Prison record - George Chalmers & Isobel Simpson

[Tom Wright]

I'm trying to confirm the people on the following record.  The names match by gg-grandmother, Isobella Simpson, born 17 Dec 1827, Marnoch and her husband, George Chalmers, born 15 Oct 1822, Marnoch.  They were convicted of assault on January 1857 with their ages listed as: Isobel 28 and George 29.  Based upon their birth record it should be: Isobel 29 and George 34.  Since this is a court record I would assume that the ages would be correct.  Are these the same people or a different couple?

[MonicaL]

Hi Tom

Your Isabel gave birth to a son in 1857 in Banff, the other births that show for them on the Family Search birth index were all in Marnoch.

Alexander Simpson Chalmers b. 22 April 1857 in Banff

Maybe this birth reg might give you some additonal info that could help?

Monica

[JJen]

There is a newspaper article for George Chalmers and Isobel -

Banffshire Journal and General Advertiser 13 January 1857

Maltreating a Child
George Chalmers, Aberchirder and his wife were brought to Banff, committed for trial on a charge of continuing a system of maltreating a child of the husband's for a period of six months. The child was believed to be about four and a half years old.

Hopefully the above info may help you to determine if they are the couple you are researching.

JJ

[Christine53]

There is an article in the Banffshire Journal and General Advertiser 24 February 1857 about this case.
The assault involved cruel and unnatural treatment and willful neglect of a child , Jane Chalmers , a child of the husband's from a former marriage , aged about 4 years. George Chalmers is described as a labourer and farm servant of Aberchirder and his wife as Isabella Simpson or Chalmers. The article states that Chalmer's first wife was also called Isabella Simpson. Jane Chalmers had a sister . also called Isabella.

It's a long piece so I can't quote it all here. Perhaps the above will give you some clues as to whether it's the right family.

I see some of this has already been given but I will post anyway.

[MonicaL]

  Sad always these reportings.

The children born in Marnoch show as:

Jane 1852
Isabella 1854
Elspet 1855
Ann 1859

A child of the husband's? Questions on that statement isn't there.

Monica

[MonicaL]

The 1855 birth cert for Elspet may help further. It should show date and place of parents' marriage and also how many children they had together (girls/boys, alive/deceased).

Two Isabella Simpsons?

Monica

[MonicaL]

Sure enough, two marriages for George to Isabella Simpsons:

21 February 1852 Marnoch
18 January 1855 Marnoch

Elspet's 1855 birth should help with further confirmation of these details.

Monica

[MonicaL]

Tom, I see on that first clip you have from the Criminal Registers that George Chalmers had previously been inprisoned at that Jail. There is a further criminal ref number written there that you could check up on to see what it says re George for that earlier entry.

Monica

[MonicaL]

One other clip from the Banffshire Journal and General Advertiser on 1 November 1859:

Another capture was made on Wednesday last by our county constables in the vicinity of Keith. The delinquent was George Chalmers, from Aberchirder, who, it may be remembered, was tried some years ago in along with his wife for cruel treatment of a ...

Another possible mention in this paper on 6 March 1860

Yesterday, in the Court House, Banff, before Sheriff Gordon, George Chalmers, labourer, parish of Mamoch, pled guilty to a breach of the peace and theft, committed at Elrick, near Aberchirder, on ...

Monica