Helen Wallace c1816 - Edinburgh - Midlothian

[lynsfamily]

Hi,  Just starting out on RootsChat so hope I am following the rules.  Looking for records that may establish Helens parentage.  Born about 1816, convicted at Edinburgh Court of Judiciary and sentenced to 7 years transportation to Van Diemens Land Tasmania Australia.  Possible parents William Wallace and Helen Allison.  Thanks in advance

[eilthireach]

You don't say when she was transported, but the papers connected with her trial can be seen at the <a href="http://catalogue.nrscotland.gov.uk/nrsonlinecatalogue/search.aspx">National Records of Scotland</a>. You can go yourself and view them, have someone go on your behalf, or request an estimated price from NRS for a digitised copy of the papers.

The following are records which come up in the possible timescale for anyone named Helen (all possible spellings) Wallace:

National Records of Scotland
Reference    AD14/36/351
Title    Precognition against Helen Wallace for the crime of theft by opening lockfast places and previous conviction
Dates    1836
Related record    JC26/1836/438
Accused    Helen Wallace, Age: 18, domestic servant, Address: Howard Place, Edinburgh, Origin: Born in Edinburgh


and/or:

AD14/57/103
Title    Precognition against Helen Wallace for the crime of theft and previous conviction
Dates    1857
Access status    Open
   
Related record    JC26/1857/307   [and]  JC26/1857/307
   
Accused    Helen Wallace, alias Fergusson, Age: 40

   
and/or:

AD14/63/99
Title    Precognition against Helen Wallace for the crime of theft and previous conviction
Dates    1863

Related record    JC26/1863/306 JC26/1863/306
   
Accused    Helen Wallace, alias McLean; Ferguson, Age: 40, Address: Inverkip
   
   


Precognition is a term in Scots law. It refers to the process of taking statements from witnesses or other informants or people involved in a case to discover what information they can give that is relevant to the case being prepared by the prosecution or defence. It is also the statement itself. The precognition cannot be used in court, unless the person says something that differs significantly from what the person said in the precognition.
   

[lynsfamily]

Thanks for your information.  Helen's trial was 21/3/1836 and she arrived in Tasmania in Dec 1838.
Trying to identify parents and siblings if any.

[djct59]

The ship that transported her was the Westmoreland,, which on that trip transported only female convicts. the Australian "Claim a Convict" website reports:

Build Year:   1832
Size (tons):   405
 
Voyage Details
Master:   John Brigstock
Surgeon:   James Ellis
Sailed:   12 August 1836
From:   Woolwich
Arrived:   3 December 1836
Port:   VDL (modern Tasmania)
Route:   
Days Travel:   113
Convicts Landed:   0 males & 184 female convicts
   

[djct59]

There was a Helen Wallace baptised in St Cuthbert's Edinburgh on 30th March 1816, daughter of Thomas Wallace and Helen Allison. They were married in Canongate Edinburgh on 12th November 1807.

That is the only local birth where there is a Helen Wallace aged over 18 in 1836; there are two others in Edinburgh but both aged sixteen in 1836.

That should give you something to narrow down your searches. I've spotted a probable brother born in 1810...

[lynsfamily]

Thanks for additional info.  Will see how I go from here...

[eilthireach]

There was a Helen Wallace baptised in St Cuthbert's Edinburgh on 30th March 1816, daughter of Thomas Wallace and Helen Allison. They were married in Canongate Edinburgh on 12th November 1807.

That is the only local birth where there is a Helen Wallace aged over 18 in 1836; there are two others in Edinburgh but both aged sixteen in 1836.

That should give you something to narrow down your searches. I've spotted a probable brother born in 1810...

... which is all very well, but not everybody was baptised, so this is not necessarily your Helen. There will certainly have been others born with that name around the time who never appeared in any baptismal register, so you will have to find evidence from other official records to support the identification!

[lynsfamily]

Hi all, thanks for responses.
I have now found three children who may belong to Helen Allison and Thomas Wallace.  Helen as above, Thomas bp 18/9/1808 Inveresk with Musselburgh and John Wallace bp 28/10/1810 at St Cuthberts.  Agree I need to confirm through other sources, but at least it may lead to something, which is more than I had before.  Can anyone advise where to check Scottish census or similiar back in that era.  Thanks again, really appreciate input.

[Forfarian]

The earlier census that lists people individually by name is in 1841. You can access a transcription at http://www.freecen.org.uk/cgi/search.pl