was convicted at the Cumberland Assizes in October,
1882, of attempting to murder his brother John BELL, grocer, Dalston, near
Carlisle, and his brother's wife, by the use of dynamite or tonite. The
prisoner had gone to Dalston in the summer of 1882, and at night had thrown
an explosive missile into a room which he believed to be occupied by John
BELL and his wife. He had, however, mistaken the house. The occupant of the
room into which the missile fell was a Miss BROWN, who, on being awakened by
the hissing of the fuse, called out that the house was on fire. Her nephew
on hearing the cry of alarm ran into her bed room. He saw the missile on the
floor - it was an india-rubber tube a yard and a half long, with a hard ball
at the end - and, picking it up, he threw it out of the room into a lobby.
There it exploded and did great damage to the building. Mr Justice DAY
characterized the prisoner's crime as a diabolical and carefully-planned
attempt to gratify his feelings of revenge against his sister-in-law Martha
BELL for some fancied wrong, and sentenced him to 20 years' penal servitude.
Last September, when he had served between 14 and 15 years of his sentence,
he was liberated on licence by Sir Matthew White RIDLEY, Home Secretary, in
compliance with a local memorial which had been presented to him. On
December 26 the released convict went to Dalston and visited his brother,
who offered him supper, which he declined. The prisoner seemed friendly, but
refused to say why he was in the neighbourhood. The brother accompanied him
part of the way towards Carlisle, and before they parted the prisoner showed
him a revolver and remarked, "I would be the end of your missus if it was
not for you." On January 2 Police-constable FISHER apprehended the prisoner
for failing to report himself. He had a revolver in his pocket and 25 ball
cartridges for it. To the officer he remarked, when at the police-station,
"I'll do for the old woman Martha, at Dalston." The magistrates said they
must forfeit the prisoner's licence, and BELL was sent to complete the
unexpired portion of his sentence of 20 years' penal servitude.

[Joanna Tolhurst]

Clicked send before I commented!!!  Just to say I hope we don't link up with this Bell, though sounds a likely colourful family

[Joanna Tolhurst]

Possible daughter Jane in 1881

1881  RG11 5109 111 p22
Halton Lea Gate, Hartleyburn, Northumberland

Thomas Richardson, head, mar, 22, Coal Miner, b. Knarsdale, Cumberland
Jane Richardson, wife, mar, 23, b. Midgeholme, Cumberland
Margaret Richardson, dau, 2, b. Halton Lea Gate
Philip B Richardson, son, 2w, b. Halton Lea Gate

Possible Marriage 1877 Q1 Cockermouth 10b 725
2 couples on the page, including
BELL, Jane Bodkin
RICHARDSON, Thomas

CP

Death registration for Philip Bell Richardson Sept 1881 age 0 Haltwhistle
Does look like Philip Bell's dau Jane married Thomas Richardson, right age, right birthplace and son is named after her father.
Jo

[Joanna Tolhurst]

1891 Gateshead   RG12 4177 11 p16
High Team
Thomas Richardson, head, mar, 32, Colliery Engineer, b. Knarsdale, Northumberland
Jane Richardson, wife, mar, 33, b. Lambley, Northumberland
Margaret Ann Richardson, dau, sin, 12, Scholar, b. Midgeholme, Cumberland
Thomas Henry Richardson, son, sin, 8, Scholar, b. Midgeholme, Cumberland
Isaac James Richardson, son, sin, 6, Scholar, b. Greenhead, Northumberland
John Bell, boarder, sin, 24, Joiner, Midgeholme, Cumberland

CP

Jane is John's sister (she's had a different place of birth in each census but sure it is her each time)

[Joanna Tolhurst]

Here's Jane (Philip Bell's daughter) in 1901 (different birthplace again to be consistant!):
at Winlaton Blaydon Durham 18 Pioneer Street:
Thomas Richardson 43 coal hewer
Jane wife 44
Margaret A dau 23 Drapers assistant
Thomas H son 19 coal hewer
Isaac J son 17 coal putter (below ground) all born Northumberland

[cep]

Possible daughter Jane in 1881

1881  RG11 5109 111 p22
Halton Lea Gate, Hartleyburn, Northumberland

Thomas Richardson, head, mar, 22, Coal Miner, b. Knarsdale, Cumberland
Jane Richardson, wife, mar, 23, b. Midgeholme, Cumberland
Margaret Richardson, dau, 2, b. Halton Lea Gate
Philip B Richardson, son, 2w, b. Halton Lea Gate


Possible Marriage 1877 Q1 Cockermouth 10b 725
2 couples on the page, including
BELL, Jane Bodkin
RICHARDSON, Thomas


Cockermouth is too far from home.
But children's names are interesting.
And BODKIN ??


CP

Much more likely Marriage for Jane, daughter of Philip Bell.

1878 Q2 Brampton 10b 639

Bell, Jane
Richardson, Thomas


CP

[tommytoronto]

on the IGI - there is a Jane Bell christened at Presbyterian NC Haltwhistle Northumberland.

The birthdate is listed as June 15 1857, christened on JUly 16 1857, parenst listed as Philip Bell and Mary.

Thought this was worth a look.  

Tom

[Joanna Tolhurst]

I agree CP much more likely marriage for Jane and Thomas, shame, was hoping the Bodkin would give us a lead on the previous generation.
Just need to find daughter Margaret born c 1862 in 1881 to have all 4 children.

Tom, can we find another Philip Bell with wife Mary in the censuses that would account for this Jane?

[Joanna Tolhurst]

Durham Mining Museum website has an 'In Memorium' section:

Bell, Anthony, 25 Aug 1903, aged 44, Engineman at  Featherstone Colliery

Description
 Deceased and another workman went into a return airway, also used as a pipe road for conveying steam to a pump, which exhausts direct into the return, to attend to leaking joints. In order to locate the leaking joints a small pressure of steam was left on and in any case the road was very warm. After going so far the man with deceased found it too hot and returned to the pump leaving deceased. who said he could stand the heat. Deceased's mate had all steam cut off and then returned to the drift, and not finding deceased where he had left him concluded he had gone on to a door at top. Some time after he found deceased further up dead, evidently overcome by the heat. In subsequent search deceased's lamp was found 37 yards above his body. He had probably become confused, lost his light, and then turned back. Deceased had received a somewhat severe electric shock some few months before.

Source: Mines Inspectors Annual Report for 1903 (Cd 2119), from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian.