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Author Topic: Unlawful Conversion of a Motor Car  (Read 782 times)

Offline SonofSussex

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Unlawful Conversion of a Motor Car
« on: Thursday 07 August 14 20:38 BST (UK) »
While researching my extended family, I learned that one of them was charged in Auckland in 1944 with the "unlawful conversion of  a motor car".  He was 19 at the time and was sentenced "to be detained in a Borstal institution for two years".

I am wondering what on earth he could have done that would warrant such punishment.  There is no mention that the car was stolen so I'm assuming it was his.

Offline Rudolf H B

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Re: Unlawful Conversion of a Motor Car
« Reply #1 on: Thursday 07 August 14 20:50 BST (UK) »
Congratulation!

Such stories are the salt in your ancestor's soup.

- He made it loud and noisy (drilling holes in the exhaust pipe)
- He made it faster: Car tuning

Rudolf
Goldschmidt; Gregory, Maude, Nancy Price, Welby (UK),
Goldschmidt > Goldsmith, Benetta, Bloom, Gillis, McDonough, Moses, Wheaton (Australia / NZ),
Spatz & Henderson (Greater London),
Herbert Spatz MC > H. Spence MC (Salisbury),
Spatz > Spence, Nichols. Kidd (Bromley > Manchester South, India),
Spatz > Spaatz (Boyertown, PA - USA),
Engel & Joly (Philadelphia, PA - USA).
Kummerer (London, Chicago & Australia).

WW1 - Cousins Killed in Action in the Australian, English, French & German Armies

Offline mike175

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Re: Unlawful Conversion of a Motor Car
« Reply #2 on: Thursday 07 August 14 20:52 BST (UK) »
As it was 1944, perhaps it was a wartime restriction that he contravened?

Mike.
Baskervill - Devon, Foss - Hants, Gentry - Essex, Metherell - Devon, Partridge - Essex/London, Press - Norfolk/London, Stone - Surrey/Sussex, Stuttle - Essex/London, Wheate - Middlesex/Essex/Coventry/Oxfordshire/Staffs, Gibson - Essex, Wyatt - Essex/Kent

Offline Johnf04

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Re: Unlawful Conversion of a Motor Car
« Reply #3 on: Thursday 07 August 14 21:05 BST (UK) »
It means unlawful taking of a motor vehicle.
Farrell  - Ayrshire
Cairns - Ayrshire
McCann - Ayrshire
Brown - Ayrshire
Petty - Yorkshire, Durham
Lucas - Staffordshire, Durham
Whitaker - Yorkshire
Thackrah - Yorkshire
Stephenson - Durham
Marshall - Yorkshire
Walker - Staffordshire, Southland New Zealand
McCullough -  Antrim, Southland New Zealand,
Cavanagh - Galway, Southland New Zealand
Anthony - Tipperary, Southland New Zealand
Bath - Cornwall, Tasmania, Southland
Brungot - Alesund, Norway; Southland
Bonthron - Fifeshire, Southland

Offline JenB

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Re: Unlawful Conversion of a Motor Car
« Reply #4 on: Thursday 07 August 14 21:23 BST (UK) »
Conversion in this context is a legal term, explained here:
http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/conversion

It has nothing to do with making an alteration to the car itself.
All Census Look Ups Are Crown Copyright from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline Janette

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Re: Unlawful Conversion of a Motor Car
« Reply #5 on: Thursday 07 August 14 22:36 BST (UK) »
"unlawful conversion of  a motor car" in NZ means theft of an automobile and it is still called car conversion,

http://www.rootschat.com/links/019aa/

Cheers Janette

Offline SonofSussex

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Re: Unlawful Conversion of a Motor Car
« Reply #6 on: Friday 08 August 14 14:19 BST (UK) »
Perfect!  Now I understand.  As noted in the link provided by JenB, 'conversion' is a fancy word for 'steals'.  Thanks all for helping me solve a (very) minor mystery.
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