norwich assizes

[sheilaT]

My ancestor, Thomas Davison, from Swanton Abbott, was imprisoned at Norwich in 1851 and sentenced for larceny to transportation. I do not think he was transported, as a daughter was born in 1854, and Thomas was home in 1861. Has anyone any ideas how I can find out more about his crime, larceny, - and previous conviction for felony.
Thomas married Ann Hook at Smallburgh in 1832. I have not been able to trace any Hooks there. Does anyone know anything about them?
sheilaT

[Geoffers]

My ancestor, Thomas Davison, from Swanton Abbott, was imprisoned at Norwich in 1851 and sentenced for larceny to transportation. I do not think he was transported, as a daughter was born in 1854, and Thomas was home in 1861. Has anyone any ideas how I can find out more about his crime, larceny, - and previous conviction for felony.Best place to start is with newspapers. Search the online catalogue for the British Library, newspaper collection
http://prodigi.bl.uk/nlcat/welcome.asp
search using 'Norfolk' and click 'location', restrict the dates to reduce the number of hits you get.


Thomas married Ann Hook at Smallburgh in 1832. I have not been able to trace any Hooks there. Does anyone know anything about them?
sheilaTThere are no Hook(e) entries in Smallburgh parish registers, which would suggest to me that they came from elsewhere. Looking at the 1851 census, there are quite a few Hooks shown as born in Swanton Abbott. Also the 1841 census shows your Davison family as being in Swanton. I would hazard a guess that your Ann may have been in service at Smallburgh at the time of her marriage; or possibly in the House of Industry.

HO107/762/17 f8 p13
Low Common, Swanton Abbott
Thomas DAVISON, 25, sawyer, bn Nfk
Ann Davison, 25, bn Nfk
James Davison, 5, bn Nfk
John Davison, 4, bn Nfk
William Davison, 2, bn Nfk

Geoffers
Charlbury, Oxfordshire

[sheilaT]

Thanks, I will follow up the newspaper web address. SheilaT