Prisoner at Parkhurst Isle of Wight 1881

miw · Post by **miw** » Fri Jul 22, 2011 6:46 pm

Hi. I am looking for guidance as to how to discover whatJames Glassall, a painter, born in Dumbarton on 30th January, and baptised on 19th February, 1837, had done to appear on the 1881 census as a prisoner at Parkhurst on the Isle of Wight. His parents were William Glassal and Marion Dinnvall. The family came from Edinburgh and were only in Dumbarton for a short period. I cannot find him on the 1891 census but he appears at 17 Grassmarket in the Parish of Greyfriars, Edinburgh on the 1901 census with his wife Jane who was born in Selkirkshire. Any help will be much appreciated.

nelmit · Post by **nelmit** » Fri Jul 22, 2011 7:46 pm

There is an entry at NAS for a James Glassall for the crime of murder in 1872.

http://www.nas.gov.uk/onlineCatalogue/ Click on search and enter his name.

There is a James Glassall at Edinburgh in 1871 (where the murder happened) born 1837 at Dumbarton.

According to a newspaper report he was sentenced to 15 years. You don't say where you are but most people can access 19th century newspapers with their library card.

Regards,
Annette

Currie · Post by **Currie** » Sat Jul 23, 2011 6:15 am

Hello Miw,

If you can’t access the 19C newspapers Google News Archive has a clear copy of the Glasgow Herald report of Tuesday, June 4, 1872, last column on page 3. Zoom in and drag or use the arrow keys. http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=G ... page&hl=en

There’s also a brief summary in the New Zealand newspaper Daily Southern Cross, 12 October 1872. (near the bottom) http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bi ... --1----2--

Alan

Falkyrn · Post by **Falkyrn** » Sat Jul 23, 2011 7:16 pm

In addition to those reports this article from http://gdl.cdlr.strath.ac.uk/haynin/haynin0208.htm

All the female Scottish convicts remained under the charge of the Scottish Prison Commissioners during the whole period of their sentence, but the male convicts sentenced in Scotland were transferred under the Secretary of State's warrant to one of the English convict prisons. They spent a probationary period of nine months there, and then they were drafted to one of the public work prisons in England. In May in 1882, for example, there were 771 male convicts in English prisons who had been sentenced in Scotland.

probably explains why he was in an English prison despite the crime and the sentence happening in Scotland

miw · Post by **miw** » Wed Jul 27, 2011 11:26 am

Very many thanks to you all for your information. I have to say that I assumed that he had committed his crime in England and that was why he was imprisoned there. I will most certainly access the newspapers and 'read all about it'. Again many thanks. maureen

AileenA · Post by **AileenA** » Wed Jul 27, 2011 12:58 pm

Hi
Really interested in being able to access the newspapers for my own research, googled 19th century newspapers but it says that you need to pay to be able to read them. Is this the site you are talking about? how can I access papers using my library card?
Thanks for your help
Aileen

Currie · Post by **Currie** » Wed Jul 27, 2011 2:35 pm

Maureen,

If I remember correctly, The Scotsman, being Edinburgh based, had greater coverage of the incident. If you have access it would be better to search their archives using the victim’s name “Louisa Purdie” as his name was spelt differently there, Glassels I think it was.

Aileen,

I don’t think West Lothian libraries subscribe but residents of Scotland can get access from home via the National Library of Scotland if you register with them. They have the 19C newspapers (not sure about Part 2 with Dundee), The Scotsman, and other goodies. https://auth.nls.uk/ldc/browse.cfm?by=subject&sid=99

All the best,
Alan

AileenA · Post by **AileenA** » Wed Jul 27, 2011 2:42 pm

Thanks Alan, you are always such a mine of information! =D>

miw · Post by **miw** » Wed Jul 27, 2011 5:59 pm

Hi everybody. I have tried all the sites you suggested. I am a member of the National Library and will have a look at the Scotsman Archive and am off to the Mitchell Library tomorrow to look at the reports in the Glasgow Herald. It is truley amazing what information is out there. I love finding out all the more interesting sides to this Family History, not just BMD dates. Mind you it is the first murderer in the ancestral line. Thanks again. Maureen.

nelmit · Post by **nelmit** » Thu Jul 28, 2011 12:12 am

miw wrote:Hi everybody. I have tried all the sites you suggested. I am a member of the National Library and will have a look at the Scotsman Archive and am off to the Mitchell Library tomorrow to look at the reports in the Glasgow Herald. It is truley amazing what information is out there. I love finding out all the more interesting sides to this Family History, not just BMD dates. Mind you it is the first murderer in the ancestral line. Thanks again. Maureen.

Hi Maureen,

By all means go along to The Mitchell and enjoy yourself tomorrow but you can access The Glasgow Herald from home.
See Alan's post...........

Currie wrote:Hello Miw,
If you can’t access the 19C newspapers Google News Archive has a clear copy of the Glasgow Herald report of Tuesday, June 4, 1872, last column on page 3. Zoom in and drag or use the arrow keys. http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=G ... page&hl=en

Do you know you can also access The Scotsman and 19th Century newspapers with your Glasgow City Council library card?

Regards,
Annette

TalkingScot.com

Prisoner at Parkhurst Isle of Wight 1881

Prisoner at Parkhurst Isle of Wight 1881

Re: Prisoner at Parkhurst Isle of Wight 1881

Re: Prisoner at Parkhurst Isle of Wight 1881

Re: Prisoner at Parkhurst Isle of Wight 1881

Re: Prisoner at Parkhurst Isle of Wight 1881

Re: Prisoner at Parkhurst Isle of Wight 1881

Re: Prisoner at Parkhurst Isle of Wight 1881

Re: Prisoner at Parkhurst Isle of Wight 1881

Re: Prisoner at Parkhurst Isle of Wight 1881

Re: Prisoner at Parkhurst Isle of Wight 1881