Hi Annie,
Thanks for your interest in Isaac. Your comment about the scars from the shackles, is one of the reasons that I was keen to find out about him. When my Grandmother told me them years ago, my thoughts were much the same as yours. What a punishment...you carry it for life! What a stigma...no hiding it.
It was not until a few weeks ago that I found out about his trial at Old Bailey & how young he was and what he was charged with. He seems so cruel to me...he was only a kid. It is hard to believe that he spent 4 years in Parkhurst prison, before deportation. Even that is excessive by todays standards.
Mind you, when I was looking into this, I came across an 11yr old boy who as sentenced to 10yrs & deportation for Larceny, too, so maybe Isaac go off lightly. Even Isaac's sentence of 3 months for vagrancy, seems a bit steep, doesn't it?
I never knew, until Tony sent me the Biography, that Isaac still got into trouble after he was here in NZ. And, yes it does look like he was abit of a drinker...Mary too, maybe. I am glad that he did well eventually, and I wondered if it was Mary's influence that kept him out of trouble, although it does appear that it was a "shotgun" wedding..and she was only 16!!. Or maybe it was his father-in-law that kept him in line! I wish that I could have known him...he sounds like an interesting character.
I can never thank Tony enough for the added info he supplied me, as now Isaac seems very real...not just a kind of ghost running around in my mind, as he has been for years.
I guess that I will have to start saving for his death certificate, to see if I can find out where he came from.
I am just disappointed that the "cousin" that Tony gave my email address to, has not contacted me yet. I am checking my mail, every 5 minutes in anticipation. I know that i am impatient, but I am so excited to know that there are Eggerton rellies out there. I never knew any existed.
Now, I want to be the "Sticky Beak" What is the URL for Erica Smith's family Project that tony spoke to you about? If it is relevant in any way to the Parkhurst Boys, I would love to have a look.
Bless you
Lyn