Hello everyone,
Since I’ve finished most my research on all my direct ancestors (I decided to stop at the 18th century since the tree was getting out of hand and too complex), I thought I’d focus on the indirect ancestors and see what interesting people I'd find;
I’ve been looking for aaaages for a death record - or some kind of information on a criminal ancestor who was sentenced to 7 years Penal servitude.
Name - George Bennett, alias 'Henry Simpson' or 'George Simpson'
Born on October 6th 1832 - though this is often listed as 1833, and for some reason he lists his age as being 23 on his criminal record (??)... though he clearly looks his age (27), and he lies about being a Roman Catholic
Born and Lived in Bedmont (for some reason they spelt Bedmond with a 't' back then) Hertfordshire
He had a daughter ‘Phoebe Eliza Bennett’ (named after his mother ‘Phoebe’) and I presume his wife was called ‘Eliza’ though I have found no marriage certificate**! Likewise I haven’t found any more info on his daughter - I did find a burial record for a ‘Phoebe Bennett**’ for 1861 however (he wasn’t there for the birth, christening or the death since he was always constantly in prison for poaching offences).
** You will find a marriage record for a George and Eliza Bennett around 1856 - however these are not the same people since these two were still were still having children in the 1860s - when George was serving his 7 year sentence.
**This record would not have been for his mother Phoebe since she re-married to 'David Burridge' - whom seemed to have some problems with alcohol and getting into fights with other members of the family
In 1860 he is arrested with Henry Lee and sentenced to 2 years, 1 year later there is another trial regarding burglary and housebreaking to which he is then sentenced to another 7 years. On Henry Lee’s record there is info on the date he was released and where (to Milbank) but for Bennett there is no such info??
Which leads me to my question - what happened?
My direct ancestor ‘James Bennett’ eventually moved to Hambleden in Oxfordshire - but it doesn’t appear that his brother George followed suit.
After being released from a 4 year sentence for night poaching in 1859 he is advised from the local constabulary to ‘quit the country’ (I can't find the article to screenshot right now but when I do I'll post it) - and in 1860 for his trial he apparently bought tickets to the ‘Cape of Goodhope’ (which he did do - but used them as a ploy to distract the police - getting off the train at Watford and then walking back up to Kings Langley to meet with Henry Lee!!).
http://apps.bedford.gov.uk/grd/detail.aspx?id=8 - initial 2 year sentence
http://apps.bedford.gov.uk/grd/detail.aspx?id=23574 - 7 years after re-trial but no release date
He very often used the alias of ‘Simpson’ - he uses it twice infact! Once in 1853 for Highway Robbery he names himself as ‘George Simpson’ and then again in 1860 he refers to himself as ‘Henry Simpson’, so its possible that after leaving prison he may have started living under a new alias.
^ Listed as George Simpson - he actually lodged with Thomas Gulston and Hawkins.
^ When arrested in 1860 outside the church
http://bedsarchives.bedford.gov.uk/CommunityArchives/Luton/EstablishedChurchinLuton/ThievesAtSaintMarys.aspxHe could have immigrated - (highly likely after being urged by the police before to do so
and having his mugshot distributed to Gaols around the country) or he died in prison
^ His criminal record - the age and religion are both WRONG, but lists the highway robbery crime for 1853 in case there was any doubt it being the same person.
So - any help on this 'brickwall' would be great! It would be great to finally solve this mystery 
and then I can move on with the other 200 people on my tree 
Also - apologies on how bloomin long this post is - crikey!
