Author Topic: Help needed! Manchester 1867 policeman shooting!!!  (Read 14774 times)

Offline woodydog

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Help needed! Manchester 1867 policeman shooting!!!
« on: Tuesday 12 July 05 14:46 BST (UK) »
Hello everyone- here I am again looking for your help after drawing a "blank"!!!
My friends ancestor Sergeant Charles (we think that's his first name) Brett was murdered when carrying prisoners between the court &  Belle Vue/New bailey prison in Manchester in September of 1867 (the Manchester Martyrs). We know that there is a plaque dedicated to him in St.Annes Church,St.Annes square , Manchester but would love to know how the transcription reads- oddly enough he lived in Manchester for over 10 years & many a time thought of popping into the church but never did (but he didn't know that the plaque existed then!!!!) We've tried searching the 1861 census but obviously we don't know where Charles (?) was born- I've found an entry on freebmd for the death of a Charles Brett in Manchester age 51 in the December quarter of 1867 but can't catogorically prove that that's him. On most sites we've come across he is only noted as Sergeant Brett & the daft beggar put his eye up against the keyhole as the group trying to save their friends blew the lock !!!!
Any help would be very much appreciated as we have very little more recent history to work on, thank you in advance
Rose
Pratt- Catterick/Richmond N.Yorks & Wilsden/Halifax West Yorks
Maylor- Preston/ Poulton Le Fylde
Whitaker- Halifax
Dixon- London & Yorkshire
Booth-Middleton,Oldham,Royton,Lancs
Boyling-Oldham,Royton & Shropshire
Harris- Bradford, Prestwich Manchester
SMITH!! Kirkcaldy, Manchester
Sturgess-  Preston Candover, Hampshire & London
Nixon- London
Walters- London & Hampshire
Settle - Halifax & Brighouse
Census information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline mikehicks

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Re: Help needed! Manchester 1867 policeman shooting!!!
« Reply #1 on: Tuesday 12 July 05 15:33 BST (UK) »
Hi,

Manchester RO will allow you to order the death cert but you won't get charged if a detail you want checking does not match.

I would say you have the right man anyway
Cartledge, Rushton, Winnington (Salford/Manchester)
Hicks(Manchester, Monmouthshire)

Offline ec

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Re: Help needed! Manchester 1867 policeman shooting!!!
« Reply #2 on: Tuesday 12 July 05 16:01 BST (UK) »
There are many articles about this case in the Times Digital archive.  One I have just read says the incident was in september 1867 and Charles Brett was 52, so I think this ties in with the death reg you have found

ec

Offline zebedee

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Re: Help needed! Manchester 1867 policeman shooting!!!
« Reply #3 on: Tuesday 12 July 05 16:08 BST (UK) »
Hi..I think you are going to pleased with this! I looked on this site and found my Great Grandfather, a police sergeant in Somerset. I was able to order two newspaper reports for £6 each, which came in 2-3 weeks. One was of his retirement and the other was his obituary. I have looked on the site and found 25 entries (that means there are 25 newspaper reports that you can order!) for CHARLES BRETT. The various reports are about his family, the Queen's gift to, Subscriptions for, Fund, Funeral of, Memorial to, Murdered 1867 and Shot dead by Fenians.
So...good luck. If you go to

http:www.lightage.demon.co.uk/POLNOTES.htm

Look up his initials in the Major Police reports...and then print out then go to POLICE MAJOR ORDER FORM and print it out and send it off with your cheque and order for whichever reports you want...very exciting!

Good Luck!


Offline ec

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Re: Help needed! Manchester 1867 policeman shooting!!!
« Reply #4 on: Tuesday 12 July 05 16:30 BST (UK) »
Apparently he left a wife and daughters and was buried at Harpurhey Cemetery.  The funeral was extremely well attended by the likes of the mayor and the city council and about 400 policemen.

The distance from his house to the cemetery was about 2 miles and the pavements were lined with people 6 to 8 abrest.

