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Thread: Robert SInclair

  1. #1
    kermie62
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    Default Robert SInclair

    Greetings

    I am undertaking some research reagarding a convct sent to Western Australia and I am looking for some help

    Robert Sinclair according to the records I have was born in Caithness in 1831 or 1835. In 1865 a constable, Northern District of Glasgow Police and he was married with two kids and living at 65 Maitland Street, Cowcaddens, Glasgow.

    He was subsequently convicted of culperable homicide and sent to Western Australia.

    Any information that could be supplied particualry with respect to census's would be very appreciated

    Thanks

  2. #2

    Default

    The censuses are to be found on the subscription sites Ancestry or Find My Past (many libraries have a public subscription) and on the subscription/pay as you go site Scotlands People. Ancestry and FMP often have short free trials.

    The Glasgow Herald includes his trial for murder in the Autumn programme for 1865, starting on 4th October 1865.
    Apparently he and another policeman, Roderick McLachlan, were charged with having been concerned in the drowning of a lad called James Broadfoot in the Forth & Clyde Canal. There's a very long report in the paper for 7 Oct. There was a group of lads sleeping rough who ran when the police found them, one of the boys said he saw Sinclair push one of them into the canal as the cops gave chase. Other witnesses were hearsay. Defense claimed an accident, but then why didn't he report it and get help? No motive. Judge suggested that the jury, if they thought he was guilty, should consider Homicide rather than Murder, and he was, after a few minutes, found guilty of Culpable Homicide (ie caused the death, but probably didn't intend to). 10 years penal servitude, not the death sentence.
    Can't find a trial for the other guy.

  3. #3
    kermie62
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    Default

    Thanks Leslie.

    i am limited to access to libraries at the moment and money is tight. I also have a ethical problem with taking free trials without intending to continue when i know it is useful. Been s subscriber before and hope to be do eventually again. Hoping for enough info to start with LDS.

    thanks for a good start. This man is my mums great grandfather and thanks for the newspaper references.

    he left a wife and two children behind so eventually would like to find out what happened to them and the wider family.

    regards

    Steve

  4. #4
    Loves to help with queries
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Perth, Australia
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    As far as I'm aware, except for some very early censuses it has been policy in Australia to destroy census records once they have been analysed. Only the electoral rolls survive. These give an address and occupation but not a date of birth, and 1903 is the earliest available. You might get more information through the State Library of Western Australia family history e-resource site or Trove, the free and searchable Australian newspaper site. (Google will find both of these for you).

  5. #5
    Spike Harwood
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    You don't say how much you know about Robert in WA, but I'm assuming you have seen his convict record in the Freo database. Interesting that he was married in 1871 - with or without a divorce from his first wife!

  6. #6
    kermie62
    Guest

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    Thanks Guys,

    We have his history sorted out here in Western Australia, he was my mothers great grandfather and a lot of information was handed down. Its the history in Scotland thats a mystery.

    The story goes that some signficant time ago before my time (and I am the wrong side of 50), an attempt was made to contact the family left behind in Scotland because as you said, he came here and got remarried. Apparently the family in Scotland was still angry with him and the Australian family.

    A few generations on, I want to know what happened to his wife and daughters and maybe try to re-open a conversation. The census data I need and was hoping for was the 1861 census for scotland becuase hopefully he was living at that address and this would give me his wife and daughters names and confirm age and birthpalce then perhaps the 1851 and 1841 census. This I can use in the LDS site.

    Again thanks for the help guys

  7. #7
    Famous for offering help & advice
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    uk
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    Hi there

    You could try contacting Glasgow archives - [email protected] - as they hold records of Glasgow police and should hold details about him (unless he was in a burgh not covered).

    Also - from his Australian marriage and death do you have his father's name? This could help with census and marriage record in Scotland.

  8. #8
    Spike Harwood
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    Heather Helen Bain d 1869 looks a likely wife, m Wick Parish Caithness 10th Nov 1854
    Catherine Sinclair d 1872 aged 16, Mary Ann Sinclair 1861-1941 m William Drysdale
    One obvious descendant, James Allen Ballantyne d 1993
    From a family tree on Ancestry, which as mentioned should be available in a library near you.

  9. #9
    kermie62
    Guest

    Default

    Thanks All

    I dont know his fathers name, its not on the DOTAG BDM on-line records. I was hoping that the 1861 census would have him living at the address and occupation he was in 1865 and then to get the correct age and birth place.

    Thanks very much for the information given, its given me a good start.

    So when he was convicted he left a 9 year old and a 6 year old daughter behind. Must have been difficult for his wife

  10. #10
    Spike Harwood
    Guest

    Default

    This info is from FreeReg and gives the father's name as Robert also. DOB and abode tie in with WA convict record. Fits with the family tree mentioned previously.


    County Caithness-shire
    Place Thurso
    Church Church of Scotland
    RegisterNumber
    DateOfBirth
    BaptismDate 05 Jul 1831
    Forename Robert
    Sex M
    FatherForename Robert
    MotherForename Marion
    FatherSurname SINCLAIR
    MotherSurname BRIMS
    Abode Bardnaclavan
    FatherOccupation Tenant
    Notes Janet Sinclair And Alex Murson
    FileNumber 27272

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