GEAR family - Potterspury & Yardley Gobion

[Coromandel]

it would appear that the whole darned lot were bad news in their community

Hey, join the Badly Behaved Ancestors Club, Colin

I guess it's inevitable with more and more newspapers being searchable that we'll all find out more and more bad things that our ancestors did or bad things that happened to them. Just like today, it seems to be bad news that sells papers.

[Colin Rowledge]

Very true.

Most of what I've seen on this family in the Archives would appear to be relatively minor offences so far. What I am having difficulty with is that the old saying - "Like father, like son" - appears to be the case on several of these offences. No ages are specified [on occasion] and both the father and son were labourers.

When no age is specified, how can I determine which one was involved?

Here is an example: from the Northampton Mercury of Saturday March 7, 1885 -
"Special Sessions March 3, 1885 - before Mr. W. Watkins: - William Gear, labourer, of Yardley Gobion was charged with stealing a watch value 10s. on or about May 31st last, at Potterspury, the property of Henry Johnson, labourer. Remanded one week".

I am still trying to find the outcome of this charge.

Another question is - why was this matter raised at a Special Sessions?

[Kerrywood]

I am still trying to find the outcome of this charge.

You can use the Criminal Registers on Ancestry. He got a 4-month prison sentence.

Another question is - why was this matter raised at a Special Sessions?

They may have been extra sessions, held because there was a large number of cases to be heard at that time.

[Colin Rowledge]

After spending 24 hours of a 7 days subscription, here are the rap sheets found so far on the Gear family:

Joseph Gear 1802=1873
October 1817 - 4 months in jail for Larceny
August 1826 - charged with Larceny, found Not Guilty at trial and was acquitted.
1828 - Lent Sessions - charged with Highway Robbery, found Not Guilty at trial and was acquitted
June 28, 1851 - was charged with stealing bacon. Was convicted on July 2 and served 6 months.

Joseph is the father or William and Charles Gear

William Gear 1844-1889
October 21, 1863 - convicted of Larceny and served 6 months
March 11, 1869 - convicted of wounding with intent to inflict Greivous Bodily Harm and was sentenced to 5 years
August 19, 1882 - summoned to show just cause for not contributing to the upkeep of his son William who was an inmate at the Tiffield Reformatory.
April 8, 1885 - convicted of Larceny and served 4 months
October 24, 1885 - convicted of Larceny and served 10 months
May 4, 1887 - charged along with his son Joseph and others, of breaking into the village school house - result not found as yet

William Gear Junior 1868-lost after 1890
July 2, 1887 - charged with a break in at the village school house - result not found as yet


Joseph Gear 1874-1900
May 4, 1887 - see above for his father
September 17, 1887 - arrested on suspicion of break enter and theft from a residence. Outcome is not know, but in 1891 - after the death of his father - he was in the Tiffield Reformatory.

William 1844 -1889 had 2 siblings - Charles and Carolinet
Each of these 2 had at least one minor run in with the law for stealing appleas and turnips respectively. Charles paid a fine and was subjected to Corporal Punishment and Caoline either paid a fine or served 7 days.

Quite a family eh? and this is only after 1 day of researc - wonder what the other 6 will bring to light

Colin

[Colin Rowledge]

As a youth he was a bit of a scoundrel and the village was right 'cheesed off' with him and his escapades. When his mother disappears - some time after 1876 - he is pretty much under the control of his father. By early in 1882 he was sentenced to 2 weeks in jail, followed by 4 years detention at the Tiffield Reformatory.

After his release in 1886, he returns to his father and younger brother, Joseph.

William Gear Junior 1868-lost after 1890
July 2, 1887 - charged with a break in at the village school house - result not found as yet

Colin

When the above quoted item was resolved, he, due to his unenviable background, was sentenced to 5 years years Penal Servitude. While the indicated place of birth appears incorrect, I think he served his sentence in Dartmoor which where he was at the time of his fathers death in 1889 and on the census for 1891.

After that he disappears.

Wonder what happened to him?

Colin

[Colin Rowledge]

After that he disappears.

Wonder what happened to him?

Colin

It would appear that after his release he went to Wrangle in Lincolnshire, where he married a Kate Bontofy in 1894. She had a daughter before marrying William and the 3 are living in 1901 at Seadyke Lane, Surfleet, Lincolnshire - RG13/p.3030/f.84/p.14 - crown copyright TNA. He is an Ordinary Ag. Labourer.

But ---nothing on these 3 in 1911.

[Colin Rowledge]

I am still struggling with what had disabled William to warrant being in the Invalid prison as well as what happened to Charlotte between 1875 and 1881 when she seemingly disappears without trace

Colin

As you all may have surmised, I decided to leave this alone but it is now a fairly important cog in the wheel of life for another group of people.

We know that in 1871 while William was serving 5 years in the slammer, Charlotte and her 2 children - Carolie and William Jr. - were in the workhouse. Charlotte listed her occupation as a Lace Maker. At the time while William was 'inside', Charlotte conceived and a baby named Beatrice Alice was born 1st q. 1871. Fortunately, for Charlotte, the baby didn't survive and with her husband's reputation, it is unlikely Charlotte or her 2 children would tell him about it upon his release.

