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How do you find out an ancestors crime?

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*

* Report 16 Oct 2004 21:43

Try this site for interest,although probably not for your case. Just key in a surname. http://www.oldbaileyonline.org/

Julie

Julie Report 12 Oct 2004 19:11

I found my Gt-grandfather's name on The Black Sheep Index(www*lightage*demon*co*uk) and sent off for the details which was actually a report of the trial in the local paper which gave details of his crime and prison sentence. Might be worth a look.

Unknown

Unknown Report 12 Oct 2004 10:50

The local record office or library may have contemporary newspaper reports, depending on the crime. As my criminal lunatic relative committed a murder it made the national Times, as well as local papers. It was v. exciting finding the report of the trial in the newspapers, especially to see it in context - most of the newspaper was taken up with the plight of cotton mill workers in Lancashire as they had no cotton because of the American Civil War. nell

Unknown

Unknown Report 12 Oct 2004 10:39

The prison register may be in the record office. I found 3 male ancestors in Gloucester Gaol as the Gloucestershire Records Office has an online index. They provided A3 photocopies of the original entries, which gave details of when they were imprisoned, why and the results - 2 were sentenced to a few months' imprisonment, one was acquitted of larceny and one was acquitted of wilful murder on the grounds of insanity. It gave details of when he was transferred to Bethem Lunatic Asylum. BUT - for me the most exciting thing was that the register gave physical descriptions of these ancestors (3 of whom were imprisoned before photography) with details of scars, moles, flat feet, colour of hair, eyes, height etc. nell

Guinevere

Guinevere Report 12 Oct 2004 06:43

Hi, I found an account of my lawbreaking ancestors in the county record office and even more information at Kew. Gwynne

Researching:
Lowestoft and North Suffolk, Monmouthshire, Breconshire, Somerset

Chris

Chris Report 12 Oct 2004 05:13

Hi Adam, Try this site: http://www(.)a2a(.)org(.)uk remove the brackets type in the name you are looking for and see what it comes up with.

Adam

Adam Report 12 Oct 2004 04:02

Hi, I believe one of my ancestors was imprisoned at Knaphill Prison in Woking Surrey according to the 1871 census.How would I find information as to what her crime was and how long her sentence was for?As after the census records she disappears from public records altogether maybe she emmigrated who knows if you can help with suggestions I'd be grateful. Thanks Adam