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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Oxfordshire => Topic started by: cordley on Wednesday 06 February 19 10:31 GMT (UK)
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I am researching the Thomas Beesley (TB) who was convicted of manslaughter in 1830, at the Oxford Lent Assizes and given 14 yrs, was transported to Bermuda from 1830, lives in the hulk Coromandel and returns to the hulk Leviathan in Portsmouth in 1838 and is pardoned 12 Feb 1839.
Since my husband's ancestor is of the right age, and for other reasons, I initially wondered if this was 'our' man.
However 'our' TB and his wife Maria nee Collier have a child, Elizabeth, baptised in 1837, at the same time as his sister's child, and later census records confirm the year of birth. So it seems unlikely that 'our' TB is the convict, unless Elizabeth was illegitimate. Thomas and Maria go on to have another child Mary in 1841, who is my husband's g-grandmother.
Beesley is a very common name in Oxford, so research is tricky but I am now looking at an entry in the 1841 census for Thomas Beseley 40 Bargeman, and Anna Beseley 40 living on Hythe Bridge Street. Anna has a tick under the column 'Scotland, Ireland or Foreign'.
HELP - I cannot find anything else about this TB and wife Anna - has anyone any ideas???
And what is the difference between a Bargeman and a Boatman, as many of his neighbours are?
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1851 Census
Thomas Beesley Head M 50 Masons Lab Oxford, Oxfordshire
Maria Beesley Wife F 54 Wytham, Berkshire
Elizabeth Beesley Daughter F 16 Oxford, Oxfordshire*****
Mary Beesley Daughter F 9 Oxford, Oxfordshire
So is this them in 1851 which rules out the Convict and Thomas/Ann?
Trish :)
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Yes it is - unless Elizabeth was illegitimate and accepted into the family!
Pam
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And this would be them in 1841;
Thomas Beseley,30, Boatman
Maria Beseley, 45
Ann Beseley, 15
Elizabeth Beseley, 5****
Samuel Beesley, 70, Bargeman and and a Abel and Family on same page.
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Yes, Oxford is full of Beesleys!!
Samuel, aged 70 in 1841 is great-uncle to this Thomas. Abel b 1814 is cousin once removed.
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Yes from Census it sure is full of them ;D
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But it is Thomas & Anna both 40 in the 1841 census that interest me at the moment. At the moment I can't identify them before or after 1841.
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I am still trying to find the convict!! Need help with the 1841 census for Oxford - see end of post.
I have found the court papers as well as details of Thomas's transportation to Bermuda from March 1830 until his return in Oct 1838 and pardon in Feb 1839. In these papers there is a petition for clemency in 1833 from his father 'Samuel' which was rejected.
There is no evidence as to what he did after his release in Feb 1839. He may or may not have returned to Oxford, he may or may not have kept his same name.
But I am still unable to find any evidence as to which Thomas Beesley and which Samuel Beesley they are. There is no other family information that I can find. Newspapers at the time said Thomas was a married man with two children, but no other detail of occupation (other than 'looking like a Boatman or Bargeman') or abode. Court papers give his age as 28 when the manslaughter took place.
Just for interest, Thomas escapes to London after the affray on 6th July 1829, where he is found in Blackfriars/Deptford in September 1829 and returned to Oxford to the County prison until the Assizes in March 1830 when he is given a 14 yr transportation sentence. He actually serves just under 10 years.
The fact that the suggested culprit (Mary Prior's renowned book expresses some doubt - pgs 17 and 274) is Thomas Beesley married to Maria Collier, and they have a daughter, Elizabeth, born and baptised in 1837 in St Thomas's Oxford, at the same service as her little cousin, Elizabeth Collier, makes me doubt it's him. Mary Prior did not seem to know the date of his release, (Feb 1839), if she had that might have changed her opinion.
I am now trying to research the father - and I am intrigued by a Samuel Beesley, Livery Stable Keeper, who, in Pigot's 1830 is recorded in St Mary Hall Lane, Oxford. I think I also find him in 1842 Pigot's in Brewer Street and son(?) in Bear Lane.
In 1833 Samuel Beesley takes over the share of a Fly and Wagon Office in Jesus College Lane, Oxford from George Kimber with the Livery Office in St Mary Hall Lane (Oxford Journal 31 Aug 1833) forming Beesley, Gilbert & Co, running transport twice a day to London and back.
I wonder if the Livery Stable was able to put Thomas onto a coach heading to London, there were frequent services. Just a thought as to how he escaped.
BUT - I cannot find a suitable Samuel Beesley in the 1841 census for Oxford. I am sure I must be missing something obvious.
