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General => The Common Room => Topic started by: Catling121 on Tuesday 09 August 16 13:00 BST (UK)
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Hi All,
Recently I found out that my Great Grandfather spent some time in prison. There are various family rumours as regards what for, but I've no documentation to support this at all.
He died in 1985, and apparently was away with the REME throughout the Second World War. So whenever and for how long he went to prison for I suspect we're looking at after 1945. Although my mother claims not to remember this, only to know that it happened, so probably more likely 1945-1960.
How on earth does one go about finding details/proof of this kind of thing?
Any help much appreciated.
Regards,
Chris
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One way might be to look in the local newspapers.
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Do you know the address or addresses where he lived? If so look at the electoral rolls for any gaps in residence.
Blue
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Hi Blue,
That's a really good suggestion. Sadly it appears that the Ancestry database only has the Birmingham Electoral Rolls for certain years, some gaps are 5 years apart. Are there any other online sources for the West Midlands do you think?
I know that he lived at 117 Holte Road, Aston from at the latest 1939, up until the day he died in 1985.
Thanks,
Chris
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The nearest archive or record office should have all the electoral rolls. You would need to visit and go through them. You might need to arrange a viewing by appointment so find out where they are and ask them about access before visiting.
Blue
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...But as GR2 suggested, local press might be the best way to find out what he did to get put in jail - are you sure you really want to know?
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...But as GR2 suggested, local press might be the best way to find out what he did to get put in jail - are you sure you really want to know?
That's a lot of newspapers to go through though so it would help to narrow down the time period concerned.
Blue
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Have you had a look at his military service record? It may be that he wasn't with the REME the whole time - perhaps his time in prison was documented on that?
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Searching up to 1950, there's nothing showing in the British Library newspaper archive for the man who's at the given address in 1939.
That doesn't mean nothing happened, or that it was at a later time, just that it's not showing up on that particular resource.
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We have a family story about why he went to prison - and it's pretty bad. So I'm not particularly worried about being shocked about it. I would just like to be able to verify it, rather than base it on 2nd hand knowledge.
I will have to write to the relevant authorities to get his military record I guess, that's as good a start as any. Then I'll have to make a trip to Birmingham to look at the Electoral Rolls - assuming that he was in prison long enough to have been removed from one.
And if all these options are fruitless...what next? What legal records are available and where?
Many thanks,
Chris
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I guess that if the crime was committed in and around Aston, then he would have been dealt with by Warwickshire's police and court system, so perhaps contacting the County Records Office might yield results or more avenues to follow? http://heritage.warwickshire.gov.uk/warwickshire-county-record-office/
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Try the National Archives Discovery catalogue, if it was a serious crime it may show up there.
I successfully found trial reports, including photographs, from a case dealt with in Hampshire in 1972.
Jebber