Colemans of Leicestershire

[BrianColeman131]

I am looking for descendants of Henry Coleman who
was tried in the Leicester Castle, Assizes & General
Gaol Delivery Sessions on 23rd March, 1797. He was
listed as being 26 years of age at the time. He was
found guilty of stealing a Bay Gelding and sentenced
to death. This was comuted to seven years transportation
to Australia.
The Leicester Journal of 31st March, 1797 stated -
3 prisoners received a sentance of death viz. John
Woodward convicted of sheep stealing, William Brown
for Highway Robbery and Henry Coleman for stealing a
Bay Gelding. The latter two were reprieved before the
judge left towm.

[Waitabit]

Hi Brian, did he then go to Australia? I couldn't find his arrival around that time, & 1941 English census had only one Henry Coleman b,1771. He was from Sussex.

Are you sure of his marrying & having Family? When? Where?
These little bits help in finding more.
cheers Wendy

[tony vines]

Hi BrianColeman131 and welcome to the BG Forum.

I'm afraid I have no news on your particular search but I see that you are based in Australia and yet you have info. from the Leicester Journal. I have an ancestor who spent time in a Leicester prison but have not been able to find out why. Another possible ancestor was transported and again I have no details of his crime. I know that I can probably find more by visiting the National Records office at Kew but I wondered how you were able to read the Leicester Journal record. Is it available online somehow?

cheers

[carolchipp]

Hi Brian, did he then go to Australia? I couldn't find his arrival around that time,

The convicts registers Other Fleets and Ships 1791- 1868 show a Henry Coleman who sailed in Sept. 1797, so presumably he got there. I don't have a subscription to A****** so can't see any other details

Carol

[carolchipp]

Hi BrianColeman131 and welcome to the BG Forum.

I have an ancestor who spent time in a Leicester prison but have not been able to find out why. Another possible ancestor was transported and again I have no details of his crime.

Hi Tony,
Have you tried the british library newspaper collections? Pretty much any sort of case was often reported.

[tony vines]

Hi Carol

I hadn't and thanks for the tip but as far as I can see the online content is simply lists of what they hold i.e. it doesn't actually have digital online copies of the newspapers as such.

I know that I could visit such places to inspect the content but my interest was sparked by someone living in Australia having (or having had) access to a newspaper that as far as I knew was only available as fiche/microfilm or hard copy and viewable at a record office. The coincidence was that I had just days earlier discovered that there is a record of a criminal case in Leicester which in all probability involved an ancestor. If I could see more it may shed light on why his father and brother changed their names and moved at about the same time. Unfortunately I could only see that there was a case and not what the crime was or any related information.

I may of course have to make a visit but an online source might at least confirm whether such a journey was worth the cost and time.

cheers

[Marie C..]

Henry Coleman convicted 23 March 1797 at Leicester was transported to NSW on the Barwell which departed Sept 1797.
Did he return after his 7 years were up ?
There are not so many Colemans in leicestershire. They came mailny from Sussex/Herts/Suffolk etc so it is just possible those in Leicestershire were all related.
Marie

[Marie C..]

addendum to above post..
Having trawled through Leicestershire churches on Hugh Wallis there are in fact dozens and dozens of Colemans baptised and married in Leicestershire. Surprisingly there are few Henrys. M

[BrianColeman131]

Hello All,
Thank you for your assistance. Yes Henry Coleman did come to Aus
and Married here and had a Son named William. I have everything about
him after he Left England on the "Barwell" but nothing prior to that. I am
only assuming that he came from Leicester because that was where he was
'Tried and Convicted'. He may have come from somewhere else.
I got the details from the Leicester Journal by e-mailing them and an
employee was kind enough to send me the 'Clipping' from the paper.
I have contacted several places in England and have been informed that
the Records of the Trial from that date have been destroyed. Maybe there
is another way which I have not thought of to get his details.
Thanks again
Brian

[tony vines]

Thanks Brian for the steer. I come from Leicester although I don't live there now but I had never heard of the Leicester Journal, let alone that it survives. I'll see what I can do with them. Sounds like a very helpful employee.

cheers