John Edward Gooch - missing in 1881

[suek2075]

Hi

I hope someone can shed some light on this before it drives me crazy!

John Edward Gooch was born in 1866 in Sunderland. Parents Samuel and Jemima Gooch.

In 1871 he was in Sunderland:

Samuel Gooch  28 Wells Norfolk
Jemima Gooch  28 Wells Norfolk
Maria Gooch    6   Sunderland
John Gooch   4  Sunderland
Jemma Gooch  2  Sunderland


In 1891 he was at Crown Road, Southwick, Sunderland with his parents Samuel and Jemima and we know where he went from there.

However in 1881 he is not at home and so far we've been unable to trace him, although we did find a John Crouch at Industrial school, but he was two years too young. And I suspect that this family wouldn't have been able to afford to send a child to Industrial School.

If anyone can help find him we'd appreciate it very much, thanks.

Sue

[middlesbrough]

Hi,

An Industrial school is actually for naughty boys.

York Herald 25 November 1880

A CUNNING BOY

The Sunderland Magistrates sent John Gooch (14) to a industrial school for 2 years. Accompanying a boy from a draper's shop, he discovered that the lad was to call back within a short time for the money for the goods delivered, and returning to the house before the draper's boy, he obtained the cash, signing the receipt.

[Tickettyboo]

Further to middlesbrough's newspaper find:

Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette 16 November 1880

A CUNNING BOY

At the Borough Police Court yesterday, John Gooch, a young boy, was charged with stealing 10s 6d. From the evidence it appeared that on Saturday Morning an errand boy in the employ of Mr Robert Hodgson, draper, 151 High Street, was sent to a Mrs Blakie with some goods, prisoner being along with him.
Mrs Blakie not being in, he said he would call in the evening for the money and left the bill. In the afternoon prisoner called at the house and saw Mrs Blakie. He said he was the brother of the boy that had brought the goods, and he had been told to call for the money. He received 10s 6d, and receipted the bill. He was remanded for a week.


Presumably when he reappeared the next week, the magistrates decided that he should be sent to the Industrial school, but I can't find a report of that in the Sunderland paper


Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette 20 June 1884

TODAY'S POLICE INTELLIGENCE

Before Mr E Featherstonhaugh. Mr James Stokoe and Mr Robt. Thompson

         A SUSPICIOUS CHARACTER

John Gooch was charged with frequenting the streets for an unlawful purpose. The prisoner, who is but a youth, was formerly in the Industrial School. He was loitering about a street, and when he saw P.C. Dykstra, he concealed himself.
Prisoner was committed for fourteen days.

The two reports appear to be about the same boy, possibly the one you are looking for.

I checked the image for the 1881 census for the Industrial School and the name looks to me like GOUCH (possibly a spelling error at the time), rather than CROUCH, he was listed as being 13. Given that in 1891 when he was back with his parents, his age was listed as 23, I would think its possible that its the right boy.


This page gives info about the Sunderland Industrial School in Silver Street:

http://www.childrenshomes.org.uk/SunderlandBoysIS/

Unfortunately there don't seem to be any admission/discharge records available prior to 1901.

http://www.twmuseums.org.uk/userfiles/UG14.pdf  That is the TWAS list of court records they hold, long shot but you 'might' find something relevant in those, but it would involve a visit.

Boo

[suek2075]

Middlesbrough and Ticketyboo - thank you both very much. Strangely we had seen the Sunderland Echo article some time ago and forgotten about it, so never connected the two.

When I saw the entry for the Industrial School I thought the boy was at some sort of early technical college   

Cheers to you both

Sue

[stanmapstone]

Being charged with "frequenting the streets for unlawful purpose" seems to have been a common offence in Sunderland judging by the reports in the Echo. This seems to be a 'catch all' offence under the 1824 Vagrancy Act.

Stan

[suek2075]

Hi Stan - yes there do seem to be a lot of youths picked up on the streets.

After finding John we were looking for his sister Maria, having been unable to trace her either, and found her arrested for pickpocketing about 1880 Still haven't found out where she was in 1881 but we have our suspicions now 

[Tickettyboo]

There was report in the Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette 11 May 1885 when the father, Samuel, was in court for assaulting his wife, Jemima.


Boo

[suek2075]

Yes we have that thank you Tickettyboo    Sign of the times that the judge thought Jemima ought to go home and be a good wife     As far as I can remember she obviously did that because there were two more kids afterwards and as far as we can tell no more upsets. Seems she stopped pawning the family silver 

[Tickettyboo]

No doubt there was some fault on both sides, he was said to be a hard working man (which doesn't mean he should have thumped her!)
I often wonder about the people who migrated from the more rural areas like Norfolk to the very industrial areas. They must have started off with such high hopes of regular work and a better life. So sad that for such a lot of people it turned out to be in some ways, harder than life at home, still way too much week left at the end of the money and living in worse conditions with so many people crammed into a small area, than they had left behind.

Boo