Looking for info on a murderer born in Toddington abt 1824

[Ezekial]

Can anyone help please with my research into a murderer who was born in Toddington abt 1824....i've looked at the Bedford gaol register for her personal info but i'd like to know more about the actual crime. Her name was Sarah Darwood and she was 20yrs of age, she was sentenced to 6 months in 1844 for murder....this seems like a rather lenient sentence for such a crime!!!!...i'd really appreciate to hear from anyone who may be able to help.

 Regards

 china

[sem73]

Hi China

According to "England & Wales, Criminal Registers, 1791-1892" she was imprisoned for 6mths for "concealing the birth of an infant".........

Sarah

[Ezekial]

Hi Sarah,

 Would this mean she was convicted of infanticide ....

 china

[bedfordshire boy]

No, it means she was convicted of concealing the birth of an infant.

I know it was in 1844,  but section 60 of the Offences against the Person Act 1861 created the offence of concealing the birth of a child:

        "If any woman shall be delivered of a child, every person who shall, by any secret disposition of the dead body of the said child, whether such child died before, at, or after its birth, endeavour to conceal the birth thereof, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and being convicted thereof shall be liable, at the discretion of the court, to be imprisoned for any term not exceeding two years..."

So the child could have been stillborn and it could still have been an offence

[Ezekial]

Ok.. bedfordshire boy

 Are we in fact then saying that Sarah may have had a stillborn child, and as a result of concealing the childs birth and subsequent death, she was charged with murdering the child??

 china

[bedfordshire boy]

The Criminal Register states that Sarah Darwood age 20 was convicted of Concealing the birth of an infant and was sentenced to 6 months imprisonment at Bedford Assizes on 14th March 1844. Despite what the Bedford Gaol site may say she wasn't convicted of murder. But the papers are held by BLARS, so a trip to Bedford may be necessary to sort it out.

[Ezekial]

Thankyou for your reply, it will as you say need further investigation to try and determine where the truth lies.

 china

[WHATATREE]

Hi China,
thought you might find this interesting......

Gaol Record Detail For: Sarah Darwood

 
 Record ID: 7440
 Commital Year: 1844
 Reference Doc: BLARS QGV10/2
 ID in Reference Doc: 1610
 Age: 20
 Gender: female
 Height: 5 feet 2½ inches 
 Hair Colour: Brown
 Eye Colour: Grey
 Complexion: Fair
 Identifying Features: Broad face
 Education: Read
 Birth Town: Toddington
 Birth County: Bedfordshire
 Residence(town/village): Sandy
 Residence(county): Bedfordshire
 Offence: Murder
 Committed By: E.Eagles Esquire Coroner
 When Committed: 15/01/1844
 Type of Gaol: Bedford County Gaol
 Sentence: 6 Months Com.Gaol
 How Disposed: Sentence expired
 Discharge Date: 13/09/1844
 General Remarks on Prisoner: Very orderly

Regards
Andrea

[Ezekial]

Many thanks for the info Andrea......

china