JAMES BECKETTcourt record

[margaret bennett]

Hi Everyone,
JAMES BECKETT On 17 June 1788 James Beckett was arrested for a highway robbery of
Joseph Tipton in the Parish of Holy Cross and St Giles in the town of Shrewbury (Shropshire)
he was found guilty and was sentenced to death on 26 July 1788, he was reprieved to transportation for life in October and remain in Shrewsbury gaol until early November 1789 then he was sent to Thames hulk Stanislaus on the 20Nov he was embarked on the Suprize transported to Australia, I'm the 8 generation G/Daughter I know his life story once he arrived. His father's name was James Beckett his mother name was Elizabeth Mercer they had a daughter, thats about all I know of him at this stage. I 'd like to know would I beable to obtain a copy of the court records, or any other associated records.
Regards
Margaret

[Geoffers]

Access to records may be difficult, according to where you are in the world.

Shropshire was part of the Oxford Circuit for Assize records (Document class ASSI). The National Archives (TNA) at Kew holds these.

Some classes that may hold information that you are after, include:

ASSI 2, Oxford Circuit Crown Books 1656-1972
ASSI 5, Oxford Circuit Indictments 1650-1968
ASSI 6, Oxford Circuit Criminal Depositions and Case Papers 1719-1968

TNA holds a class of record HO47 - Judges Reports on Criminals 1784-1829.
These are being indexed and placed on TNA's catalogue. Their research guide on Convicts includes mentions that this class includes:

"Bound reports from Judges to the Home Office on specific criminals, as a result of petitions from convicts, their friends and family. They are arranged chronologically but there is no integral index. A great deal of information on the prisoner, the victim and the crime may be included, including a recommendation by the Judge on whether mercy should be applied."

Convict Transportation Registers held at TNA in class HO11

The research guide on convicts says this class includes:

"Lists of convicts transported in ships giving the date of their convictions. They are indexed by name of ship and the date of sailing. The records provide convicts' names, where convicted (including name of court), when, and term (length of sentence)."

It's unlikely - but if your chap went through the Central Criminal Court; the reports on proceedings at The Old Bailey (http://www.hrionline.ac.uk/oldbailey/)are online from 1674-1834.

Transportation registers for convicts are held at TNA, you can order the register for the Surprize (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/searchresults.asp?SearchInit=0&txtsearchterm=surprize&txtfirstdate=1788&txtlastdate=1790&txtrestriction=HO11&hdnsorttype=Reference&image1.x=34&image1.y=10) from TNA

Shropshire Archives (http://www.shropshire.gov.uk/archives.nsf) may also have some information or local newspapers. They have an Online Catalogue (http://archives.shropshire.gov.uk/)

[Jan1954]

It's unlikely - but if your chap went through the Central Criminal Court; the reports on proceedings at The Old Bailey (http://www.hrionline.ac.uk/oldbailey/) are online from 1674-1834.


I had a look in there Geoffers, but he wasn't included.

[margaret bennett]

Hi Geoffers
Thank you for the information it gives me some where to starts.
Regards
Margaret