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BAD BOY-GREAT GRANDFATHER!!!!!

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Barry

Barry Report 14 May 2009 19:32

MY GREAT GRANDFATHER WAS CONVICTED,ALONG WITH OTHERS(iNCLUDING HIS PREGNANT WIFE!!!) OF BURGULARY,AT THE OLD BAILEY IN 1881.
THE SENTENCE FOR HIM AND 2 OTHERS WAS "10 YEARS PENAL SERVITUDE".
I ASSUME THIS MEANT TRANSPORTING TO AUSTRALIA.
DOES ANYONE KNOW HOW I CAN CHECK THIS FOR SURE,ALSO WETHER OR NOT HE RETURNED TO ENGLAND-IT LOOKS POSSIBLE HE DID.
ANY SUGGESTIONS WOULD BE MUCH APPRECIATED.
REGARDS
BARRY SAUNDERS

Sidami

Sidami Report 14 May 2009 19:43

Would he be on 1901 census for England have you tried?

Researching:
Ringrose from Countesthorpe Lord and Burley from Countesthorpe...Dixon Dawson Wood and Wilkinson from Caistor ,Starkey and Wood from Edendam. Hare from Horncastle.

Choccy

Choccy Report 14 May 2009 19:45

Does he have a name? and the name of his wife?

Elizabethofseasons

Elizabethofseasons Report 14 May 2009 20:40

Dear Barry

Have you tried using the following:

www.blacksheepancestors.com/uk

This site covers all all kinds of legal and criminal matters, includes list of convicts transported to Australia.

www.nationalarchives.ie/topics/transportation/search101.html.

This covers transported criminals from Ireland?, not sure if it now includes England as well to Australia.
A partial index.

www.oldbaileyonline.org

Covers cases from 1674-1834 but could now have been updated.

Best wishes

Libby22

Libby22 Report 14 May 2009 22:48

Hi Barry,

So far as I'm aware, transpotation to Australia was abolished in the 1860's. So if your ggrandfather was convicted in 1881 he wouldn't have been transported to Australia.

°o.OOº°‘¨Claire in Wales¨‘°ºOO.o°

°o.OOº°‘¨Claire in Wales¨‘°ºOO.o° Report 14 May 2009 22:59

Try looking on the 1891 using his surname but only the initial of his foreman

KathleenBell

KathleenBell Report 14 May 2009 23:04

Have a look here - it gives an explanation of the difference between Transportation and Penal Servitude:-

http://www.schools.bedfordshire.gov.uk/gaol/background/t&p.htm

Kath. x

Louise

Louise Report 15 May 2009 11:01

Hi,
Barry and I share this naughty relative (my 2 x great grandfather). His name was Charles Matthews and and his wife was Theresa Williams nee Brown.

We have found the Old Bailey transcript that sees their trial at Newgate in 1881 (2 August). Theresa gave birth to a baby girl - Eveline Maria during the wait for their trial in July 1881.

I have checked out the websites - black sheep and Old Bailey and have also had a look at TNA website (although I find this website very hard to navigate) to no avail.

We know that Charles was back in 1891 with the family (Census) and also around in 1901. He was also named at two ofhis daughter's weddings - the latest in 1910 - does that mean he was there? It doesnt say deceased.
Did prisoners serve the whole time they were given or were they let off on good behaviour or such like?
Where would some one who was sentenced at Newgate go to serve time?
Theresa only served a few days "at the mercy of the jury" .

I hope this helps with the queries below.
We'll find him Barry!

Louise
I

Battenburg

Battenburg Report 15 May 2009 13:23

google penal servitude in England.( Information below is abridged)

Imprisonment in England and Wales a Concise history
PENAL SERVITUDE.
The convict prisons were for prisoners sentenced to penal servitude. In 1877 these prisons were the 'depots'at Millbank and Pentonville in London and the 'public works'prisons at Portland ,Dartmoor,Portsmouth and Chatham.

Convict labour was later used to build new prisons of this kind at Woking,Wormwood Scrubs and Borstal