Genealogy Chat

Many Thanks to everybody for the overwhelming response to my query. I will do a bit of thinking on these replies and post more information in a few days
Derek

the info I have already given from newspaper reports was taken from the Gale group collection via Lancs libraries. The rape is the only report of a crime on that site that I can find which fits the timescale.

Any reaction to all of this Derek?

Are you sure you are following the right person. Born in 1826 seems rather old to be your gt grandfather

I have found a newspaper report relating to the 'Alleged atrocious outrage on a woman' in the 19th century papers from the Illustrated Police News

(The man we don't think it is at the moment! )

farm labourer, mentions Culcheth in snippet

have copied it if anyone needs it

Jan

Derek,
Once you find the correct person it may be worth ringing the records office that hold the Gaol entry books. I went to Bury st Edmunds last year to look at some for my hubsbands3 X great grandad. H had 5 spells in Gaol. The original entry books are interesting and have extra info like height/ complextion/ colour of eyes/ fathers name etc etc etc
i found them very interesting and have copies now. They will send them to you for a cost, but nothing beats seeing them yourself.
Our relation was given 12 months hard labour. The records office staff even found the newspaper article following his conviction, which I have also found since using Joneseys tip for the lancashire library
If you search the newspapers first you may find where he was Gaoled too. Our newspaper cutting was the Bury post.

Good luck with your search

Margee, where?

It is ascertained that John Peake accused and found guilty of rape was not Derek's. However his gr-grandfather was the one in gaol, and born Croft. I think the 19 year old, guilty of rape, may have been his son; right age, right place as per 1871 census.

Ozi

Edit: GB's find ...

"1881 wonder if the criminal record might be for this man"

Name: John Peak
Age: 20
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1861
Relation: Convict (Prisoner)
Gender: Male
Where born: Weascraft, Lancashire, England

Civil parish: Portsea
County/Island: Hampshire
Country: England

Street Address: "H M Convict Prison Portsmouth"

Where born is mistranscribed. Image is actually Moss Croft, as per the censuses for John and Martha.

Ozi, I thought it had been ascertained that the prisoner was not Derek's John Peake?

Children of John & Martha:

PEAKE, James Christening
Gender: Male
Birth Date: 11 Mar 1859
Christening Date: 5 Jun 1859 Recorded in: Southworth with Croft, Lancashire, England
Collection: BTs
Father: John PEAKE
Mother: Martha
Source: FHL Film 1469068 Dates: 1844 - 1892

PEAKE, John Christening
Gender: Male
Birth Date: 11 Jan 1861
Christening Date: 5 May 1861 Recorded in: Southworth with Croft, Lancashire, England
Collection: BTs
Father: John PEAKE
Mother: Martha
Source: FHL Film 1469068 Dates: 1844 - 1892

PEAK, Ann Christening
Gender: Female
Christening Date: 9 May 1869 Recorded in: Newchurch, Lancashire, England
Collection: BTs
Father: John PEAK
Mother: Martha
Source: FHL Film 1469067 Dates: 1860 - 1893

PEAK, Mary Christening
Gender: Female
Christening Date: 7 Aug 1870 Recorded in: Newchurch, Lancashire, England
Collection: BTs
Father: John PEAK
Mother: Martha
Source: FHL Film 1469067 Dates: 1860 - 1893

1861 census
Moss Croft, Croft, lancashire
John Peake, head, 30, horse man
Martha, wife, 25
Joseph, son, 5
James, son, 2
John, son, 2 months

All born Croft.

?????
Marriages Jun 1856
HOWARD Martha Warrington 8c 124 <<<<
MUIR Elizabeth Warrington 8c 124
PEAKE John Warrington 8c 124 <<<<<
WOOD Charles Warrington 8c 124




Sorry, Derek. I got carried away. Forgot you asked about trial records. Have you checked local newspapers of the time?

Ozi

1891 England Census
Name: Martha Peake
Age: 56
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1835
Relation: Head
Gender: Female
Where born: Croft, Lancashire, England
Civil parish: Croft
Ecclesiastical parish: Croft
County/Island: Lancashire
Country: England
Street Address: Dig Lane (but Moss Croft is on the same page.)

