Tuesday, 22 July 2014


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.

Sunday, 13 January 2013

Edinburgh Petition 1830


SIGNATORIES TO THE EDINBURGH PETITION – APRIL 1830
Against the punishment of death for Forgery


A total of 697 persons signed the petition presented to the House of Commons by Sir James Mackintosh.   According to The Morning Herald, May 14, 1830 all the bankers in Edinburgh signed the document together with merchants, magistrates, private gentlemen and members of the universities and learned professions.   The Edinburgh Petition is just one of many appeals submitted to parliament, others being presented from Southampton, Reading and Plymouth.  However the Edinburgh Petition against the perpetuation of capital punishment for forgery was considered exemplary as many signatories were declined in an attempt to add “weight” or validity to the appeal.


A contemporary facsimile copy of the Edinburgh Petition may be of interest to the family historian, it contains the earliest signatories to the document and those that are legible have been transcribed below:
 

Signatories:

Andrew Thomson, L.D. Min. of St George’s

Thomas Chambers

Edward Craig, St James Episcopal Chapel

Archibald Alison, L.L.B. Senior Minister of St. Paul’s Episcopal Chapel

James Russell, M.D.

Peter Ramsey ?, Banker, Edinburgh

William Bonar, Banker, Edinburgh

John Bonar?, Banker, Edinburgh

James Inglis, Banker

Ed. Cruickshank

H. Cochrane, Advocate, Charlotte Square, Edinburgh

? Jeffrey, Advocate

Geo. Combe, Write to the Signet North.d Street, Edinburgh

Alex Cruickshank, 57 George Street

Robert Kaye Grenville, L.L.D., 1 Wharton Place

Robert Gordon, D.D. Minister of the New North Parish, Edinburgh

James Peddle, D.D. Minister

John Bonar jnr. Banker

George Small, J.P. Mansfield Place

John Moberley, Banker

Robert Jameson, Professor of Natural History, Edinburgh

J. F. Gordon, Heriot Row

A. Coventry, M.D. Professor of Agriculture

John Brown, Minister, Broughton Place Chapel

John Thomson, M.D. Late Professor

John May? Banker

George Forbes, Banker

Andrew Duncan, M.A.

Robert Paul, Banker

John Gardiner Kinnear, Banker

Henry Westmacott

John Abercrombie, M. D., York Place

J. Wishart, Surgeon to the King

Alex Blaire, 57 Melville Street

William Thomson, Surgeon

Walter Brown, Merchant

John MacGregor, Banker

Thos. Allan, Banker

John M Cay? University

John Toll?

? Neale

J. Alison, Professor Institute of Medicine

J.C. Gregory, M.D.

John ? Westmacott, 8 West Launston Lane

Wm. Ainsworth, M.R.C.S.E etc. Committee

Hewett Watson, University of Edinburgh

Henry D Erskine

The death sentence was extremely unpopular with society except for cases of violence, highlighted by this extract from Hansard, 1832, “From the Inhabitants of Kingston-upon-Thames; …. they regarded the enactments which went to inflict the punishment of Death, in cases of attack upon private property, unaccompanied by personal violence, as repugnant to humanity, injurious to the interests of society, and contrary to the principles of our religion; that the severity of the sentence, far from affording security to property, tended to increase the commission of the offence.”

Capital punishment was repealed in 1832 except for forgery of wills and powers of attorney for the transference of government stock.