Tracing details from court cases

[mtw63]

Hi,

Apologies if this is covered elsewhere, but I have found a number of records of criminal cases on Ancestry but these just state a name, the charge and whether convicted or aquitted.

How would I go about researching the details of those named i.e. their address to see if this correspond to any I have details of for the person in question?

Thanks
Martin

[Colin Rowledge]

Thanks for posting this. I have similar situations and have received help, both on the forum and from newspaper archives.

Colin

[Coromandel]

Hi Martin

It's always worth trying a search in online newspapers, e.g. the 19th Century British Library collection (many public library services give their members access to this - I can log in from home using my library card number) or the subscription site British Newspaper Archive. The latter is being added to all the time. To see newspapers that aren't yet online, you can go the newspaper library at Colindale or to the relevant local studies library. The criminal register on Ancestry should indicate where and when the trial took place, which will narrow down your search considerably.

To find out what court and prison records survive and where, I would suggest you study David Hawkings' book, 'Criminal Ancestors'. You should be able to order it through your local library. Also have a look at the National Archives' research guides here:

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/atoz/c.htm#

There are some records online, e.g. the wonderful Old Bailey Proceedings, but many court and prison records aren't online: you'd need to go the the relevant archive (local or national) and search the records there.

If the person in question was sentenced to transportation, try some of the websites here:

http://www.
coraweb.com.au/convict.htm

Don't forget good old-fashioned books: there are many specialist researchers out there who have published details of criminals in particular areas. For Oxfordshire, for example, there are Carol Richmond's 'Oxford Gaol Prisoner Portraits' and 'Banished!' series.

Right, I had better go and find some breakfast now!

[mtw63]

Many thanks, I will see what I can find and have also had other kind offers of help

Regards
Martin