Cambrian and/or Gaol look-up KEARNEY

[Arranroots]

I know the Irish had a bad reputation in south Wales - need to check whether my in-law ancestors were among the naughty ones!

Please could I have a look up of the following, either in the actual newspaper article or gaol calendars, referred to in the Cambrian indexes:

05 April 1878 Quarter Sessions:
James KEARNEY, aged 49, Labourer
Stole clothing from Neath Guardians
Punishment: 8 months hard labour, P7
 
01 July 1881 Glamorgan Sessions:
Honora KEARNEY
Charged with receiving goods belonging to William JENKINS, of Neath
Punishment: 12 months hard labour

They both seemed to survive the experience at any rate!

Many thanks in anticipation.

Arranroots 
 

[bevbee]

Hi Arranroots,

I can look up the Cambrian entries for you on Wednesday. There might not be any additional info on them, so don't expect too much, they tend to be quite sparce - but worth a look.

Bev. 

[Ruth T]

Hi Arranroots

I did a quick search of 19th c Newspapers.  There were three reports in the Western Mail and the Bristol Mercury and Daily Post for Honora's misdemeanors. Have you seen them?

Best wishes

Ruth

[Arranroots]

Hello Both

Bev - that would be very kind, if Ruth's findings don't solve the issue before then - thanks.  Are the gaol calendars in the same location?

Ruth - no, haven't seen them.  I'm embarrassed to ask but is there somewhere I should have looked before posting?   

I am trying to establish a link between this couple (?) and a William KEARNEY who I believe to be their son.  If I have the correct folk, they will be from Dublin and Tipperary respectively, although a couple of their children were born in London.

Any help appreciated.

Kind regards, Arranroots 

[bevbee]

I understand the gaol records are in the archives so I can check them at the same time. The Western Mail is in the library along with the Cambrian so that won't be a problem either.

B. 

[Arranroots]

Thanks Bev - sounds great! 

I'm worried though that I should have checked online - does Ruth mean Gale newspapers, I'm wondering

[Ruth T]

Hi Both

The 19c Newspaper site of the British Library can be found at http://newspapers.bl.uk/blcs  You have to pay for access but I'll pm the details I found regarding Honora Kearney.

Best wishes

Ruth

[Arranroots]

That's very generous of you, thanks Ruth.

 

[bernard_lewis]

'Stole clothing from the Neath Guardians' - this usually meant that the person was an inmate of the local workhouse and absconded in the uniform that was required to be worn to indicate that the wearer was a pauper (it was hoped that the associated stigma of obvious pauperism (plus the arduous nature and poor diet of 'indoor relief') would deter people from entering the workhouse. And thus keep the costs of their maintenance off the local poor rates).

'Absconding' might mean simply leaving the workhouse without observing the proper procedure to 'run away' (to a nearby parish or town) or it might simply be that that a pauper - allowed out on an errand - failed to return at the appointed time.

The Guardians were actually keen to see paupers leave and leaving in itself was not an offence. But failing to return when dressed in the union garb was treated as an offence.

My book on the Swansea Workhouse covers this.

Bernard