Was there a prison in Marlborough around 1798?

[meeganf]

Hi
Am not sure about as far back as 1798 but my 3rd GGrandfather worked at the Marlborough prison, he was there in the 1841, 1851 and 1861 census'

Cheers
Meegan

[LizzieL]

Thank you all for your replies, it certainly looks like he was confined in Marlborough prison at the time of his marriage. I wonder if his wife was pregnant at the time and they couldn't delay the marriage until his sentence was served. I know they had a son Thomas,  but he wasn't baptised until 26 Oct 1800. Maybe there was an earlier child.

[Bookbox]

Have you found any record of the marriage? The record discussed above relates only to the reading of the banns -- see reply #3.

[LizzieL]

Aaagh, I'd missed that it was the banns, thought it was the marriage! So they might have had to wait a while to actually marry. I have found a son William now, baptised on same day as Thomas in 1800. I can't assume they're twins. Thomas appears on censuses with an age matching an 1800 birth, but can't find William.
I wonder why there would be a note on the banns record that John Annetts was under confinement. Would it have any bearing on the reading of the banns? The couple didn't need to be present to hear them read, did they?

[Bookbox]

I wonder why there would be a note on the banns record that John Annetts was under confinement. Would it have any bearing on the reading of the banns? The couple didn't need to be present to hear them read, did they?

Parishes of residence are normally stated in banns records.

If the parties to the marriage were living in different parishes, the banns would be read in both parishes, to ensure that anyone involved with either party had an opportunity to voice an objection. The couple did not need to be present.

It wouldn't be necessary to say specifically that John was under confinement, but it was presumably an explanation as to why he wasn't in his normal parish of residence when the banns were read.

[LizzieL]

It all makes more sense now that it was actually the banns record not the marriage record. He wasn't let out to marry, but must have had a relatively short time left to serve in order to be out and free to marry before the banns expired in three months.

[meeganf]

Hi Lizzie
Unsure about 1798 but have ancestors who were Keepers of the Bridewell at Marlborough abt the turn of the century. Have attached a report about the prison from 1831. the Alfred Alexander signed was applying for the New Devizes Prison governor in 1853. He states he had been keeper for 23 years and his father, William, for 25 years - possibly previously.

Happy to send you the above images if you are interested
Cheers
Meegan