On February 24, 2011 Ancestry.co.uk announced, in a press release, the unveiling of Victorian female convict parole licence records that are available to view (via subscription) on the world-renowned family history organisation’s website. Apart from the fascinating social aspects surrounding harsh Victorian justice, there’s a veritable goldmine of genealogical information available for each prisoner.
Female Convict Records Give Data on Latest and Previous Crimes
Ancestry’s Licences of Parole for Female Convicts database contains scanned images from original records from the United Kingdom, which are held by The National Archives, of Victorian female felons who were granted a parole licence between 1853 and 1887. The records are invaluable for family history research, because they not only give details of the prisoner’s crime and sentence but also a wealth of fascinating genealogical information.
For example, the first couple of pages of the record for Annie Gilthorpe show she had used the names Scott and Kennedy during her life, she was widowed and of Protestant religion. Her brother, John Carr of Gateshead, was her next of kin. She was convicted of two counts of theft in Carlisle on June 28, 1882. Her five-year sentence probably reflected the fact that she had five previous theft convictions.
Prisoner Health Information Provided by Female Convict Records
The following pages are just as interesting. A medical report, compiled when she first arrived at Millbank prison, London, gives her age and place of birth and describes her health as “very good.” She did not have smallpox, syphilis, scrofula or ulcers. There was a scar on the left side of her forehead and her lungs and heart were “sound” as was her mind. Her height and weight are also given.
The next section of her file is a “record of letters written and received” during her time in prison. It shows that she had a son, William, who had clearly been placed in the care of the Master of Harraby Hill Workhouse, Carlisle, whilst his mother was serving out her time. Annie received a letter from him every three months or so.
Ancestry’s Parole Licence Data Gives Goldmine of Genealogical Information
After a year or so at Millbank, Annie was transferred to the Fulham Refuge and was clearly a model prisoner because her record of “Marks and Gratuities” shows that none were forfeited during her time there where she worked in the laundry. It was probably this model behaviour that led to the granting of her parole licence, halfway through her sentence, on January 20, 1885.
It is obvious, therefore, that this one set of data made available at Ancestry.com (and its related sites, including Ancestry.co.uk) not only gives an insight into the harshness, or otherwise, of Victorian justice, but also fascinating golden nuggets of genealogical information relating to each individual female convict. The information includes the health, physical dimensions and details of other relatives of a female convict ancestor which can be invaluable to the researcher.
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