Not sure where this post should go, and it might be a bit long winded.
A local historian, Mike Covell, wrote an article for the Hull Daily Mail entitled "The man who murdered himself"
This article turned out to be about one of my ancestors, all the information provided is available on the internet.
James Pickersgill was born in Hull 1829 the son of John & Mary Pickersgill nee White.
26/6/1846 he enlisted at Halifax in the 69th Regiment of Foot under the name of James Johnson as a private #2632
The 69th where stationed on Malta from 1847 -1851, but James Johnson was discharged on Malta on 13/5/1850 having been found "unfit for further service" after having been twice court martialed.
1851 Census he is back home with his family in Hull giving his occupation as "sloopman"
1853 He enlisted in the 88th Regiment of Foot for the duration of the campaign in the Crimea, after which the Regiment returned to Ireland.
In the latter part of 1856 and early 1857 he gained coverage in newspapers across the land when he gave himself up to the authorities and admitted murdering a man called James Pickersgill in Hull on 15/10/1856.
After investigation by the police in Hull his story was proved to be false with information provided by his brother in law, William Cooper Gee (the husband of James' sister Sarah Ann, my 2xgt grandmother).
A few months after his trial his Regiment embarked in July 1857 for Calcutta in response to the Indian Mutiny.
I would appreciate it very much if anyone can trace what happened to him next, though what name he was using doesn't make things any easier, and I've no idea why he changed his name in the first place.
Thank you for taking the time to read