William was released in late 1873 or early 1874 and returened to his family. He took his conjugal rights seriously and on 20 October 1874 a son was born. William was still 'bad news'. In November 1874, he was fined 19 shillings for drunk and disorderly and couldn't pay the fine and so served a short custodial sentence. Charlotte was a witness at her sister-in-law's wedding on 27 December 1875. At some point thereafter, it appears she took off for places unknown She was not located on the 1881 census.

William, her husband, was an Agricultural Labourer. At some time in his past he became crippled in some way and in 1881 he was living with his 2 sons, William Jr. and Joseph Henry. His status was married, but wife wasn't on the schedule. He and his son William Jr. were both Ag. Lab.'s and Joseph Henry had stated school.

In 1885 William sr. got 2 sentences for Larceny which got him put away until the end of summer 1886. In 1882, William jr. was sentenced to 4 years in reformatory and was let out when his father was released from his last sentence. In May 1887 William jr. got 5 years in Dartmoor and Joseph Henry, convicted at the same time, and aged 13 was sent to reformatory until aged 18. Both were still 'inside' when their father died 3rd q. 1889.

Charlotte 'surfaces' in the 1891 census. She describes herself as a widow and is working as a housekeeper for a farm bailiff in Spilsby, Lincolnshire. William jr. upon his release from Dartmoor somehow reunites with his mother and 2 years later, he marries kate Elizabeth Bontoft in Wrangle. AS for the other son, Joseph Henry, he joins the army after his release and is killed in action in 1900 in India.

I cannot find Charlotte Gear, Willam and his wife, nor her illegitmate daughter [who was born in Wrangle on 19 January 1900] in 1901.

I have found what I think is William's death in Spalding, Lincs. in 2nd q. 1908 and am toying with the idea of getting the death certificate.

Kate Elizabeth Gear hasn't been found at all.

Her illegitimate daughter married and is with her husband and baby in the 1911 census.

I have a possible death for Charlotte Gear that fits the age criteria having died in Lincoln R.D. Lincs. 2nd q. 1932, but since I've not found her after 1891, I'm not sure about buying this one until I have a little more information.

Thank you for taking the time to read this 'blurb'. Any help is appreciated.

Colin

[Colin Rowledge]

We know that in 1871 while William was serving 5 years in the slammer, Charlotte and her 2 children - Carolie and William Jr. - were in the workhouse. Charlotte listed her occupation as a Lace Maker. At the time while William was 'inside', Charlotte conceived and a baby named Beatrice Alice was born 1st q. 1871. Fortunately, for Charlotte, the baby didn't survive and with her husband's reputation, it is unlikely Charlotte or her 2 children would tell him about it upon his release.

William was released in late 1873 or early 1874 and returened to his family. He took his conjugal rights seriously and on 20 October 1874 a son was born. William was still 'bad news'. In November 1874, he was fined 19 shillings for drunk and disorderly and couldn't pay the fine and so served a short custodial sentence. Charlotte was a witness at her sister-in-law's wedding on 27 December 1875. At some point thereafter, it appears she took off for places unknown She was not located on the 1881 census.

William, her husband, was an Agricultural Labourer. At some time in his past he became crippled in some way and in 1881 he was living with his 2 sons, William Jr. and Joseph Henry. His status was married, but wife wasn't on the schedule. He and his son William Jr. were both Ag. Lab.'s and Joseph Henry had stated school.

In 1885 William sr. got 2 sentences for Larceny which got him put away until the end of summer 1886. In 1882, William jr. was sentenced to 4 years in reformatory and was let out when his father was released from his last sentence. In May 1887 William jr. got 5 years in Dartmoor and Joseph Henry, convicted at the same time, and aged 13 was sent to reformatory until aged 18. Both were still 'inside' when their father died 3rd q. 1889.

Charlotte 'surfaces' in the 1891 census. She describes herself as a widow and is working as a housekeeper for a farm bailiff in Spilsby, Lincolnshire. William jr. upon his release from Dartmoor somehow reunites with his mother and 2 years later, he marries kate Elizabeth Bontoft in Wrangle. AS for the other son, Joseph Henry, he joins the army after his release and is killed in action in 1900 in India.

.

I have a possible death for Charlotte Gear that fits the age criteria having died in Lincoln R.D. Lincs. 2nd q. 1932, but since I've not found her after 1891, I'm not sure about buying this one until I have a little more information.

Thank you for taking the time to read this 'blurb'. Any help is appreciated.

Colin

Just nudging this up. Any ideas on how to proceed?. Should I but the death cert. for 3rd. q. 1889?

Colin

[Colin Rowledge]

Just nudging this up. Any ideas on how to proceed?. Should I but the death cert. for 3rd. q. 1889?

Colin

Well the last month has been quite illuminating. I have had help both from the forum and elsewhere and have resolved the fates of pretty well all the Gear members.

Bye and large, it was sad and involved lots of criminal activity but the saddest part was the death of one member who murdered by being battered to death by coal hammer, wielded by a lodger at the home. He was found guilty and execued by the Hanging in 1907.

Colin