Re: 1921 Census - Harold William Pearson b1886

[billbir]

I have just discovered on the 1921 Census that the above, who is my Grandfather, was Chief Clerk for the Disposal and Liquidation Commission for the British Army. He was married with 2 children and together with his Wife Edith Jane née King, lodged in Grove Road, Banbury. My question is, bearing in mind my Grandfather was prosecuted and found guilty of theft from the Army in 1918, how could he conceivably get the job as Chief Clerk for the Commission? He was sentenced to 2 years hard labour in Wandsworth, so cannot understand how he was given the job by the Army. Any comments would be much appreciated.

[alan o]

Have you considered that was his job in 1918 and he was found guilty of criminal actions in that job.  Perhaps he chose to say that was his profession in 1921 because that was his last job and he did not want to say his last 2 years was as a convict.  2 years is a long sentence so it was a big fraud.

[ShaunJ]

Harold William Pearson was convicted in January 1917 and sentenced to 18 months hard labour.

Are you sure it was the same Harold William Pearson? There was more than one.

Re the "Chief Clerk" role - the 1921 census also shows that this was at Central Stores Depot number 423 in Banbury, so not the over arching role that you might imagine from the job title.

[billbir]

Hi Alan and Shaun,

Thanks for the replies. Firstly, his job at the time of the conviction was as Quartermaster Regimental Sergeant Major, responsible amongst other things for feeding the troops. The Disposal and Liquidation Commission did not exist in 1918 as it was only introduced in 1921. The man who ran the Commission was, I believe Sir Henry Norman, who lived coincidentally in Chipping Norton which is not far from Banbury.
I do not believe that it was a bogus title, so still left with how did he get that job, or for that matter any job with the Army after his conviction. I have been told by my Mother, that later on he became Manager of an Aluminium factory in Banbury. Bill

[rosie99]

I have just discovered on the 1921 Census that the above, who is my Grandfather, was Chief Clerk for the Disposal and Liquidation Commission for the British Army. He was married with 2 children and together with his Wife Edith Jane née King, lodged in Grove Road, Banbury. My question is, bearing in mind my Grandfather was prosecuted and found guilty of theft from the Army in 1918, how could he conceivably get the job as Chief Clerk for the Commission? He was sentenced to 2 years hard labour in Wandsworth, so cannot understand how he was given the job by the Army. Any comments would be much appreciated.

The newspaper article regarding defrauding the Secretary of State for War dated  January 1917 states that he was Harold William Pearson, Regimental Quarter Master - Sergeant and was sentenced to 18 months hard labour. He was 32 years old.

[billbir]

Hi Rosie, was your reply just to let me know it was 18 mths not 2 years as in mine. Bill

[alan o]

If he was courtmartialed and sentenced to an Army prison then he would have had a dishonourable discharge.  Perhaps he managed to hide this from his employer as it was a military and not a civil conviction?

[billbir]

Alan,

My post said he was sentenced to Wandsworth, which was a public prison.

[rosie99]

I was just trying to confirm all the details as it had been suggested there could have been 2 people of the same name. 

That January 1917 article stated that the HWP concerned was age 32.  Your HWP was born Sep qtr 1886