Robert dodd snr. A bad man?

[Millmoor]

There are a lot of references to Robert Dodd (senior and junior) in the delightfully named " Ulverston Mirror and Furness Reflector".

Presumably this is his death notice in the edition of 3 March 1883

"On the 25th ult in Quebec Street, Mr Robert Dodd,aged 64 years".  Given that he was shown living in Quebec Street in 1881 I assume this is the correct death although again it adds tothe quandary as to his age (The groindex also has  age as 64).

There is also a death for Margaret in the edition of 14 Oct 1882

"On the third inst at 56 Quebec Street, Ulverston, Margaret, wife of Robert Dodd, aged 74 years".

Given that Margaret predeceased him it may simply be that the informant did not know how old Robert was when he died.

William

[Maiden Stone]

I've been following the criminal careers of various members of the Athersmith clan 1830s-1850s. Poaching, trespass with intent to poach, theft, assault, breach of the peace, robbery with violence.
Joseph Athersmith, alias "Joe Jar" or Far/Parr (I was reading excerpts without a sub so am not certain of those aliases), alias Smith, alias Greenwood was frequently up before the bench. There was a suggestion that he might have done away with his wife 1841/2 but there was no report of a trial and he was free and active after then. Thomas Athersmith was also sometimes labelled with an alias.

1838: This concerns Thomas & Margaret Park and some members of the  Athersmith family.
A drunken Park was found and taken to Athersmith's house, "where he and his wife resided, she being Athersmith's daughter. " On arriving at the house  "they were assailed by most obscene language" (Kendal Mercury 2nd June 1838)
"...  for they were a bad set. Athersmith knew they were policemen. Witness then took Athersmith into custody, ... " Margaret Park then hit the witness. (Lancaster Gazette)
"... four of the gang were secured … including old Athersmith, Park and his wife. On the following morning old Athersmith's wife was apprehended …" (Westmorland Gazette 2nd June 1838;  Carlisle Patriot 9th June 1838)
Midsummer Quarter Sessions 1838:  "... appears quarrel arose out of a transaction in taking a person, Dixon, into custody, when the defendants interfered. Betty Athersmith was acquitted; all others guilty." John and Mary Athersmith were sentenced to 1month in prison.  (Westmorland Gazette 7th July 1838)
I don't know if this was connected to the fracas in June or was a different offence.

1842. John Athersmith, Senior, John Athersmith, Junior, Joseph Athersmith and Margaret Park were charged with wilful damage to a field. (Westmorland Gazette, Kendal Mercury, 2nd July 1842)
1842. There was a coroner's inquest on the remains of a dead woman.  "... the deceased, being then unknown, was the wife of Joseph Athersmith, alias Jar of Ulverston, nailor, who, it is supposed, put a period to her existence about 7 months ago …" (Kendal Mercury 9th July 1842)

1844. Away from Court to happier matters. A marriage: Mr James Athersmith, nailer,  to Miss Mary Park, both of Ulverston. (Cumberland Pacquet & Whitehaven Advertiser 21st May 1842)  Was she a relative of Thomas Park?
Back to court for some poaching and criminal damage:
June: Joseph Athersmith + several aliases, "well-known in the district as a lover of game, was charged …" (Westmorland Gazette 22nd June 1844)
July: John and James Athersmith charged by a gamekeeper with trespass on Priory land.
November: Joseph Athersmith, alias Joe Jar and David Kendall, nailmakers of Ulverston, charged with damage to a door.
1846 Thomas Athersmith "alias Tom Jar" was in court in front of Willam Gale, Esquire, (who must have been weary of hearing the name Athersmith) in Spring (Lancaster Gazette 4th April 1846) and Joseph Athersmith "alias Joe Jar"  made an appearance in June (Westmorland Gazette 20th June 1846)

1850s more poaching, (a scene of crime was Holker, would that be Holker Hall?),  varied by theft. Joe and Thomas Athersmith along with George Taylor and John Kendall were accused of stealing money from an old man. Confusingly, the victim was another John Kendall. "Robbery with Violence: …  Joseph Athersmith, 41, a stout man of the labouring class …" according to the Lancaster Gazette.  By "stout" did the writer mean sturdy or corpulent?

A newspaper report which has nothing to do with crime:
"Narrow Escape from Drowning" concerns Thomas Athersmith "a youth of about 17 years" who was bathing at Ulverston.  (Lancaster Gazette 27th June 1846)

[trish1120]

Very interesting reading William and I love the name  " Ulverston Mirror and Furness Reflector".

[Maiden Stone]

Knowing the criminal activities of Robert Dodd and the male Athersmiths, all nailmakers, I can't resist.
 It seems that they pinched anything which wasn't nailed down.    Sorry.

[Maiden Stone]

Regarding Margaret's ages.
1841 census age 30. Census enumerator was instructed to round down ages of adults to a multiple of 5. Margaret could have been aged 30-34 at the census. 1841 census was in summer. Estimated year of birth 1807-1811.
1851 census age 36. Census enumerator was supposed to record age as given. 1851 census was taken in Spring. Estimated y.o.b. 1815.
1861 census age 47. Estimated y.o.b. 1814.
Death October 1882 age 74. Estimated y.o.b. 1808.

All those years were before the marriage of John and Mary in Leigh in 1816 (reply #9). Margaret may have been born before that marriage and may have had another surname. There were no children of that marriage in registers in the Leigh area.
What did Margaret put as her place of birth?

[trish1120]

Quote;
Knowing the criminal activities of Robert Dodd and the male Athersmiths, all nailmakers, I can't resist.
 It seems that they pinched anything which wasn't nailed down.    Sorry.

 

Yes I agree Maiden Stone about Margaret.
I had looked for a Baptism under Hartley and a Burial for a male Hartley and previous Marriage for a male Hartley to a Mary 1800-1815 with no luck.

She is pretty consistent in saying she was born Ulverston, Lancs, except 1851 which has Ulver, Westmorland.

(having said that there are severa; Margaret Hartley Bapt 1808-1818 mostly Colne, including some born c 1813 Bapt 1837)

Trish

[Millmoor]

Don't think this has been mentioned:

Kendal Mercury 19 Nov 1842 Death Notice

On the 13th inst, at Ulverston, John Athersmith, nailor,aged 68 years

and in the  Westmorland Gazette 18 Dec 1847

On the 10th inst, in Canal Street,  Ulverston, Mary,widow of John Athersmith, nailmaker ,aged 68 years.

In spite of all the other press reports it has to be said that the Dodds, Athersmiths and Parks are remarkably consistent in placing marriage and death notices in the local papers

William