Hey! Do you want to spend hours researching old court cases of the "non elite" in London? I am a little surprised to tell you how
If you go to the site, go to the search engine over on the left hand side...type in a surname and see what you find! It is fascinating to me. Many were hanged at the Tyburn Tree. This was the name of the gallows that consisted of three tall uprights joined at the top with beams in a triangular pattern to form a triple gallows so that carts could be brought under the gallows three carts at a time. The Tyburn Tree was near what is now the Marble Arch in London.
There is now a convent also near this area, the Tyburn Convent...if you look at their website just here, you may read more about the Tyburn Tree.
Also, if you see that the punishment given is "transportation", that means that they were sent to either America or Australia. If the prisoners returned to England, they were then condemned to death by hanging.
Let me know if you are interested and are able to look at this site.
No matter what you find out about people who have lived in the past, I always like to remember that we don't know all the circumstances of their lives, only the bare bones of what is shown in the court records.
I am afraid to go there for fear I will be 'hooked'. lol It is amazing what we can find out by visiting these sites, isn't it? I might take a peek there in a bit....Hope you have a great night-xo Diana
ReplyDeleteI wish I could write a book or make a movie about some of the stories that I read, some were truly criminal but many of them were petty crimes from drunkenness or being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Fascinating stuff, to me, I felt transported back in time as I read them, as if I was right there with them.
DeleteIt is late now but I am going to check it tomorrow. Sounds fascinating.
ReplyDeleteI think you would appreciate the true life stories.
DeleteI didn't read anywhere close to all of them. It is a fascinating view into history.
DeleteGosh yes, you could spend a very long time reading all the trail transcripts...but I might just get through them all!
DeleteOf course I had to go and type in my surname... I found quite a few incidents involving people with my (acquired) surname, hardly surprising, as it is not uncommon.
ReplyDeleteThe old court house in Ripon is set up as a museum. In the court room, mannequins are placed as if for a real trial, and actors have recorded the voices of those involved, based on a real case from the 1800s: A young "man" (14 years old, I think) was caught stealing bread and is sent to a colony of convicts in Australia for the offence.
Back then, a human life wasn't considered worth much when the person was of low social standing... I do hope that the boy survived the long trip and maybe was able to build a better life for himself in Australia eventually.
Yes, the "non elite" was the term that was used on the website. Even today, it is the wealthy who have a better time of in the judicial system. I also hope the young man thrived in "the land down under". I wonder if he has any descendants and if they know of this museum in Yorkshire, England.
DeleteUntil around 1810 there were 180 crimes which could lead to hanging in England & Wales. Scotland was similar but different. Transportation, for 7 years, was less messy.
ReplyDeleteTransportation...it must have been a very brutal thing, to uproot yourself and go to either America or Australia.
DeleteIf you came back before the seven years, it was considered a felony and you would be hanged anyway. Brutal to read of these stories and some of their last words, which were published in these court records.
When I get some spare time I will have a look at those sites, out of interest and curiosity.
ReplyDeleteI don't know what's gone on this week, but time has flown. I guess 2017 is off to a flying start!! :)
You should really take the time to look at some of the stories. And let me know what you find!
DeleteRight now i'm going to have to stay away from that site, i'll get lost and end up late for work! It does sound fascinating, especially if i want to find out if any of our ancestors did anything nefarious.
ReplyDeleteJust the few names that I entered meant that I spent several days poring over the accounts of the trails of these real people! I don't know if any of them are related to me personally but they don't have to be really, I still felt as if I somehow had a connection just by reading about them.
DeleteMy surname came up six times in their records. They were mostly witnesses but there was one victim of robbery and one conviction. It was a woman who tried to kill herself. Thanks for that. It was pretty interesting.
ReplyDeleteYou should also put in your mother's maiden name, and then, both surnames of your grandmothers'! There, that alone will give you some names.
DeleteAlso, did you have a big bully in your school? Type in that surname and see what you get!
We have a light coating of snow here on the ground this morning and it's very cold. I too am missing color..Spring summer and fall are colorful seasons, but winter is black and white for the most part.
ReplyDeleteOur snow event turned out to be a bust! No snow here but we have snow just North of Atlanta, but I am south of Atlanta, so it is just cold here.
DeleteFascinating! I checked my family name and found some of my (perhaps?) ancestors were guilty of murder, highway robbery, counterfeiting and (most often) theft.
ReplyDeleteDebra, I do wonder if our ancestors might have been friends, perhaps drinking and laughing together at some pub? I bet you anything I am right about this! (Oh dear, hope they didn't steal anything while in their drink!)
DeleteI'm sure they must have been co-conspirators in some kind of nefarious dealings or another.
DeleteIt could be true! Get yourself famous and they will do one of those shows about you and we can find out!
DeleteI am ready for Spring...not looking forward to snow this weekend! Stay warm Kay, and get to the store before all the shelves are empty..!
ReplyDeleteI know, the bread and milk might be gone by the time I get there! LOL!
DeleteDid you get anything at all? It is just cold here but NO SNOW!! OH, I am glad but I am sorry for all the little kiddos who wanted to play in the snow!
Yep - that snow is coming, for sure. I usually go to the grocery store on Thursday anyway, so ended up going at 8:30 (it was mobbed at 6.) It wasn't too bad then, but they were out of bananas and fresh broccoli, of all things.
ReplyDeleteHa! Next time on the news, they will say, "Get to the store before the snow hits, you must get your bananas and broccoli!!) Did you get any snow at all? We didn't in Rockdale County, it is just cold. Today on Saturday, it is even sunny!
DeleteI could hear Leo McKern's voice as I read through this post. I will spend some time at the site soon.
ReplyDeleteAh yes, "Rumpole of the Bailey". Do you know why the court is called "Old Bailey" It is simply because the Criminal Court is on Old Bailey Street in London!
DeleteCheck out some names and let me know if you find this as fascinating as I do.
I daren't follow your link, Kay. I know it would cost me at least three or four hours!
ReplyDeleteHonestly, John, you are so right...you will be HOOKED and will spend hours and hours on it!!
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