Looking for James Bolton, born 1888-1890, South Shields

[Mabel Bagshawe]

HIs previous convictions - 1887 as JOhn Boltin (an italian) for passing counterfeit oins [newspaper reports say he had just married a repesctable serrvant girl from a pub]

1893 - as John Boulton - for running a brothel  (the Millicent Street trader is also sometime spelled Boulton)

ANd the marriage

Marriages Dec 1886   Cardiff    11a   505
Bolden    John        <<<
COX    Raymond        
Hickey    Mary Ann   <<<
ROPER    Anna Maria        

[Deirdre784]

Thanks Mabel, hadn’t found those but fairly sure the John Bolton (Italian, born Genoa on one census) is not the family we are looking for. Haven’t found anything to link him to ‘our’ James, other than the one matching address of 18 Humphrey (Homfrey) Street, though i accept it is a puzzle.

Fascinating stuff found in the newspapers though thanks, i rarely find anything to help!

[Deirdre784]

Was he one of the Cardiff station pests?
Evening Express, 25th March 1905
STATION PESTS FINED. Three lads, of about sixteen years of age, named James Bolton, James Sullivan, and Denis Hurley were charged at Cardiff Police-court to-day with trespassing upon the Great Western Railway premises at Cardiff Station and refusing to quit when requested. Mr. Vachell, who appeared on behalf of the Great Western Railway, said there was a. great deal of this trespassing on the station. "We can- not get them away," he said, "they snatch the bags out of the passenger's hands, and if they cannot get them they use abusive language.

Wonder if the James Sullivan was the same guy who was a witness at the wedding 🤔

[Mabel Bagshawe]

Yes - I've now found italian John on 1901 - so that's separate from Leeds Jack

[Deirdre784]

Yes I have found him now in 1891, 1901 and 1911 in Millicent St, Cardiff

[Deirdre784]

Looking like this should have been posted on the Glamorgan page 🙄 sorry.

[Deirdre784]

As James’s first offence is in 1905 it now looks more likely that he was born in Cardiff after all, everything pointing to either December 1888 or December 1890. Or, he was illegitimate and registered under his mother’s name, and then discovered who his father was, maybe even the Italian John, or took the name. Why say his father was a stonemason though, surely easier, especially if lying, to say labourer or similar.

Thanks to Shaun, Jon and Mabel for your help; i believe you are not simply ‘Durham’ experts as you have all helped me previously, so i hope you won’t mind if i ask for this to be moved to the Glamorgan board, just in case it provides any local assistance.

We have ordered the death certificate of what we believe to be John Bolton, the Italian, just in case if offers anything, and have emailed Glamorgan archives re their collection of Cardiff prison records. Sadly, given the current lockdown, it won’t be a speedy response. 

[helsbels1]

Hi Deidre

I am interested if you made any further progress with James Bolton, I looked for him several years ago, you will see that I am mentioned in one of your posts.  Carol Ellis is my husband's cousin

I used to work for WG, we would have met

Kind regards
Helen

[Deirdre784]

Hi Helen, sadly not. Lots of mysteries.

I’ve been at WG (and it’s predecessors) since 1975, in stats since 1989 😀