Surrey County Gaol/Horsemonger Lane Gaol

[cliffkinch]

Hi all

Struggling to find records of prisoner commitment/release from Surrey County Gaol. I (may) have a relative, David Winfield, who appears in the 1851 census in gaol but cant find when/why he was admitted nor any release records

Have tried usual online routes, Ancestry, FindMyPast, Surrey History Centre but no trace

Would any of you kind folk know where else I could check? Im in the Midlands so a visit to Surrey will be a last resort

Thanks
Cliff

[rosie99]

Have you tried London Metropolitan archives 

I don't know if this is helpful
https://search.lma.gov.uk/scripts/mwimain.dll/144/LMA_OPAC/web_detail/REFD+PS~2FNEW?SESSIONSEARCH

https://search.lma.gov.uk/scripts/mwimain.dll/144/RESEARCH_GUIDES/web_detail_rg/SISN+83?SESSIONSEARCH

[cliffkinch]

Thanks Rosie - another avenue 
Cliff

[cuffie81]

Is this your chap?

Weekly Chronicle (London)
28 Apr 1844
page 6
Wandsworth
Attempted Murder
- David Winfield,
- respectable looking man,
- about thirty years of age,
- living at Brook cottage, Brook lane, Lambeth,
- charged on suspicion of feloniously attempting
- to cut his wife's throat.
- Mrs Charlotte Winfield, the wife of the prisoner,
- who is young and handsome,
- and lady-like in her manners and discourse,
- was put forward to give evidence of the alleged attempt upon her life
...

[cliffkinch]

Yes he was married to Charlotte, who herself was sentenced to 15 years in 1868 but died in Millbank Prison

He came from money (so did she)  and his occupation on the census was "Annuitant" but it seems money doesnt stop you from going rotten!

The report says he got a £50 fine and he left with Charlotte ... a thread still seems to be missing as to why he was imprisoned, unless he tried again?

Lovely article and a great find Cuffie!

Kind regards!

[cuffie81]

I couldn't find any later newspaper references to David but I'll have another look in a bit.

I've just been having a read of newspaper items about Charlotte (there's a lot in 1868). They really were rotten pair, weren't they.

[cliffkinch]

Indeed. One report quoted that Alfred (her son) once stole £150 from her .. these days thats nearly £20,000 ...

My link to David and Charlotte is Alfred who is my gggGrandfather. but beyond him Im in the land of maybes and vagueries as I cant find his birth certificate and he and Charlotte, are missing from the 1861 census. Alfred ended up a jobbing sailor

If you do dig up any more info I will be eternally grateful as I have been stuck on this nasty pair for 8 years ...

[cuffie81]

Sorry, I forgot about this. I did have another look for David and Charlotte but couldn't find anything in the newspapers (or other records). I was half-expecting to find something, given their history, but no joy I'm afraid.

On a semi-related note though, I assume you've seen the newspaper reports of the deaths of David's mother Charlotte and Joseph Fowler (the Winfield's cellarman, who Charlotte was living with), in 1832. Joseph Fowler left a will/note leaving various possessions to Charlotte's children (naming James, Charlotte, Elizabeth & William) but no mention of David.

[cliffkinch]

Hi cuffie

Yes I had come across that one. There are lots of threads and far too many loose ends at the moment to give a tenable link through this David

I have solid evidence that my gggGrandfather Alfred Winfield did have parents David and Charlotte as they were named on his discharge papers from the Royal Marine Light Infantry - annoyingly no address

Can see a long slop getting the truth out of these lines

Thanks for the help though and a great find