1825 murder in Inveresk

[Richard Knott]

In 1827 the Edinburgh Weekly Chronicle published an account of a hanging in which someone appeared to confess to the murder of Ramsay Ingles two years earlier:
http://digital.nls.uk/broadsides/broadside.cfm/id/15191/transcript/1

The only information it gives about Ramsay Ingl(e/i)s is that he was a 'pensioner and banksman' at Cowpits Colliery in Inveresk. This is almost definitely the Ramsay Inglis who was born in 1789, son of Robert (a miner) and Emily (nee Clark) Ingles, who did serve in the army and was therefore a pensioner. He left behind three small children and a widow who never remarried.

I do not need to find out more about Ramsay Inglis' family, but I would like to know more about his death/murder. He had disappeared in 1825, so it doesn't look as if his body was ever found and I can't find a death certificate. There is unlikely to be a mention in a newspaper at the time of his disappearance in 1825, but there may be an account if the two thieves (Salmon and Merrilees) apprehended in 1827 were ever brought to trial.

Richard

[sancti]

The Glasgow Herald account says he was hanged for the robbery of Mr Dickson of Cousland

[Richard Knott]

Thank you for looking.

The Edinburgh newspaper also mentions the Dickson robbery but says that he mentioned the previous murder while he was waiting to be hanged. I was hoping that there was a subsequent trial for the murder of Ramsay Ing(e/i)s which might say more about that incident; but it seems not.

Richard

[bleckie]

Hi All

From the National Archives of Scotland


http://195.153.34.9/onlinecatalogue/details.aspx?reference=AD14%2f27%2f42&st=1&tc=y&tl=n&tn=n&tp=n&k=dickson+cousland&ko=a&r=&ro=s&df=&dt=&di=y

Robbery of George Dickson  Cousland  no mention of Ramsay Ingles.

Yours Aye
BruceL

[Richard Knott]

Thanks for that.

Those accused of doing the 1825 murder were 'Salmon and Meerilees'. the evidence against them must have been non-existent, so it isn't surprising that there isn't a post 1827 reference.

Richard

[Flattybasher9]

Have you looked at the death record of Ramsay Inglis, 13/02/1854, INVERESK AND MUSSELBURGH, Midlothian?

Regards

Malky

[Richard Knott]

I have, but thank you for looking. That's the grandson of the Ramsay I am looking for.

Ramsay 1 had a son, Ramsay 2, just before he (Ramsay 1) was murdered.
Ramsay 2 had a son Ramsay 3 in 1848 who died, aged 5, in 1854.

Richard

[Isabel H]

Ramsay's sister Violet was my 3xgreat grandmother, so this murder interests me too.

The account in "The Scotsman" of the hanging of William Thomson, ends "..It is not true, as has been asserted, that Thomson had confessed a participation in a murder which had been committed in the neighbourhood of Musselburgh a year or two since. Some information has, however, been given by his brother and Fram, who were condemned along with him, relative to that horrid deed, not of their own knowledge, but derived from some of their associates."

If the brother and Fram gave information about Ramsay's murder, do you think there would be any reference to it in the Precognition for their trial, or would that have been omitted as irrelevant to the matter in hand?

[Richard Knott]

Ramsay's sister Violet was my 3xgreat grandmother, so this murder interests me too.

Do you think there would be any reference to it in the Precognition for their trial.

I've sent you a PM about our shared ancestry.

I have no knowledge as to how witnesses were interviewed in those days or whether records were kept. It would be good if they were but the information may well have been gossip through unofficial channels.

Richard