Show Posts
1
Lancashire / James Sidebottom (or Sidebotham)
« on: Sunday 27 May 07 02:01 BST (UK) »
Does anybody have a loose end of this name, who disappeared in the early 1800's 
The Story James Sidebottom was born c. 1789, baptised 19-12-1790, St Thomas Ardwick, then a village on the outskirts of Manchester. Got into trouble!!! Tried 4-5-1806, acquitted, tried 25-4-1809, re-tried 11-10-1809 apparently same offence, sentenced to 7 years in Oz. Expensive barrister employed - got him that time! Transported, escaped late 1811 & got back to England, (rare event), caught again in Leicester, used alias of John Smith, (escaping was a hanging offence), & sentenced to another 7 years in Oz. Transported again, pinched something in Sydney, sentenced to the Newcastle Penal settlement. There he appears to have decided third time proves it, & if you can't beat 'em, join 'em. Became Chief Constable, confessed his misdeeds to Gov. MacQuarie & was pardoned 19-8-1819. Became disgustingly rich, married, but unfortunately when he died he left it all to his sons, & one of his daughters, my ancestor, got only a 20 pound annuity.
---One of the curious factors is that he appears to have been very well educated, unusual in the late 1700's. Built a large house, almost a mansion, named Courtland Place, so the name must have meant something to him.
---The IGI shows some names in the Manchester area who could be relatives, but I have no definite connection.
---A relative of mine searched for court documents while in England, the Lancashire archives found a few fragmentary references, as above, but the main documents for that period have been lost.
Any suggestions as to where I might find more information would be welcome, and if anybody has a lost g-x-g-uncle that would be marvellous.
The Story James Sidebottom was born c. 1789, baptised 19-12-1790, St Thomas Ardwick, then a village on the outskirts of Manchester. Got into trouble!!! Tried 4-5-1806, acquitted, tried 25-4-1809, re-tried 11-10-1809 apparently same offence, sentenced to 7 years in Oz. Expensive barrister employed - got him that time! Transported, escaped late 1811 & got back to England, (rare event), caught again in Leicester, used alias of John Smith, (escaping was a hanging offence), & sentenced to another 7 years in Oz. Transported again, pinched something in Sydney, sentenced to the Newcastle Penal settlement. There he appears to have decided third time proves it, & if you can't beat 'em, join 'em. Became Chief Constable, confessed his misdeeds to Gov. MacQuarie & was pardoned 19-8-1819. Became disgustingly rich, married, but unfortunately when he died he left it all to his sons, & one of his daughters, my ancestor, got only a 20 pound annuity.
---One of the curious factors is that he appears to have been very well educated, unusual in the late 1700's. Built a large house, almost a mansion, named Courtland Place, so the name must have meant something to him.
---The IGI shows some names in the Manchester area who could be relatives, but I have no definite connection.
---A relative of mine searched for court documents while in England, the Lancashire archives found a few fragmentary references, as above, but the main documents for that period have been lost.
Any suggestions as to where I might find more information would be welcome, and if anybody has a lost g-x-g-uncle that would be marvellous.