Find Ancestors

Hello everyone,
I have been asked to investigate my Mothers ancestor. Not sure what is true and what is family myth.
the story is that one of her ancestors maiden name Saunders killed her two children. she was sentenced to be executed but this was changed to life. It was either Elizabeth,1870/ Florence, 1875/ Ellen1877 or Annie.1883 the dates cover from about 1890 to 1920.s i should imagine.
i know this is a bit vague to say the least, but i was wondering if anyone knew where i start?
Is there such a thing as prison records for public reading?

hi have you tried looking on census for them if you want help give us more info like names dates birth and place
and we will see if we can find them
PP :-)

Have you found any of them on any census. You may need to identify the children first

i have found the girls on the 1891 census.
father was Edward - appears as Edwin
mother ann
surname Saunders
married in 1868

came from Crudwell Wilts
moved to Bristol -North Common
moved to Bedwellty South Wales

finding it a little hard to find marriages

for ref is this them

1891 Census Household RecordHousehold Information
Address North Common
Parish Bitton
District Keynsham, Bitton
Administrative County Somersetshire

Householder 1
Name Edward Saunders
Age 42
Estimated Year of Birth 1849
Relationship to Head of Household Head
Occupation Coal Miner
Birth Place Crudwell
Birth County Wiltshire

Householder 2
Name Ann Saunders
Age 49
Estimated Year of Birth 1842
Relationship to Head of Household Wife
Occupation
Birth Place Malmesbury
Birth County Wiltshire

Householder 3
Name Florence Saunders
Age 17
Estimated Year of Birth 1874
Relationship to Head of Household Daughter
Occupation Stay Fanning
Birth Place Malmesbury
Birth County Wiltshire

Householder 4
Name Ellen Saunders
Age 14
Estimated Year of Birth 1877
Relationship to Head of Household Daughter
Occupation Stay Fanning
Birth Place Avening
Birth County Gloucestershire

Householder 5
Name Annie Saunders
Age 8
Estimated Year of Birth 1883
Relationship to Head of Household Daughter
Occupation Scholar
Birth Place Bitton
Birth County Gloucestershire

Householder 6
Name Adelaide Saunders
Age 6
Estimated Year of Birth 1885
Relationship to Head of Household Daughter
Occupation Scholar
Birth Place Bitton
Birth County Gloucestershire

1901 Census Household RecordHousehold information
Address Private House North Common
Civil Parish Bitton
Rural District Warmley
Town or Village or Hamlet
Ecclesiastical Parish St Barnabas
Parliamentary Borough or Division Thornbury
County Borough, Municipal Borough or Urban District
Administrative County Gloucestershire

Householder 1
Name Adelaide Victoria Saunders
Relation to Head of Family Daughter
Condition as to Marriage
Age Last Birthday 16
Sex Female
Profession or Occupation Boot Machinist
Employment Status
Where Born Glos North Common
Language
Infirmity

Householder 2
Name Ann Saunders
Relation to Head of Family Wife
Condition as to Marriage Married
Age Last Birthday 56
Sex Female
Profession or Occupation
Employment Status
Where Born Wilts Malmesbury
Language
Infirmity

Householder 3
Name Edwin T Saunders
Relation to Head of Family Head
Condition as to Marriage Married
Age Last Birthday 51
Sex Male
Profession or Occupation Pit Timber Man
Employment Status
Where Born Wilts Crudwell
Language
Infirmity

yes Polly thats them

so it seems,
one of these girls murdered her two children. not Adelaide though, she was my mothers grandmother

1911 Census Household RecordHousehold information
Address Caddicks Row Blaina Mon
Parish Aberystruth
Town Blaina Mon
Type of Building Private House
Number of Rooms 2 Rooms
Inhabited Y
Reference RG14PN31827 RG78PN1832 RD585 SD1 ED14 SN66
Administrative County Monmouthshire
Registration District Bedwellty
Registration Sub District Aberystruth
Enumeration District 14

Householder 1
Name Edward Saunders
Relationship to Head of Household Head
Condition / Years Married Married
Gender M
Age 63
Estimated Year of Birth 1848
Occupation Ostler Above Ground
Employed Y
Working at Home N
Industry Colliery
Place of Birth Cradwell Wilts
Language English 0

Householder 2
Name Ann Saunders
Relationship to Head of Household Wife
Condition / Years Married Married / 42 Years
Total Children Born Alive 11
Children Still Living 6
Children Who Have Died 5
Gender F
Age 66
Estimated Year of Birth 1845
Employed N
Working at Home N
Place of Birth Malsmbry Wilts
Language English 0

they moved to Bedwellty because Adelaide married a John Sheppard in 1905.
not sure what happened to the other girls, perhaps they stayed in Bristol
north common, kingswood area BS15

Sorry Polly,
i have to close down, thank you for you help, i will be back online tomorrow.

