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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Shetland => Topic started by: Schoch on Wednesday 18 April 12 04:14 BST (UK)

Title: Martha Thomasina Edwardson b:1857
Post by: Schoch on Wednesday 18 April 12 04:14 BST (UK)

Martha was an inmate of the Lerwick Prison in 1879 where she gave birth to her son Thomas Edwardson.  Can anyone help me find the reason for her incarceration and the length of her stay. Her son is listed as "illegitimate" and my thought is she may have got pregnant while serving her sentence.

Thanks

Richard

Title: Re: Martha Thomasina Edwardson b:1857
Post by: akc on Wednesday 18 April 12 19:22 BST (UK)

http://www.bayanne.info/Shetland

you will find this lady on the above site and details of why she was in Lerwick prison for " theft of butter "



akc

Title: Re: Martha Thomasina Edwardson b:1857
Post by: Schoch on Wednesday 18 April 12 21:15 BST (UK)

Hi AKC,

Absolutely fantastic.  Thank you very much for the link. Butter eh!  today you would not even get arrested would you, let alone prison.

The apple did not fall far from the tree however as her daughter was, years later, charged with manslaughter of her husband, in Gateshead (with scissors no less). Still tracking down the exact details for this one !!


Thanks again

Richard

Title: Re: Martha Thomasina Edwardson b:1857
Post by: annedonnelly on Sunday 05 February 17 11:22 GMT (UK)

Hi Richard,

Martha Thomasina was my great-great-grandmother. I have decided to try to find out some of the social history surrounding her life - why she may have made some of the decisions she did.

I've got a copy of the court papers relating to the theft and her trial and imprisonment. There is quite a lot of detail. If you're interested I'd be happy to share what I can.

Anne