Levi WELCH

[welchd1948]

I'm researching Levi Welch to see if he has any links to my family but trail comes to a dead stop.
Levi was born in Stopsley Beds in 1828/9. Parents Joseph Welch (born in Lillie) & Charlotte.  He had brother Asher, Benjamin and maybe a Reuben.  In 1851 he's still in Stopsley, married to Ann with a son Ruben. Ann dies in 1851. In 1857 he marries Ada Ann Gazely and they have the children Frederick(1857), Letitia(1859) and Walter(1861).  In 1861 they are living in Luton but Reuben is with his grandparents in Stopsley.
      In 1867 Levi is tried for murder and robbery but only gets 14 years penal servitude by turning Queen's Evidence. Coincidently, the son Ruben is also tried in 1867 for stealing a shotgun and gets 7 years. To see their Bedford prison records and photographs go to www.schools.bedfordshire.gov.uk/gaol/search.htm
      Now the puzzle, in 1871 Levi is at home in Luton with his family (not in jail?). That's the last record I can find on him, not even a register of death.
      In 1871 Ruben is in Dartmoor Prison and marries Fanny Wheatley in Luton in 1875. He is back in prison in 1881 (Pentonville) but that's the last thing I can find on him. 
    Can anybody help with this intriguing tale?

[johnar]

We are related to Levi.
Our story is that Levi was pardoned  -possibly because he turned Queens evidence. he married Ada Gasely they had a daughter Letty sons Walter and Ben at least.
After the pardon the emigrated to South America after 1871 (possibly Rio de Janerio) when he mother died Letty came back to the UK as  ladies maid after a few years (before 1878) she and married Chalrles Burgess 16/11/1878 they are my great grandparents. Letty was writing to her brother in South America up to the 1930s or 40s and in my grandparents house was the trunk she had with her on the boat.
Ben changed his name to Gasely.
Thats all I can remember at the moment my sister probably has more details.
John

[hanes teulu]

In July 1868 several newspapers reported that Levi Welch had been granted a free pardon only months after being sent down for 14 years in the Spring Assizes. This decision "astounded" the inhabitants of Luton to say the least! 

[bedfordshire boy]

The book, Bedfordshire Casebook, A reinvestigation into murders and other Crimes by Paul Heslop, 2004 The Book Castle, Dunstable ISBN 1 903747 57 0 includes this trial in the dozen cases covered.

Welch and Worsley were charged with murder, and a further charge of robbery was added, but the murder charge against Welch was dropped, which meant he could give evidence against Worsley. Worsley was found guilty, sentenced to death and hanged at Bedford on 31 March 1868.

Welch then changed his plea to guilty of robbery with violence, after Worsley had been found guilty of murder, and was given 14 years and having served 3 months was given a free pardon.

Welch was described as '"a man whose career for the last 16 years has been one of violence and crime'.

Interesting that Welch and Worsley had been drinking before the murder at the Royal Oak, Round Green, Luton, where the landlord and his wife were John and Mary Ann Gazeley.

I could do you a transcript if you need one. Just send me a personal message with your email address.

David