I am not sure how to find Brewer Street or Bear Lane in the Oxford 1841 census - Can anyone help with that?
Pam
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All my files are packed away so I'm working from memory. One of my ancestors, I think Thomas Norris or it could be Francis Norris, was one of several men who took Beesley from Wolvercote to Oxford.
You probably know the story.
I believe there is a book called Fisher row (I think) and the story is told along with others.
This book is held in some Oxfordshire Libraries. I never got to see a copy myself.
My understanding was Beesley either lived in Fisher row or was at least well known in the area.
I do have the story if you haven't heard it, from the start of the crime until his escape.
If you can find a copy of the book I hope it Helps.
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Just a correction - the manslaughter actually took place in July 1829.
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Thanks for your post. Yes I do have a copy of the WONDERFUL Fisher Row book by Mary Prior, and it has been a fount of information for my Beesley family.
Also, the book by Giles Brindley - "Oxford, Crime, Death and Debauchery" is a great source. There is a lot in the local and national news about the crime and the miscreant, who escapes to London and is recaptured there and returned to Oxford for trial. I have also looked at various papers from The National Archives relating to his transportation to Bermuda and his return, in my hunt for his identity. And I have also seen a transcript of the Court case.
However - the true identity of Thomas Beesley, convicted for Manslaughter is not proven (in my opinion). Nothing in the Court Papers of the trial or elsewhere actually gives his identity. The only clue is a Petition in 1833 from his father Samuel Beesley (there are several of them) and one comment in a newspaper that he had two children (which does fit <my> Thomas).
Mary Prior (Fisher Row, p 274 line 6-8) suggests this “is probably” my husband’s ancestor, who is also a Thomas Beesley, from Fisher Row in Oxford, b 1801, which seems to match the Thomas convicted and transported in 1830. Also on p 274 she gets the end of his transportation sentence wrong which, I believe, leads her to the wrong conclusion.
However, <my> Thomas Beesley has a child in 1836/7 (or at least his wife Maria does, and both he and she are named in the baptismal record), which is while the convict Thomas Beesley is in Bermuda, going there in 1830 and returning in 1838 and pardoned in 1839. Mary wrongly uses his return date as about 1837.
In 1841 there are three possible Thomas Beesleys - by age
1. one clearly my ancestor, living on Fish Row, with his wife Maria nee Collier and their family,
2. a second living with wife Mary (nee Lee) and children, also on Fish Row,
3. another, with wife Anna living just round the corner on Hythe Bridge Street.
I have not been able to identify this third Thomas, either his birth or a later death, but my hopes and suspicions are that this one is the culprit, not my ancestor.
Of course the convict may not have returned to Oxford.
I do have a lot more info about this case, if you or anyone has more information, or is interested in sharing this puzzle?? I would love to resolve it.
Who are Thomas Beesley, wife Anna, living on Hythe Bridge Street in 1841??? No 3 above???
Pam
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Sorry I wasn't much help.
How did you get a copy of Fisher row ? Whenever I've searched for it, it's been either unavailable or £40. Does it have anything to say about Thomas/Francis Norris ?
Good luck with your search, sometimes ancestors just don't want to be found.
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We visited Oxford Library to try and get more information on the Beesley family about 2 yrs ago and the most helpful librarian went off to the shelves and brought back Mary Prior's book (which I had just heard about) and opened it up at the comprehensive Beesley Family Trees therein. He then went on Amazon and we found a Used copy of the book, which I ordered straight away, and it has been my companion ever since!!
I have checked the Index and there is no reference to Norris.... (page 274 covers the incident).
Nor can I see a reference to Norris in the lengthier report of the fracas in Giles Brindley's excellent book.
However, Francis Norris is a witness in the court case where he says that "he accompanied John Thomas to convey Newman before the magistrate... " it says he is a labourer of Woolvercot and he signs with his Mark (ie can't write).
So that confirms the Francis Norris was involved in the arrest of Thomas Beesley - whoever he was, whether he was my ancestor or not!!!
Pam
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You were right place, right time for the book.
I've got a book with an account of the incident but can't remember the author offhand. Might have also got it from Jackson's Journal. Francis Norris worked with the Police at the Wolvercote Fair/races so I suppose he was a person they could trust. On this occasion he showed very poor judgement. I must have the story on my PC, I will have a look. If I find it I will pm you, I know it won't help you but it might fill in a few gaps. If the story is in Fisher row and you have it on your PC I would be interested in reading it, save me £40 buying the book 😁
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Have sent you a PM with more info...
Pam