DOWNES sentenced to 10 years for manslaughter

[ItsMe2]

I have been tracing a family member call Richard Downes b.1842 in Bilston, Staffordshire. He shows up on 1851,61,81,91 and 1901 censuses in Staffordshire but not on the 1871. There is however a Richard Downes from Wolverhamton area on the Portsea prison census. Another distant family member independantly came to the same conclusion that this was probably him and found a record showing a Richard Downs was convicted on the 3/8/1868 of manslaughter and sentenced to ten years imprisonment. Unfortunately the document is too faded to get much else from it.
I would like to find out:
1) If this is the same person.
2) More details on the crime i.e. who was killed and in what circustances
3) Any court transcripts of the trial

Any information or pointers to locate the infoprmation would be greatly appreciated.

Andy

[gasser]

I searched British newspapers on line and found nothing regarding a Richard Downes, manslaughter or otherwise.

However, have you checked/eliminated these? 1871 census via fmp shows:

Household: DOWNES, Richard 1842 29 M Wolverhampton Staffordshire
Household: DOWNS, Richard 1843 28 M Leek Staffordshire
Household: DOWNS, Richard 1843 28 M Portsea Island Hampshire
(note variation in spelling)
I don't have any credits otherwise I would have been able to pass on more info.
regards :)

[ItsMe2]

I searched British newspapers on line and found nothing regarding a Richard Downes, manslaughter or otherwise.

However, have you checked/eliminated these? 1871 census via fmp shows:

Household: DOWNES, Richard 1842 29 M Wolverhampton Staffordshire
Household: DOWNS, Richard 1843 28 M Leek Staffordshire
Household: DOWNS, Richard 1843 28 M Portsea Island Hampshire
(note variation in spelling)
I don't have any credits otherwise I would have been able to pass on more info.
regards :)
Thanks for such a quick reply Gasser

Yes, I have eliminated the first two:
Household: DOWNES, Richard 1842 29 M Wolverhampton Staffordshire
This is a differnt family i.e. wrong spouse and children

Household: DOWNS, Richard 1843 28 M Leek Staffordshire
This is a differnt family i.e. wrong spouse and children

My Richard Downs had a spouse named Eillizabeth Williams b.1848
and two children; Richard b.1880 and Alfred b.1881

Household: DOWNS, Richard 1843 28 M Portsea Island Hampshire
This is the Portsea prison census that I think is my Richard

Regards

Andy

[gasser]

I checked the newspapers again this time for Richard Downs (without the "E" ) again and have found references to a mansalughter committed in Sheffield (!) I shall check through them again.
Does this ring any bells?

[ItsMe2]

I checked the newspapers again this time for Richard Downs (without the "E" ) again and have found references to a mansalughter committed in Sheffield (!) I shall check through them again.
Does this ring any bells?
Yes, the manslaughter is what I'm looking for although I didn't know it was in sheffield.
Have you found a reference to it?

[Mutley]

If you google for newspapers.bl.uk. It is pay per view so I cannot give the exact site but it is easy to find.

There are several references to Richard Downs of Brightside Lane, age 25.
The Leeds Mercury mentions a conviction at Shefield and says,
"was or ordered to undergo Ten......"

The site only gives you a little snippet free. ;) The references seem to be between February 1868 and August 1868. It is possible that Mary Sheridan was the victim, but that is a guess from the snippet shown and may refer to a previous case.

[Lizzy9]

Richard Downs, Samuel Wass, William Oldfield, and Patrick Waldron: a bill was thrown out for the murder of Mary Sheridan, the grand jury returned a true verdict of manslaughter.

From Leeds Mercury Aug 7th 1868

[Lizzy9]

I've found another report, to be honest it's quite disturbing. If you'd like to see the report pm me your email. BTW the victim is Sarah Sheridan in this report.