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  1. #1
    Christa
    Guest

    Default A Black sheep from Cambridgeshire

    I have two queries here, I found John Witten born 1807 in Leverington, Cambridgeshire, mother Elizabeth Witton, baptism record says base born, as it does for a son William born 1803 and daughter Susannah born about 1809. A tree online says that Elizabeth served a Bastardy Order on the father of John in 1808, I have searched but can't find out if this is correct. John Witton is sentenced to 7 years transportation for stealing a cheese in 1834 at the Cambridge/Ely assiizes. Is there any way of finding the details of his trial? There are newspaper reports which say after sentence was passed John asked if he could please keep the cheese as he had a long journey ahead of him! I found him on board ship, and possibly his death in Australia but would really be interested in finding a Bastardy order and a Trial report.

    Hope someone can help or point me in the right direction,

    Christa

  2. #2
    Brick wall demolition expert!
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    Lancashire
    Posts
    3,642

    Default

    Trial reports, if they exist, as likely to be extremely brief as court cases took a fraction of the time that they take to day. The National Archives has a guide to criminal trials and assize records:
    https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/h...ey-to-records/

    This is a link to Cambridgeshire on line archives, which might hold the bastardy orders:
    https://calm.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/calmview/

    It is probably worth contacting them to see if they can point you in the right direction. The other thing would be to search newspapers to see if there is a report of the bastardy case.

    There are a myriad of convict archives on line which can give you an insight into their world. Both Ancestry and Findmypast have records - you might find him on a prison hulk waiting to be transported. One of my tree was transported, and there are physical descriptions of him, and also the fact that he could read and write.

  3. #3
    Wilkes_ml
    Guest

    Default

    I would expect both bastardy and assize documents are probably in the Cambridge Record Office. They may have an online catalogue which may give details of what actual records they do hold, but they probably won't actually give any specific detail online. For the details contained within the documents you would need to visit the Record Office yourself, or enlist a researcher to look on your behalf. It is worth checking with the Record Office to see if they have a reprographics service, and someone at the record office can look up those specific entries and scan copies for you. Most Record Offices are very good and will send electronic copies of specific entries at a cost.

    edited to say I was thinking of quarter sessions rather than assizes - he may be in those, which should be at the County Record Office

  4. #4
    Christa
    Guest

    Default John Witton....

    Thank you, I will try the suggestions. I have John on board ship going to Australia, found a Ticket of Leave for him also a death which is very probably him. I am just curious about the outcome of the Bastardy Order...did the supposed father admit liability I wonder? The newspaper reports on the trial probably covers all the details then I guess.

    Many thanks, I knew this site wouldn't let me down!

    Christa

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