Occupation: Laundress

Registration district: Warrington
Sub-registration district: Winwick
Piece: 3072
Folio: 41
Page Number: 8
Household Members:
Name Age
Martha Peake 56
Alice Peake 16
William Peake 7 - grandson

?????
1871 England Census
Name: John Peak
Age: 42
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1829
Relation: Head
Spouse's Name: Martha Peak
Gender: Male
Where born: Croft, Lancashire, England
Civil parish: Culcheth
Ecclesiastical parish: Newchurch
County/Island: Lancashire
Country: England
Street Address: Noggin Fold

Occupation: R__ay labourer [Railway???]

Registration district: Leigh
Sub-registration district: Culcheth
Piece: 3912
Folio: 160
Page Number: 3
Household Members:
Name Age
John Peak 42
Martha Peak 35
John Peak 10
Elizabeth Peak 6
Martha Peak 5
Ann Peak 2
Mary Peak 11 Months



1881 England Census
Name: Martha Peak
Age: 45
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1836
Relation: Head
Gender: Female
Where born: Croft, Lancashire, England
Civil parish: Southworth With Croft
County/Island: Lancashire
Country: England
Street Address: Moss Cross, Warrington Rd <<<<<
Condition as to marriage: 'Mar' crossed out,' wid' written above.

Registration district: Warrington
Sub-registration district: Winwick
Piece: 3789
Folio: 49
Page Number: 9
Household Members:
Name Age
Martha Peak 45
Ann Peak 12
Mary Peak 10
Alice Peak 7

In 1881 he is born Croft, so???? (and married)
1891 England Census
Name: John Peak
Age: 63
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1828
Relation: Servant
Gender: Male
Where born: Croft, Lancashire, England
Civil parish: Culcheth
Ecclesiastical parish: Newchurch
Town: Glazebury
County/Island: Lancashire
Country: England
Street Address: Hope Farm, Warrington Rd

Occupation: Farm Servant

Condition as to marriage: married

Registration district: Leigh
Sub-registration district: Culcheth
Piece: 3085
Folio: 144
Page Number: 1
Household Members:
Name Age
William Whittle 36
Alice Whittle 26
Joseph Y Whittle 4
Ethel Whittle 2
Sarah A Whittle 10/12
John Peak 63

Have you found him in any other censuses, or dont you have access to them? There were a lot of people called John Peake (various spellings). I found the same one in 1901 without the e on the end. He was aged 70 on that (ages can vary on censuses) but he was a gardener domestic as on the 1881 census and b in Southworth with Croft. Have you found his wife on any censuses?

Huia.

a little more on that rape report

John Peak was aged 19 and the offence took place in Culcheth - so not your gt grandfather.

Really strange

Been checking out a few of the names on the same image and a lot of them are in HM Prison Chatham


1881 wonder if the criminal record might be for this man

Name: John Peak
Age: 20
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1861
Relation: Convict (Prisoner)
Gender: Male
Where born: Weascraft, Lancashire, England

Civil parish: Portsea
County/Island: Hampshire
Country: England

Street Address: "H M Convict Prison Portsmouth"
Education:

Employment status: View image
Occupation: Farm Laborer

Registration district: Portsea Island
Sub-registration district: Portsea Town
ED, institution, or vessel: Haibonoit Prison Portmouth Continued
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 1148
Folio: 95
Page Number: 32

Will take a look at image


England & Wales, Criminal Registers, 1791-1892


Assizes at Liverpool

Name: John Peak
Date of Trial: 7 Nov 1879
Trial Year: 1879
Location of Trial: Lancashire, England
Sentence: Imprisonment
Crime: See Image
Date of Execution or Release: See Image


Oh dear it is for Rape - 20 years

But no idea if same man

Looking for John Peake b.1826 ( my Gt Grandfather) in the 1881 Census, I find him a Prisoner in Walton Prison Liverpool. Is there any way I can find out his crime?
Derek