MOLESWORTH Edwin from Birmingham: Served 6 months in Warwick House of Correction.

[Brummie On Exmoor]

I have discovered a small but select band of 'old lags' amongst my MOLESWORTH ancestors from Birmingham, including Joseph who was transported. My most recent discovery is Edwin MOLESWORTH, son of Oliver and Sarah, Christened in St Martin's in 1809. He is a 1st cousin 4x removed, his Grandfather was my 4xGreat Grandfather. Edwin lived in Birmingham, and was twice sentenced to 6 months for Larceny in Warwick House of Correction.

I have 2 big questions.

1. Edwin served both his sentences in the House of Correction in Warwick. I have ascertained that it was in Barracks Road, very close to or part of Warwick Gaol. However, it was quite distinct from the Gaol, and in the newspaper in October 1828 (his 1st conviction), incarceration in the 2 places is shown separately. I know less about the second conviction in March 1841, as I have not found any newspaper reports, but he also served his 1841 sentence there, as he is in the House of Correction in the 1841 Census.

So, can anyone please tell me what the real difference was? Why be sentenced to one, not the other? Was the Gaol for more hardened criminals? Was it for worse crimes? Why, as a second offender (known about, and noted in the Court records) did Edwin not end up in the Gaol in 1841?

2. After his appearence in the 1841 Census (he was a Collier in Bhm, so pres. worked in a Coal Yard or on the Barges, not down a mine), Edwin disappears without trace. I have tried every database I can think of. I would love it if anyone can throw up any clues as to where he went.

Best wishes

Jane

 

[pollypops]

Re: Edwin MOLESWORTH from Birmingham: Served 6 months in Warwick House of Correction.

Jane, do you have the actual date for the March 1841 conviction?

 

[BernardR]

Not sure if you have seen this Jane. Not a lot of information but a brief description of the two premises.

 

[the smiths]

Good insight to what prison life was like back in the 1900's and some good shots of inside of the prison.
The 1907 Governers name also caught my eye thanks BernardR for the link.

 

[Brummie On Exmoor]

Thank you to all of you for your replies.

Pollypops, the 2 court appearances and convictions were on 14 Oct 1828 and 9 March 1841. Experience with others of my 'old lags' is that in those days if the sentence was 6 months, then that is exactly what you served, so it would have been 14 Oct 1828-14 April 1829 and 9 March-9 Sept 1841, including the Census in June, when he is shown there. I have him in Quarter Session records on Ancestry for both, in the Leamington Spa Courier in 1828 and in Warwickshire Record Office Criminal Records online also for 1828, and the 1841 Census.

Bernard, yes I had seen the Gaol refs you flagged up, but I hadn't spotted the ref to the Bridewell. It looks as though the Bridewell was probably synonymous with the House of Correction, and that the House of Correction might have been more for beggars and vagrants, rather than organised villains and criminals.

Interestingly however, when you look at Edwin's entry in the 1841 Census, in the House of Correction, the occupations of inmates are listed, and it includes, just on his page for example, blacksmith, silver smith (2 of those), butcher, brass caster (2), brass founder (3), baker, bellows maker, jeweler, ribbon weaver (3), needle maker etc - in other words, all the typical Warwickshire/Birmingham occupations of the day. So was it a division into hardened criminals and those who 'just strayed'? It is a really interesting division.

Thank you all, very much, and would be grateful for any further thoughts on any of this,

Jane

 

[BernardR]

I think some may have been in their as debtors maybe?

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