Reading Gaol Records and prisoner photo album at BRO -- John Carter 1893

[Canadiangal]

This may seem a very bizarre request!  I am Canadian and my great-grandfather Thomas Carter is quite probably the son of John Carter (apparently a notorious murderer from Watchfield, Bershire, England).  I came across an article online which indicated that the Bershire Records Office (BRO) houses a collection of records from the Reading Prison including four photograph albums of prisoner "mug shots" for the period 1883-1915 as well as other Reading Gaol records / nominal registers.

John Carter was found guilty of murdering his third wife Rhoda (Titcombe) Carter in Watchfield, Berkshire in 1893 and was hanged for the crime Dec 5th, 1893.  I'm looking for the photograph if it exists and information regarding the trial (supposedly the nominal registers would include the prisoner's name, time and place of the hearings of their case, their offence, sentence, personal information etc.)  If a record of him is found I would love the information/ a copy. 

An unusual look-up I know!! 

[CCRAIL]

Hi
No info on Reading Gaol I am afraid but found these which may give you more info:

http://www.truecrimelibrary.com/crime_series_show.php?id=493&series_number=3

and this:

http://www.whereitis.co.uk/watchfield.chronicle/page25.html

The second link gives quite a lot of info.

Hope this helps
CCRAIL

[Canadiangal]

Thank You so much.  I did find these sites but wanted to dig further.  I've contacted the author of the Watchfield Chronicles website to see if during his research he may have collected copies or transcribed more of the mentioned newspaper reports or any other information.

I also found the existence of an article "The Watchfield Horrors" by David Disbury in "The Bershire Family Historian" journal (Jun 1998).  Someone at the Bershire Research Centre is going to look it up for me next week and hopfully scan or send a copy.

What I'm really after is first hand/ primary sources of information i.e. the newspaper articles detailing the case and trial (I've read that from July to December 1893 the local Swindon Advertiser reported the events in detail) and I discovered that the Berkshire Records Office supposedly hold Reading Gaol records and prisoner photos covering that period from the following Berkshire Family Historian article:
http://www.berksfhs.org.uk/journal/Dec1999/dec1999ReadingGaolPhotographs.htm
I thought that might be a good lead.
My problem really lies in the fact that I am in Canada and the records are in England and not at present digitalized and accessible online.  The idea that this man is very likely my great-great grandfather is obviously a bit unsettling and perhaps a mugshot would be a bit morbid but it may also indicate some family resemblance to my great-grandfather.  What I am really hoping to seek out when all is said and done is what happenned to my great-grandfather Thomas Carter after the trial and his younger siblings.  I am of the opinion that he ended up in Canada after being in some kind of foundling home.

As you can imagine I want to gain as much information as possible to determine what transpired considering it was such a troubling event!!
Thanks again.

[Canadiangal]

Would it perhaps be best to contact Berkshire Records Office directly and have staff look it up?  Is it quite expensive?

[CCRAIL]

Hi again, I can understand why you want the info but I personally have no experience of the Berkshire Records Office, Others may well be able to help you. I have found a link that explains what they can do and how much it costs:

http://www.berkshirerecordoffice.org.uk/services/record.htm

Some people on here may also be visiting the office and may be able to do a lookup for you.  It is worth a try.

Regards
CCRAIL

[Kimbrey]

Berkshire Record Office charge £20.00 per hour

Sounds a lot but it depends where you live and how much it would cost to get there !!

[Kimbrey]

I forgot to say that you can  e-mail them and explain what you want and they will give a quote

[Canadiangal]

Thanks Kimbrey.

I may just do that!  I live in Canada so the cost is definitely less than it would be to travel to England   Admittedly I'd rather just find soeone already heading there who has time to take a peek for me and maybe just charge for copies and postage but I may just have to bite the bullet and pay a little more.  At least I could get a quote and see (might not be so bad).

[newburychap]

John Carter was found guilty of murdering his third wife Rhoda (Titcombe) Carter in Watchfield, Berkshire in 1893 and was hanged for the crime Dec 5th, 1893.  I'm looking for the photograph if it exists and information regarding the trial (supposedly the nominal registers would include the prisoner's name, time and place of the hearings of their case, their offence, sentence, personal information etc.)  If a record of him is found I would love the information/ a copy. 

Most papers of the time covered the case - C19th Newspapers (online via Gale) have lots on the case.

The inquest coverage gives the most detail - reports late Jul early Aug, the trial rarely merits more than a paragraph (mid to late Nov) and the execution barely gets a mention (early Dec). 

In mid Aug there is a report that the police were digging for the body of a previous wife - and found some unidentified bones. No mention of a second murder at the trial so I guess the bones turned out to be pig or somesuch.