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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Norfolk => Topic started by: wlddlw on Tuesday 19 July 11 07:37 BST (UK)
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Hi All,
Can anyone tell me if there is more information to be found on trials that took place in Norfolk in 1826. And where I can look. I have done searches on his name but nothing comes up. I found his name on Ancestry with very limited information.
I have an ancestor who was transported to Australia. His name was Gamaliel Thompson or Tompson. His trial was held at Norfolk on the 11 July 1826. He arrived on the Hastings in 1827. He was born about 1804.
I would like to confirm that I have the correct Gamaliel Thompson and hoping to confirm that My Gamaliel was the son of Gamaliel Thompson and Mary Bansley. Found trees on ancestry but no sources.
Anyway that's the story.
Cheers
Debbie
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The Gale/BL newspaper database has a very brief report of the trial at Norwich City Sessions of Gamaliel Thompson "for stealing from the person of Henry Suffield, Gent, of Thorpe, a canvas purse containing one crown, four half crowns and two sixpences"
(Bury and Norwich Post 19 July 1826)
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Really, That's great. It fits as he was charged it is said for stealing off a person.
I guess that they may have not recorded much information about a person back then.
I looked on a site Old Bailey online but I could not find him there.. I thought that it may only refer to London.
Thank you
Deb
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Hi Deb
I have found Gamadiel Tompson in the Hulk Register on the Captivity an holding ship for prisoners to be shipped to Australia
The set of Prison Hulk Registers and Letter Books dates from 1802 to 1849 and includes the records of almost 200,000 people incarcerated in giant floating prison ships. The collection includes details of each inmate's name, age, the year and place of their conviction and the offence that they allegedly committed, as well as character reports written by prison officers. The hulks, moored on the Thames and in Plymouth Harbour, became an increasingly common form of internment as efforts were made to ease chronic overcrowding in conventional prisons. Each ship held between 200 and 300 inmates and, although many of its passengers were awaiting transportation to Australia, the hulks themselves had been extensively modified and were unable to go to sea. Conditions were often appalling, and one in three inmates are estimated to have died on board. The second newly-available collection features records of more than 4,000 female convicts who were granted parole between 1853 and 1877. Although sentenced to imprisonment or transportation, the lack of space in prison meant they were allowed to walk free.
The set can be searched by the criminal's name, the place and date of their conviction and their estimated age. Images of the records are also available, which feature a range of further details including the apparent crime, terms of sentence, reports on prison behaviour, any letters written by the prisoner and a physical description.
I believe that you can send for these records from the NA
Margp
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Thanks for that great information Margp.
I did touch on something saying about these floating prison ships. How anyone could maintain there sanity in these days I will never know.
I find some information about convicts hard to come by. You can find tickets of leave and the ships they come on, but little else. Or more the fact my lack of knowledge of where to look. I have another convict in my family from Ireland and the information I have on him in Australia is fantastic but no clue on his birth place (as yet). But he is another problem at another time.
I will look into this information you have given me and see what I can find. I am currently trying to get access to The Gale/BL newspaper database that ShaunJ mentioned. I believe that it is subscription but would be a useful tool.
We have Trove for newspapers in Australia and it is free. I have found many relatives in this collection. Hope it stays frees.
Again thanks for this information.
Deb
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Its a pleasure Deb
Marg
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Hi,
Found Gamaliel on Ancestry Uk. UK, Prison Hulk Registers and Letter Books, 1802-1849
Do you read this as companions are bad?
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"Connexions very bad "
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thanks Shaun
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Gamaliel was my 3rd Great Grandfather. This area should be handy for me to update my records. :D