Sorry Polly,
i have to close down, thank you for you help, i will be back online tomorrow.

Marriage Record Name John Sheppard
Year of Marriage 1905
Quarter of Marriage Jul-Aug-Sep
Registration District Bedwellty
Registration County Monmouthshire
Spouse's Surname Only available for records after 1912
Volume Number 11A
Volume Page 166


MARRIED ADELAIDE VICTORIA SAUNDERS

Name Florence Saunders
Age 17
Estimated Year of Birth 1874
Relationship to Head of Household Daughter
Occupation Stay Fanning
Birth Place Malmesbury
Birth County Wiltshire

Householder 4
Name Ellen Saunders
Age 14
Estimated Year of Birth 1877
Relationship to Head of Household Daughter
Occupation Stay Fanning
Birth Place Avening
Birth County Gloucestershire


Name Annie Saunders
Age 8
Estimated Year of Birth 1883
Relationship to Head of Household Daughter
Occupation Scholar
Birth Place Bitton

Now I have to trace the whereabouts of these three girls.

who they married and if one of them was a murderer. The family story is that one of them murdered her two children and was sentenced to death. Her excuse was that she suffered blackouts and could not remember the devilis deed. Whilst in prison awaiting sentence she suffered several of these blackouts, thus the death sentence was reduced to life.

hmmmm quite a fanciful tale.

If you have any idea of location, try the local newspaper for the area - check if they have an archivist

You could also google the possible name(s) for the murderess

hello Reggie,
I have googled their names, i might have more success if i knew their married name. scouring the marriage records. I have no idea at the moment where they lived. The parents moved to South Wales with the youngest daughter Adelaide.

Marriage transcript details Civil registration event: Marriage

Name: HILLMAN, Isaac
Registration district: Pontypridd
County: Glamorganshire
Year of registration: 1897
Quarter of registration: Oct-Nov-Dec
Volume no: 11A
Page no: 955

MarriageFinder™: Isaac Hillman married one of the following people

LAKE, Maggie
SAUNDERS, Annie Florence
GOODWIN, Edward



possibility on 1901 census

Address: 13, Ynysgan Street, Ystradyfodwg

HILMAN, Isaac Head Married M 34 1867 Coal Miner Hewer Blaina, Monmouthshire
HILMAN, Florence Wife Married F 26 1875 Malmesbury, Gloucestershire
HILMAN, Elsie Daughter F 1 1900 Ystrad, Glamorganshire
HILMAN, Ann Mother Widow F 63 1838 Cadbury, Gloucestershire
THOMAS, Mary Niece F 7 1894 Blaina, Monmouthshire
TAUSSAINT, Alexander Boarder Married M 50 1851 Seaman & Coal Miner Labourer Below Ground Grenada St George W Indies British Subj (Colowred)


1911 census

Address: 13 Shop Row Coalbrookvale Nantyglo Mon

HILLMAN, Isaac Head Married13 years M 44 1867 Coal Miner Hewer Blaina Monmouth
HILLMAN, Florence Wife Married F 37 1874 Malmsbury Wilts
HILLMAN, Elsie E Daughter F 11 1900 Glamorgan Ystead
HILLMAN, Cissie D Daughter F 6 1905 Monmouth Blaina
HILLMAN, Reggienald Son M 5 1906 Monmouth Blaina
HILLMAN, Clifford Son M 2 1909 Monmouth Coalbrook
HARFORD, Mary Jane Servant Single F 16 1895 Monmouth Blaina

Well done tempest! It's a big trawl you're doing here!!

What do you think of this one for Ellen? I think she's Ellen Elizabeth born Q4 1876.

Marriages Mar 1917
Arthur Robert W Saunders Bristol 6a 62
Saunders Ellen E Arthur Bristol 6a 62