Walter Morris Cull - Convict

[yvorbiggun]

Walter Morris Cull was born in Cheltenham in 1852.  In the 1871 census he is shown as a convict in Millbank prison in London.  His trade is described as printer (compositor). 

His crime must have been significant for him to be sent to Millbank rather than to the Cheltenham lock-up.  Perhaps because of his profession he was a forger.

He disappears after that and I have been unable to locate any record of him after 1871 either in census's or death registrations.  Transportation had ended in the 1860's so that could not explain his disappearance.

Has anyone any ideas where I might look to see what he was convicted of and his ultimate fate.

Curiosity is a terrible affliction.

Dave

[Gillg]

Dave

Walter doesn't appear in the Gloucester gaol records, and I would have expected him to appear before the assizes there if he had committed his crime locally.  Do you know where his family was in 1861?  They may well have moved to London by then.

Have you searched emigration records?  There are 29 Walter Culls arriving in Ellis Island, for example, but sadly they are all too young for yours.  Other places to search would be Oz & NZ.  I've tried the assisted and unassisted passengers to Victoria sites without any success, but maybe you could post on the Emigrants to Australia board.

Of course, he may have changed his name after the gaol sentence...

Gillg

The 1881 index of Millbank prisoners on http://blacksheepancestors.com/uk/millbank.shtml shows that Walter was not among them.

[Gillg]

But isn't this Walter in 1881, back home with Mum?

Cull Ester Head Widow 69 Formerly Laundress Prestbury
Cull Walter Son Single 36 Draper's Packer Prestbury
Cosher Edward Lodger 23 Plasterer Prestbury

Salford Cottage No 1 High Street Prestbury

RG11 piece 2567 folio 18 page 3
Cheltenham, Charlton Kings

[yvorbiggun]

Hi Gillg,

His family were living in Cheltenham in 1861 and 1871 although Walter may of course have left the family home between those years and moved somewhere else to pursue his profession as a printer.

I haven't searched the emigration records which I suppose might be an idea.  I believe that Millbank was effectively the 1st national prison.  I believe that its intended purpose was to reform rather than just incarcerate its occupants.

If Walter did leave a reformed character then I suppose he could have changed his name in order to make a complete new start to his life.

Thank you for your efforts in trying to find out what happened to him.

Dave

[yvorbiggun]

Hi again,

I do not think that the Walter Cull that you have found in 1881 is the same chap.  The one that you have detailed was at home with his mom Ester in 1871.   Here is mine in 1861:




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[Gillg]

Oh, yes, just found Walter's parents William & Jemima in 1881 with children Alice M & Robert W, living in 
Grosvenor St No 7 Grosvenor Terrace
Cheltenham, Gloucester, England
RG11 Piece / Folio   2570 / 64 Page 22
 
Back to the idea of emigration, then.  I can see a Morris Cull arriving in Sydney NSW on the ship Yaralla 8 July 1877.  Just a thought.

Gillg

[yvorbiggun]

Presumably there are some NSW immigration records somewhere.  I will have to try and see if I can find them and see if there is any more details about that Morris Cull.

I have just done a quick search at the Australian National Archive for anything in 1877 with the name of Cull but it unfortunately found nothing.

[Gillg]

Do try the RootsChatters on the Emigrants board - they're really helpful.  You have probably come across variations on the surname spelling, too, such as Cole.  My Thomasin Fairey is recorded as Tam Ferry on her ship's record, so the person recording it must just have written what he heard.

Good luck with your search.  Do let us know what you find.

Gillg

[Gillg]

This is the record of mariners and passengers on the Yaralla, a British boat, travelling from Brisbane to Sydney on 17 Jan 1877 (don't know why the dates differs so much)

http://mariners.records.nsw.gov.au/1877/01/049yar.htm

He was an unassisted passenger travelling in the Saloon, so richer than those in Steerage.

I'm sure there will be other records you can check, too.

Gillg