Saughton Prison, Edinburgh (RD 1911 - 1935)

[Rosinish]

Hi Folks,

Struggling to find a death between 1911 & 1935

Rumour has it that a family member was imprisoned, possibly at Saughton, can anyone tell me which Reg. Dist. this would come under please?

I have spent numerous credits for other areas he was known to have been but not tracing him as yet.

Annie

[ev]

Hi Annie ,

The building of the prison started on 31 July 1914 with the first prisoner being received in 1919.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HM_Prison_Edinburgh

That might narrow the years of a possible death 



ev

[MonicaL]

Annie, in the 1930 VRs, it shows just as Ediburgh Parish (HOUSE SAUGHTON PRISON GORGIE ROAD).

In the 1901 Census, Gorgie Road is showing in Liberton Parish.

In case it was earlier, Calton Gaol I think was Canongate. Some more dates to add to Ev's here www.sps.gov.uk/Corporate/Prisons/Edinburgh/HMP-Edinburgh.aspx

Monica

[Forfarian]

The land on which Saughton Prison stands is bounded on the north by Stenhouse Road and Calder Road and on the south by the Murray Burn, which is north of Longstone Road. To the east is the Water of Leith. Gorgie Road ends where Stenhouse Road begins, pretty much at the Water of Leith.

I have been poring over the Victorian Ordnance Survey maps, and the parish boundaries between Corstorphine, Colinton, St Cuthbert's and possibly Liberton are pretty complicated and quite hard to make out, so it's not at all clear which parish it is in.

The 1881 lists all the places with Saughton in their names in the parish of Corstorphine, but this is before the boundary changes that took place in 1890-1891 or so.

Then there is the added complication of the various new Registration Districts, some of them quite ephemeral, that were created to cope with the ever-larger population in the first half of the 20th century. One of these is Haymarket, which covers part of the western central area including Murrayfield and (I think) Gorgie-Dalry.

The valuation rolls should provide a definitive answer as to which parish the prison was in in the 1920s or so, but how that relates to the RDs I cannot say.

[Rosinish]

Thanks Ev & Monica,

The dates will certainly narrow my search for that area at least!

As it was a rumour although probably true, it may also have been another relative from the same family i.e. I'm keeping my options open for now.

I was told he'd been hanged but I searched all the people who were hanged & he nor his surname were on the list i.e. he may have hung himself or the relative it may have been possibly hung himself?

The imprisoned person may also have been a relative on the maternal line which I haven't looked at as he would not be on my tree with them marrying into mine  & not my direct line.

Monica, his death was definitely 1911 - 1935 (unless he disappeared)?

He signed his son's death cert. in Dec 1911 although there may have been children after that who I haven't found yet?

His wife remarried as a widow in 1935.

I will check the different RD's as they seem to change 

1920 has PRISON BUILDINGS SAUGHTON, CORSTORPHINE
1925 has HOUSE SAUGHTON PRISON GORGIE ROAD, EDINBURGH
1930 I couldn't bring it up no matter what my search terms were, neither Saughton/Prison/Gorgie 

He must have done a runner 

Forfarian,

I will post this now that I've written it as I see you have a crossed post!

Annie

[Rosinish]

Thanks Forfarian,

Now I have a dilemma i.e. I am hoping that his age is close to being correct as it's quite a common name & could be any of them or of course none of them...Oh to be able to get a 'sub' 

Looks like one for the main board at a later date I think?

Annie

[ADP]

The land on which Saughton Prison stands is bounded on the north by Stenhouse Road and Calder Road and on the south by the Murray Burn, which is north of Longstone Road. To the east is the Water of Leith. Gorgie Road ends where Stenhouse Road begins, pretty much at the Water of Leith.

I have been poring over the Victorian Ordnance Survey maps, and the parish boundaries between Corstorphine, Colinton, St Cuthbert's and possibly Liberton are pretty complicated and quite hard to make out, so it's not at all clear which parish it is in.

The ground that Saughton Prison was built on was just inside Corstorphine Parish and Registration District.

I will check the different RD's as they seem to change 

1920 has PRISON BUILDINGS SAUGHTON, CORSTORPHINE
1925 has HOUSE SAUGHTON PRISON GORGIE ROAD, EDINBURGH
1930 I couldn't bring it up no matter what my search terms were, neither Saughton/Prison/Gorgie 

The parishes of Corstorphine, Cramond, Leith (North and South), Duddingston, Liberton and Colinton were subsumed by the City of Edinburgh in 1920 (November, I think). So for registration indexing purposes, these changed from 1921. Corstorphine registration office closed in 1932. Its business transferred to the Haymarket registration office. Hence Saughton Prison moved in terms of RDs over the years you are looking at.

For details of the RD changes, see:
http://www.talkingscot.com/rds/city-rds-edin.htm

ADP

[sancti]

What was his name and date/place of birth

Is he recorded as deceased on his children's marriages?

Could he have died in hospital from attempted hanging?

[Rosinish]

ADP,

Thanks for info. on place names, have been checking through SP but may take a bit of time to get anywhere?

Sancti,

Thanks for your interest!

ATM, this was to find out where to look as I had too many choices & not got a geographical mind especially when RD's change & not enough £'s 

I mentioned earlier, I think this may be one for the main board at a later date as there will be a few things to add & may be lost on here given the title of the thread?

For now, I only have 2 children (who I have found although there may have been more)?

William signed his son's DC in Dec 1911 born Apr 1911.

They had a daughter Margaret born 06 Oct 1908 who I haven't found a marriage nor death for yet!

I haven't tried too hard in seeking her as it's a distant branch & plodding my way through deaths for William as it would be a double expense looking for the daughter too as both names are common.

I'm trying to concentrate on William to save added expense.

The daughter was not the informant on her mother's death, it was her mother's 2nd husband so no clues there.

Annie