I have discovered a black sheep in my family. For years I had been trying to find out what happened to my great grandfather, John CHANDLER, who was named on his youngest child's birth certificate in Norwood in 1856 and then disappeared off the face of the earth. Now, thanks to two snippets found in a 19th Century newspaper database, I know what happened to him!
Liverpool Mercury 28 August 1858:
Notice was on Monday communicated to the Metropolitan Police that Mr. John Chandler, plumber, Norwood, had embezzled large sums of money and decamped. His body was immediately after found in the River Lea.
North Wales Chronicle 28 August 1858:
Information has been communicated to the various metropolitan police stations for the detention or apprehension of Mr. John Chandler, plumber, who resided at Knight’s Hill, Norwood, who has decamped having embezzled monies to a very considerable amount. The offender is described to be 50 years of age, 5 foot 9 inches in height, and bald headed.
Obviously I would love to know details of the embezzlement, but it looks as if he threw himself in the river when discovered, so there is no point in looking for a trial. Does anyone know if one can access 19th century criminal records of the Metropolitan Police? TNA Research Guides seem to deal with employees of the Met, and googling for criminal records gives one oodles of references for checking on modern criminal records.
I suppose there would have been a Coroner's Inquest following a body fished out of the River Lea. My knowledge of the East End is none too good - where would that be likely to be held if it exists?
Results 1 to 10 of 13
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17-11-2008, 1:06 PM #1
19C Metropolitan Police Criminal Records
Sue Mackay
Insanity is hereditary - you get it from your kids
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17-11-2008, 9:11 PM #2
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I've tried to find these before, without success. I'm told that unless a case actually went to court, the Met police records were not preserved for long and have not survived to be deposited anywhere. But I stand to be corrected if others know better.
It depends exactly where the body was recovered -- the Middlesex side or the Essex side, and how far north. The death certificate should tell you which Coroner presided at the inquest and in which district he worked. That will be the clue to finding if any records survive. But if it was the Eastern Middlesex coroner's district there are no depositions for that date. There may be some coroner's registers at the LMA, but these will tell you no more than the death certificate itself.
I'd suggest you get the certificate, hopefully to pinpoint the location, and then try to identify a newspaper local to that area which might have carried a fuller report than you found in the other papers. There won't be many at this early date, but you might just find something.
Not much help really, I'm afraid
Kerrywood
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17-11-2008, 10:51 PM #3
That was rather what I feared.
It depends exactly where the body was recovered -- the Middlesex side or the Essex side, and how far north. The death certificate should tell you which Coroner presided at the inquest and in which district he worked. That will be the clue to finding if any records survive.
Not much help really, I'm afraid
KerrywoodSue Mackay
Insanity is hereditary - you get it from your kids
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17-11-2008, 11:07 PM #4
I have had another look at the death indexes and I have decided to take a punt on the John George Chandler whose death was registered in the December quarter of 1858 in Hackney. Nothing else comes remotely close in that year, and although I never knew him to have a middle name I have realised that Hackney is close to the River Lea and if there was an inquest there might have been a delay in registering the death. One wonders if anyone actually bothered to tell poor Amelia back home in Norwood. She didn't call herself a widow till the day she died!
Sue Mackay
Insanity is hereditary - you get it from your kids
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17-11-2008, 11:12 PM #5
- Join Date
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18-11-2008, 9:15 AM #6GeoffersGuestOriginally Posted by Kerrywood
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24-11-2008, 3:00 PM #7
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24-11-2008, 4:38 PM #8Penny GalloGuest
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05-11-2016, 1:27 PM #9
To update this old thread, this time I've got my fingers firmly crossed. Thanks to the GRO adding ages to their death indexes, I have had another look for John Chandler's death certificate. At least I have been able to discount all the myriad John Chandlers who died in London as children! I have sent for one in Edmonton, the right area for the River Lea, and although it's for 1860 I'm hoping it took them that long to sort out the paperwork. The age is about right. If this one proves wrong then I think I'll finally give up!
Sue Mackay
Insanity is hereditary - you get it from your kids
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05-11-2016, 4:25 PM #10
I've found another newspaper report which is worth including because it gives a description of him.
"Saunders’s News Letter Wed 25 Aug 1858
Extensive Embezzlement.— Monday information was communicated to the various police-stations in the City and other parts of the metropolis, for the detention or apprehension of Mr John Chandler, plumber, who resided at Knight’s-hill, Norwood, and has decamped, having embezzled monies to a very considerable amount. It is supposed will make for some seaport, intending emigrate to America or Australia. The offender described to be 50 years of age, five feet nine inches in height, and bald-headed. A large reward is offered for his apprehension. We have since learnt that the body found in the River Lea yesterday is that of the missing individual."
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