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Prison records

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Clare

Clare Report 5 Dec 2006 14:20

Can anyone share any info on how to find details of a prison inmate, i have 2 possibilities for my gggrandfather on the 1901 census. 1 dead & the other in Portland convict establishment, William Mack b1870c. thanks Clare

Horatia

Horatia Report 5 Dec 2006 14:45

Difficult question but assuming he committed the crime in the area where he was living, you could contact the county record office for the area and see if he appears in the Quarter Sessions. If he was dead, then he would have a death certificate and it usually lists what the deceased's occupation was which might give a clue, or there would be an informants name on the certificate which could be his wife or one of his children. Cheers, Horatia

Paul Barton, Special Agent

Paul Barton, Special Agent Report 5 Dec 2006 15:53

I was given some fairly comprehensive details from the Dorset county records office and once I had the date of the trial I was able to find it in the local paper too.

Kate

Kate Report 6 Dec 2006 21:32

My great-great-great grandad was in prison in 1881, in Knutsford Nether in Cheshire. Ten years before he had been a farmer (which his wife's brother took over) and on the census for the prison he gave his occupation as an accountant (I think he must have been a dodgy accountant!). Curiously, when his daughter got married nine years later (great-great grandma) his occupation was down as county court bailiff. I think he must have had friends in high places. If you know which prison he was in, you might be able to start from that angle.

Clare

Clare Report 7 Dec 2006 12:04

I do know which prison, he was in Portland. Are there records from prisons held in National Archives?

Elizabeth Anne

Elizabeth Anne Report 7 Dec 2006 13:33

Clare, Try this site: www(.)blacksheepancestors(,)com/uk/prisons(,)shtml remove the brackets. It gives a list of lots of prisons in England with prisoners names listed for many dates. I just had a small search for you and found: Dartmoor 1871: Frank Mack born 1847 Parkhurst 1901: Thomas Mack born 1850 Just hope they are not related to your William Mack! Good luck with your research. Elizabeth