Thomas Beesley b 1801 - manslaughter at Wolvercot 1828

[cordley]

I am researching the Thomas Beesley (TB) who was convicted of manslaughter in 1830, at the Oxford Lent Assizes and given 14 yrs, was transported to Bermuda from 1830, lives in the hulk Coromandel and returns to the hulk Leviathan in Portsmouth in 1838 and is pardoned 12 Feb 1839.

Since my husband's ancestor is of the right age, and for other reasons, I initially wondered if this was 'our' man.

However 'our' TB and his wife Maria nee Collier have a child, Elizabeth, baptised in 1837, at the same time as his sister's child, and later census records confirm the year of birth.  So it seems unlikely that 'our' TB is the convict, unless Elizabeth was illegitimate.  Thomas and Maria go on to have another child Mary in 1841, who is my husband's g-grandmother.

Beesley is a very common name in Oxford, so research is tricky but I am now looking at an entry in the 1841 census for Thomas Beseley 40 Bargeman, and Anna Beseley 40 living on Hythe Bridge Street.  Anna has a tick under the column 'Scotland, Ireland or Foreign'.

HELP - I cannot find anything else about this TB and wife Anna - has anyone any ideas???

And what is the difference between a Bargeman and a Boatman, as many of his neighbours are?

[trish1120]

1851 Census
Thomas Beesley   Head   M 50 Masons Lab Oxford, Oxfordshire
Maria Beesley   Wife   F 54   Wytham, Berkshire
Elizabeth Beesley Daughter   F 16   Oxford, Oxfordshire*****
Mary Beesley   Daughter   F 9   Oxford, Oxfordshire

So is this them in 1851 which rules out the Convict and Thomas/Ann?

Trish

[cordley]

Yes it is - unless Elizabeth was illegitimate and accepted into the family! 

Pam

[trish1120]

And this would be them in 1841;
Thomas Beseley,30, Boatman
Maria Beseley, 45
Ann Beseley, 15
Elizabeth Beseley, 5****

Samuel Beesley, 70, Bargeman and and a Abel and Family on same page.

[cordley]

Yes, Oxford is full of Beesleys!!

Samuel, aged 70 in 1841 is great-uncle to this Thomas.  Abel b 1814 is cousin once removed.

[trish1120]

Yes from Census it sure is full of them

[cordley]

But it is Thomas & Anna both 40 in the 1841 census that interest me at the moment.  At the moment I can't identify them before or after 1841.

[cordley]

I am still trying to find the convict!!  Need help with the 1841 census for Oxford - see end of post.

I have found the court papers as well as details of Thomas's transportation to Bermuda from March 1830 until his return in Oct 1838 and pardon in Feb 1839.  In these papers there is a petition for clemency in 1833 from his father 'Samuel' which was rejected.

There is no evidence as to what he did after his release in Feb 1839.  He may or may not have returned to Oxford, he may or may not have kept his same name.

But I am still unable to find any evidence as to which Thomas Beesley and which Samuel Beesley they are.  There is no other family information that I can find. Newspapers at the time said Thomas was a married man with two children, but no other detail of occupation (other than 'looking like a Boatman or Bargeman') or abode.  Court papers give his age as 28 when the manslaughter took place.

Just for interest, Thomas escapes to London after the affray on 6th July 1829, where he is found in Blackfriars/Deptford in September 1829 and returned to Oxford to the County prison until the Assizes in March 1830 when he is given a 14 yr transportation sentence.  He actually serves just under 10 years.

The fact that the suggested culprit (Mary Prior's renowned book expresses some doubt - pgs 17 and 274) is Thomas Beesley married to Maria Collier, and they have a daughter, Elizabeth, born and baptised in 1837 in St Thomas's Oxford, at the same service as her little cousin, Elizabeth Collier, makes me doubt it's him.  Mary Prior did not seem to know the date of his release, (Feb 1839), if she had that might have changed her opinion.

I am now trying to research the father - and I am intrigued by a Samuel Beesley, Livery Stable Keeper,  who, in Pigot's 1830 is recorded in St Mary Hall Lane, Oxford.  I think I also find him in 1842 Pigot's in Brewer Street and son(?) in Bear Lane. 

In 1833 Samuel Beesley takes over the share of a Fly and Wagon Office in Jesus College Lane, Oxford from George Kimber with the Livery Office in St Mary Hall Lane (Oxford Journal 31 Aug 1833) forming Beesley, Gilbert & Co, running transport twice a day to London and back.

I wonder if the Livery Stable was able to put Thomas onto a coach heading to London, there were frequent services.  Just a thought as to how he escaped.

BUT - I cannot find a suitable Samuel Beesley in the 1841 census for Oxford.  I am sure I must be missing something obvious. 

I am not sure how to find Brewer Street or Bear Lane in the Oxford 1841 census  - Can anyone help with that?

Pam

[BORRI]

All my files are packed away so I'm working from memory. One of my ancestors, I think Thomas Norris or it could be Francis Norris, was one of several men who took Beesley from Wolvercote to Oxford.
You probably know the story.
I believe there is a book called Fisher row (I think) and the story is told along with others.
This book is held in some Oxfordshire Libraries. I never got to see a copy myself. 
My understanding was Beesley either lived in Fisher row or was at least well known in the area.
I do have the story if you haven't heard it, from the start of the crime until his escape.
If you can find a copy of the book I hope it Helps.