NEWSPAPERS, AN EXEMPLARY SOURCE?

Historic local newspapers are considered a reasonably reliable source albeit early nineteenth century political persuasions can easily be identified in both local and national publications.  To avoid false assumption and inaccuracies, wherever possible, newspapers should be used in conjunction with alternative evidence.  Errors in journalism occurred, especially by the hand of junior reporters.  This is pertinent to the family historian who is more likely to utilise the writings of the less experienced journalist just starting their career in the often tedious chore of local Court reporting.   

Possibly a junior reporter made the error that caused me several hours of research.  John Berry Wood a former shoe maker joined the police force in 1852 initially in Oxfordshire before transferring to Southampton then Cornwall where, by 1861 aged thirty years old, he had attained the rank of Inspector and lived in Stratton.  However a court report in the Royal Cornwall Gazette, 6 January 1860, stated that he was a watchmaker.  The case was fairly straightforward, the accused, Samuel Cole stole a watch from a publican.  The drinkers and landlord had been comparing time pieces in the bar; a watch being a treasured possession in the mid nineteenth century, (akin to comparing mobile phones today).  Samuel Cole purloined the watch and later took a ‘similar’ one to John Berry Wood, watchmaker in Stratton for repair.   

My initial hypothesis for Inspector John Berry Wood being reported as a watchmaker was an early police ‘sting’ to capture the criminal selling stolen goods.  What a story this would have been!  Census records were researched to fit the evidence to the theory and to eliminate the very unlikely chance that another John Berry Wood existed.   Thus far, the theory had credence.  The next step involved researching historical directories.  The Slater’s Berkshire, Cornwall and Devon directory 1852-1853 listed several watchmakers and jewellers and one quite literally made me smell a rat.  Frederick and William Rattenbury traded in Stratton.  A quick consultation of census records confirmed that watchmakers, Rattenbury’s still had their Stratton shop in 1861.

John Berry, Rattenbury, both similar sounding names that had become mixed during the reporting. The reporter had made a mistake possibly due to lack of experience, boredom or the inability to transcribe his notes.  John Berry Wood probably gave evidence on behalf of the police and Mr Rattenbury was a prosecution witness.  The reporter had inadvertently attempted to change history. The final reflection, always obtain secondary evidence, even when the facts appear 100 per cent correct.