Wakefield House of Correction

[steveh37]

I found a record on Anc***** that I cannot view and was wondering if anyone could help me with this problem, I found a relative on the 1851 Census that was in Wakefield Prison on the night of the census (30 March 1851) after a great deal of searching I found that he was sentenced to imprisonment. Details I have are as follows:-

John Furgeson Aged 25 Born 1820 actual date was 2 April 1820 Darlaston, Staffordshire
Date of Trial 11 March 1845 in Staffordshire.

According to the 1861 Census he was back home with his wife and 2 Children. What I would like to know is what was he guilty of and how long was his sentence.

[Waitabit]

In the first instance of Larceny- sentence 1 month, 2nd instance larceny - Not Guilty.

PM sent.

[steveh37]

Seems strange to me...If he was tried on the 11 March 1845 and imprisoned for 1 Month and was later tried on 18 October 1847 and was acquitted what was he doing in prison on the 30 March 1851 on the Census night. Seems he must have been a career criminal. He was a Locksmith by trade. I Think there might even be another court case involving him and that was why he was in prison in 1851..Thanks for your help Wendy

[Waitabit]

There doesn't seem to be another listing for him later than 1847. Perhaps they haven't all been scannned & transcribed yet.
There is however mention of him in a Family Tree on same site. Have you seen it?

[Colin Moretti]

See this guide (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/RdLeaflet.asp?sLeafletID=253) from TNA. A good place to start looking will be HO8 and HO23 (not online, of course, a visit to TNA will be necessary)

Colin

[steveh37]

Thanks Colin looks like a trip to theTNA will provide me with the answers I'm looking for.

[steveh37]

Wendy
Not sure which tree you mean, I haven't had any leaves come up connected to his name , but will have another look incase I missed something

[steveh37]

Stafford Quarter session January 1845 John Ferguson age 25 on bail accused of stealing one loaf of bread, the property of Thomas Jordan at Willenhall. Sentenced to hard labour for one calendar month. Stafford Quarter sessions October 1847 accused of stealing one sovereign the property of Samuel Peplow at Wolverhampton, after a previous conviction of felony. Found guilty, to be transported for seven years. This sentence is not carried out for some unknown reason and John is back with his family by the 1861 Census.

There must have been a family link to the Peplow's as later on in time Joseph Fergusson (1880)a great newphew of John's married Mary Ann Peplow (1881) in 1900, Willenhall, Staffordshire

Wendy |hug||hug||hug|your a star!!!
Thanks for spotting the tree found 4 others with links to John Furgeson. Will check them out and see what else is revealed!

[steveh37]

Just to put all those minds at rest who have been following this thread I think I found a 3rd crime for John Furgeson on another family tree on Ancestry

12 Dec 1850
Stafford Quarter Sessions
John Furgeson, Aged 32, accused of stealing one Coat, the property of Edward Davis at Willenhall. After a previous conviction of felony, found guilty and sentenced to 7 years transportation. (Cannot establish whether or not he was actually transported)

This might account for why he was still in Wakefield Prison on the 1851 Census night waitng to be transported. Found a site which lists over 137,000 convicts transported to Australia.. Site is called Convicts to Australia lots of names and loads of info including descriptions of all the convicts worth a look if you think someone related to you might be out there...

Steveh

[kermie62]

There were 9 john fergesons transported to Tasmania but only two past 1851 and one was from Ireland so the other one is the only possibility. His natural place was Hamilton and he had two prior offences. It you go to the Tassy archives site its page 153

http://search.archives.tas.gov.au/ImageViewer/image_viewer.htm?CON14-1-43,378,156,L,80

[steveh37]

Thanks for the Information but I think this is not the John Furgeson I'm lookoing for it appears that he comes from Hamilton in Scotland, my John Furgeson was born in Willenhall, Wolverhampton Staffordshire and was tried at Stafford Quarter Sessions. Had a bit of a job viewing the entry but pretty sure its not my John Furgeson

Steveh37

[kermie62]

Thanks for the Information but I think this is not the John Furgeson I'm lookoing for it appears that he comes from Hamilton in Scotland, my John Furgeson was born in Willenhall, Wolverhampton Staffordshire and was tried at Stafford Quarter Sessions. Had a bit of a job viewing the entry but pretty sure its not my John Furgeson

Steveh37

Pity

$This is for tasmania only, you may have to check for NSW records

[Nicolina]

some of the prisoners from Wakefield, who were on the 1851 Census, were transferred to the Warrior hulk. Maybe he was one of them

[Nicolina]

have just checked a bit further and the prisoners were transferred from Wakefield about July 1851 but theremayhave been others transferred at an other time.
About the Warrior "She served as a hulk until 1851 when a mutiny broke out on board. The disturbance was put down by a detachment of Royal Marines and the prisoners were sent to Millbank Prison"
hope there's a clue here for you.
Elaine

[steveh37]

Nicolina

Tried search NSW for my John Furgeson but had no luck tried various spellings for his name but still can't find him. I searched all the ships that deposited prisoners in WA from 1851 to 1860 but couldn't find him. Will email someone who is researching John Furgeson and see if they are willing to share what they have got. Will get back to you when I get a reply

steveh37