Ann Padfield of perhaps Clandown, infant death tragedy/ murder - but who was she

[student325]

Hi RootsChatters

I've just stumbled on this entry about Ann aka Emma Padfield - looking at the names I was sure she was from Somerset, but I haven't had much luck pinning her down to a particular group.

http://www.oldbaileyonline.org/browse.jsp?div=t18601126-38

She was '23' in 1860 so born about 1837, and sadly looks as if she was charged with the murder of her infant child - W. A. Padfield, alternative surname Bryant after his father Frederick Bryant, who was just 18.

The Bryants turn up no problem in 1861 (mother is Emma Sophia), East India Merchants, but would like to find out who Ann was.

I did have a look at freereg, and found a possible marriage of George Padfield (to Mary Padfield at Coleford 1851) and to Mary Ann Huntley at Bristol 1858.  But it hasn't all 'fallen out' quickly as I wanted.

She can't be the (Mrs) Emma Padfield born about 1838 who married 1871 to Fred March, as this lady was a widow and previously Miss Emma Plummer.  Also that lady is safely at home in 1861 with a newborn son.

It's always surprising to find a murder in the family, and it would be good to know what happened to Ann and who she was.

Kind regards

David W

[..claire..]

Hi

It may be worth checking newspapers, there are plenty of reports about the murder etc.

After the sentence of death was given, it was later commuted to penal servitude for life and she was transported from Newgate to Holloway to start her sentence.

Some of the reports suggest that she was from Somerset, they also report that her child was illegitimate and that she was UNMARRIED, and had a sister in law Mary Padfield that was living in Paulton (a mining village not far from Bath)

This site gives some free credits for registering

http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/

claire

[carol8353]

JUst found the birth and death of the baby....

Births Sep 1860   

Bryant    William Augustus        Hackney    1b   341

Deaths Dec 1860   

Padfield    William Augustus        Hackney    1b   211

There are 266 newspaper entries about this crime,she was sentenced to death ,but had it comuted to life imprisonment in the end.

" Saturday 01 December 1860

"Murder.—Anne Padfield, 23, an unmarried woman, was indicted for the wilful murder of her illegitimate child, William Augustus Padfield. The crime was alleged to have been committed Leabridge. The peculiarity of the case was the difficulty of identifying"

Leabridge is in Leyton London.

[student325]

Thank you both - some great clues there.

The 1861 census for Bloomfield, Paulton shows
George Padfield 30 coal minor b Dunkerton =Mary 25 b Nunny [Nunney]
Elizabeth 4 b Blina [Blaina] Wales 'scholar', Sarah 2 b Pontepool [Pontypool] Wales, Harriet 2mo b Paulton
lodger Mark Cox 25 coal minor b East Harptree [marital status not given]
- The two Welsh births have large asterisks added on later, as do other similar entries in this enumeration district

Elizabeth c 1856 Blaina - possibly servant in Bath 1871 'b Glamorganshire'

David Padfield m 18 Apr 1829 Midsomer Norton, Isabella Beard:
 - David bur Jan 1855 Clandown holy Trinity age 47 (of Clandown) 'rockfall in mine' (source Ancestry tree maybe from burial register - see below for more)
ISSUE
George Padfield bp 17 Oct 1830 Radstock s/o David, Isabella coal miner Dunkerton
Elizabeth Padfield bp 13 Jan 1833 Radstock d/o David, Isabella coal miner Dunkerton
 (married 2 May 1855 Clandown Henry Ballam - living Clandown 1871 with lodger Wm Padfield)
Hannah Padfield bp 20 Sep 1835 Radstock d/o David, Isabella miner Dunkerton
Ann Padfield bp 11 Sep 1836 Midsomer Norton d/o David, Eliza miner Clandown [may be a repeated baptism of Hannah]
James Padfield bp 18 Feb 1838 Midsomer Norton d/o David, Eliza miner Clandown
Eliza Padfield bp 12 Feb 1839 Midsomer Norton s/o David, Isabella miner Clandown
William Padfield bp 19 Sep 1841 Clandown Wesleyan Chapel (b 16 Aug) s/o David, Isabella Clandown
Mary Padfield bp 27 Sep 1844 Clandown Wesleyan Chapel (b 26 Aug) d/o David, Izzabella Clandown

1841 C-down [Clandown], Midsomer Norton
David Padfield 30 miner, Issabella 30, George 10, Elizabeth 8, Hannah 5; James Disham 11 miner

1851 Clandown chapelry, Midsomer Norton
David Padfield 42 coalminer b Holcombe = Ezebelia 43 b Radstock
Hannah 15 b Dunkerton, William 9, Mary 6 (at school b Clandown); lodger William Carter 19 coalminer unmd b Dunkerton

1861 Clandown
Isabella Padfield 53 widow, William 19 miner, Sarah 9 (b Midsomer Norton)

Ancestry contributor writes:
David was tragically killed, in a coal mining accident. He was only 45 years old. Details of death cert: Date of Death: 6th January 1855 Place of Death: Clandown, Midsomer Norton, Somerset Name: David Padfield Age: 49 years (?) Occupation: Coal Miner Cause of Death: Accidentally killed in a coal mine Informant: Bruges Fry - Coroner, Cheddar When Registered: 13 (?) February 1855 Registrar: John Smith, Clutton, Midsomer Norton, Som. David was Buried: 11 Jan 1855, Midsomer Norton, Somerset Death of David Padfield: "PADFIELD David 23/12/1854, 47, Collier, Clandown, James Hill and Co., Radstock, Somerset, Fall of stone in roof."

Thanks to Rootschatters for breaking down this brick wall.  Still puzzled about 'Hannah/ Ann' but it seems highly likely now this is the correct family for Ann 'Emma'.

[carol8353]

In January 1861 the papers say that Ann had been moved from Newgate prison to Holloway ( in Islington) however just a couple of months later when the census was taken Ann is not there.
Was hoping the census may confirm her birth,although some of the records say Ann (e) Padfield of Somerset.

[lizdb]

I wonder if this is her
1861

RG 9 55 129 14
Westminster House of Correction
A.P.  24 female  prisoner  Housemaid  bn Kennington Somerset

[carol8353]

I wonder if this is her
1861

RG 9 55 129 14
Westminster House of Correction
A.P.  24 female  prisoner  Housemaid  bn Kennington Somerset

Very likely Liz,good find,so they lied when they said they'd moved her to Holloway LOL 

[lizdb]

Perhaps Holloway moved her on quickly too. 

[student325]

... and Ann's brother's marriage:
marriage at Trevethin, Pontypool Registration district, Monmouthshire:
14/10/1855, George, Padfield, x, 22, B, miner, otp, David Padfield, dead, Mary, Parsons, x, 20, Spin, , otp, John Parsons, labourer, William Jenkins, James Saunders, , banns
(David had been dead nine months at this time)

that's great Ann appears to be found in the prison census.  Can't resolve the 'Kennington Somerset' birthplace, there is Kilmersdon and Hemington neither of which are that close.