GreatgreatAunt Elizabeth Little ?

[littlealison]

Any good asking a question of NAS, do you think?

[cathy52]

you will get the prison records in edinburgh at the historical search room, i have still to visit it for prison records for 1911. good luck on your search,i love finding things out about the ancestors they are probably turning in there graves with all the thing you find out about them. ha ha, they should'nt have been so naughty. best of luck

[littlealison]

I can't unfortunately get to Edinburgh....I may try writing.

Out of curiosity I looked for the doctor after 1866. In the 1861 census he is there in Springburn, and so is she.
(I didn't find her before as her age is mistranscribed as 33, but is 23 on Familysearch.)

However, after 1866 he seems to have vanished altogether! There are many John Grahams, even John W Grahams, but no doctors....seems unlikely that he changed course, as this is a man who was recorded as a surgeon's apprentice at 11 (!) ..........I have searched the UK.
This is just plain curiosity on my part, as to what might happen to a man in this situation then!
Did he emigrate? Can anyone find him?

[Currie]

Hello Alison,

In Parliamentary Papers.

1867-68 (279) Committals (Scotland.) Return of the number of persons committed to prison in Scotland, during the years 1866 and 1867, in order to trial before the Court of Justiciary; stating the time each person so committed was confined in prison previous to trial, and the crime for which such person was tried.

This document contains a total of 764 names tried at High Court Edinburgh, and Circuit Courts at Glasgow, Stirling, Perth, Dundee, Aberdeen, Inverness, Ayr, Dumfries, and Jedburgh.

There are only eight for which part of the the reason for conviction was Child Murder.

Mary Mullen or M'Kenna at Glasgow
Elspet Murray at Aberdeen
Ann Pirie at Aberdeen
Jane Scougall at Jedburgh
Helen Sutherland at Perth
Christina M'Intosh at Edinburgh
Ann Gillies at Inverness
Grace Ferguson at Perth

There were three whose only crime was Concealment of Pregnancy.

Bridget Quin at Glasgow
Margaret Fallon at Perth
Jane Bell at Dumfries

All of the above are on the NAS index.

Maybe they dropped the charges against Elizabeth Little?

All the best,
Alan

[littlealison]

Hi Alan.
Goodness, did you have to look through all that lot? Hope not - but thanks!

These are the ones actually committed to prison, yes?
We know Elizabeth was committed for trial....so either the charge(s) were dropped - or she was acquitted?
Or - this being Scotland - a verdict of 'Not Proven' is possible?

Seems she definitely concealed her pregnancy, though!

Still thinking about this one. Thanks again - Alison

[Currie]

Hello Alison,

I can't access this newspaper but it looks like the death of the good doctor.
http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.u ... %20late%22

Saturday 07 March 1868 ,  Paisley Herald and Renfrewshire Advertiser
“At CroM-Arthurlie, Barrhead, on the 3d inst., John Graham, surgeon, late Springburn, in the 3Sth ... “

Death on SP could have Grahame spelling.

Alan

[littlealison]

Hi Alan.
Yes I think this is him. That explains a lot....except why he died.
I think the unreadable bit is 'Cross Athurlie St, Barrhead'. Probably.
Annoyingly, the only Renfrewshire Scottish PO Directories don't include any possible year he was there. Oh well.

It looks like he went back to where he was born.
His poor wife was left with 5 kids, one born in December 1866. (Quick work, Dr Graham!)
Thanks - Alison

[carlineric]

Hi Alison

John Wilson became licensed as a doctor in 1850. Registration of doctors started in 1859 and the register are available on Ancestry for every four years from 1859.
John Wilson Graham is shown in the 1859 and 1867 registers as living at Muirwell Cottage, Bishopbriggs with a qualification of Licentiate of the Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons Glasgow 1850.

Eric

[littlealison]

Hello Eric. Interesting! (I've now found an Irish relative here too! This register new to me.)
Bishopbriggs not very far from Springburn....wondering if this was the surgery? Or was there a hospital there?
Because he is definitely in the census in 1861 with family - and Elizabeth Little - in Springburn.

He doesn't appear in the register of doctors after 1867 as far as I can find, and the report of death in the Renfrewshire local paper is fairly specific....
- thanks though - Alison