From The Times, Tues Sept 24th

"Brett's relatives yesterday were almost overwhelmed by the magnitude of the popular demonstration in his honour.  Considered as a public funeral, the multitudes who attended it rendered it one of the most imposing ever witnessed."

a lot of libraries have on/off site access to the Times Digital Archive
Hope this helps

ec

Offline ec

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Re: Help needed! Manchester 1867 policeman shooting!!!
« Reply #5 on: Tuesday 12 July 05 16:45 BST (UK) »
Here they are in 1861

RG9/2931 foli 15 p 34
Rd Manchester 
SubRD Ancoats 
ED  22 

7 Wilson St

Chas Brett 1816  Macclesfield Head  Police Officer
Mary Brett 1814  Macclesfield Wife 
Mary Brett 1844  Macclesfield, Cheshire, Daughter 
Chas Brett 1847  Macclesfield Son 
Elizabeth  Brett 1850  Manr Daughter 

ec

 

Offline uk2003

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Re: Help needed! Manchester 1867 policeman shooting!!!
« Reply #6 on: Tuesday 12 July 05 19:49 BST (UK) »
Hi Rose

If I get time this week I will call at Blackley crem as they hold the register for Harpurhey cemetery/Manchester General Cemetery.

If luck is on are side they will give me a location of the burial and I will check it out with trusty camera-in-tow.

Will also try St Annes church for you.

You could also try the Police Museum in Newton Street Manchester - http://www.gmp.police.uk/faqs/about_gmp.asp but not sure on contact details

That link that zebedee put on is superb www.lightage.demon.co.uk/POLNOTES.htm

Found date of murder 18th Sept 1867 http://www.manchester2002-uk.com/celebs/murderers-manchester.html

http://irelandsown.net/1867.html read section Contemporary sources regarding the tragedy of the manchester martyrs

http://www.sakoman.net/pg/html/12961.htm WOW this seems like the whole story

Regards
Ken
 
Harris - Millington - Hilton - Capper - Smith - Jones

Offline woodydog

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Re: Help needed! Manchester 1867 policeman shooting!!!
« Reply #7 on: Tuesday 12 July 05 21:35 BST (UK) »
Blimey O'Reilly you lot!!! I told him you were good but never expected this! I've emailed the police museum (will keep you posted) - Zebedee I've had a good look at the Lightage/polnotes site & wow! All I need to do is win the lottery!!!The Sakoman site is just unbelievable! EC the details from the 1861 census are invaluable at least we have an idea of when & more importantly where he was born- I've been looking on ancestry & wouldn't have found him in a million years as he is listed as Brott!! I've been looking at the 1871 census & found his wife Mary & also his son Charles who was a private in the 1st btn Grenadier guards based in Berkshire but haven't been able to get any further in 1881/91 or 1901 any ideas chaps? Again to Ec the details on his funeral are wonderful- I'll go down to our local library tomorrow to see if they have access as I'd love to read it all, I'm only 50/50 on whether they will as it's not very geared up to anything to do with genealogy (everythings in Dumfries 70 miles away!) but fingers crossed. For now I'll thank you all again and see if I can find anything else- I know the poor fella wasn't the luckiest man on earth but how I wish I had one of these myself!!!

Bye for now
Rose
Pratt- Catterick/Richmond N.Yorks & Wilsden/Halifax West Yorks
Maylor- Preston/ Poulton Le Fylde
Whitaker- Halifax
Dixon- London & Yorkshire
Booth-Middleton,Oldham,Royton,Lancs
Boyling-Oldham,Royton & Shropshire
Harris- Bradford, Prestwich Manchester
SMITH!! Kirkcaldy, Manchester
Sturgess-  Preston Candover, Hampshire & London
Nixon- London
Walters- London & Hampshire
Settle - Halifax & Brighouse
Census information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline woodydog

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Re: Help needed! Manchester 1867 policeman shooting!!!
« Reply #8 on: Tuesday 12 July 05 21:41 BST (UK) »
Now look what you made me do in my excitement - sorry Ken your offer of St Annes & the cemetary is absolutely wonderful- Say hello to Manchester for me- if I was to list all the things we miss (my husband is also mancunian born & bred as well as my friend!) it would be endless- right this moment there isn't much I wouldn't do for a trip to Wing Yips!!!! Thank you,thank you,thank you- Rose
Pratt- Catterick/Richmond N.Yorks & Wilsden/Halifax West Yorks
Maylor- Preston/ Poulton Le Fylde
Whitaker- Halifax
Dixon- London & Yorkshire
Booth-Middleton,Oldham,Royton,Lancs
Boyling-Oldham,Royton & Shropshire
Harris- Bradford, Prestwich Manchester
SMITH!! Kirkcaldy, Manchester
Sturgess-  Preston Candover, Hampshire & London
Nixon- London
Walters- London & Hampshire
Settle - Halifax & Brighouse
Census information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk