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Old Bailey Court Records

25 Mar By Leave a Comment

London’s Central Criminal Court was known as Old Bailey. This was an important court from which to document the Irish who settled in London.

Records of Old Bailey

The records have been indexed in a searchable database, with digitized images, from 1674-1913. These are known as the Old Bailey Proceedings. Also on the database are the Ordinary of Newgate’s Accounts from 1673-1772. The database provides accesses to 197,000 trials along with biographical information on the 2,500 executions of men and women at Tyburn. The Old Bailey Proceedings databases are free of charge.

Additional Old Bailey Research Helps

Due to their historical nature, the website has a Glossary which can help you understand the older English as well as the legal terms. There are also guides to help you sort through what constituted crime and punishment as seen in the records. If this wasn’t enough, then check out the section on “Gender in the Proceedings.”

Searching the Old Bailey Database by Category

Aside from the general name search, there is a category search. You can search by offence. From different types of theft to different types of sexual crimes; this section alone provides a rare window into the world of the people on trial. It also can help us understand what a “religious offence” was all about. One interesting offence category is labeled “Miscellaneous” with attached sub-categories to it. Here we get a glimpse into the lives of people charged with infanticide, illegal abortion, piracy and return from transportation. An offence category under “Violent Theft” includes “Highway Robbery.” That was not just an expression in the world these people lived in.

As far as thought provoking databases, this one is hard to beat. Even if your ancestors never went to London make sure you explore this resource. Their world was very foreign to us; yet at the same time, these Proceedings teach us how little things have changed. People are still people and we just have new ways of doing what they did back then.

If you would like to hire a professional genealogist Contact Us.

Strategies for Using the Boston Pilot Database

18 Feb By Leave a Comment

People looking for missing relatives and friends from Ireland would place ads in the Boston Pilot (1831-1921) newspaper because of its wide circulation. Although published in Boston, ads flooded in from everywhere. It is within these want ads you often immigrant origins preserved and where various family members settled. Databases can be found on the websites of Ancestry, Boston College and the New England Historic Genealogical Society.

What if Your Ancestor is Not Listed in the Database

When you find your ancestor, then your research really opens up. However, what if you don’t find your ancestors listed? I have found these databases are much deeper and can be used in many more ways than a simple straightforward search. Some of my favorite strategies are below.

Secondary Strategies for Using the Boston Pilot Database

Place Names: I may not know where a person was from in Ireland; however, I know where they settled. Use the search feature to identify all Irish who settled in that locality. Who was looking for people who settled in a particular state, city or with that surname? Once you study these ads, does a pattern emerge? For example, are most the ads looking for people from County Roscommon? If so, then you might have stumbled upon where your ancestor was from.

This strategy can also be used in reverse when you know the county in Ireland but you cannot identify a parish. Who from that county were placing ads for people living where your ancestor settled? Does a pattern emerge?

Associate Names: In research, we always assume the godparents at children’s christenings were friends and family of the parents. Then we wonder if they may have known them in Ireland prior to immigrating. Using this logic, take the names of the godparents as found in the immigrant parish and run them through the Boston Pilot databases. Does a pattern emerge? Who is looking for them or who are they looking for?

Religion: Do not assume everybody placing ads were Catholic or even practicing Catholic. Upon immigrating many Irish Catholics either dropped out of church or switched denominational affiliations. I see this all the time. So just because your ancestor became a Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Episcopalian or Adventist, do not assume they would not place an ad in the Jesuit published Boston Pilot. Also, do not assume nobody is looking for them!

With these few extra strategies, the Boston Pilot databases may actually yield where your family came from. These are not straightforward searches, but they have worked for many in many cases.

Line Deeds Up in Date Order!

6 Nov By Leave a Comment

Many Irish and Scots-Irish names are common. This presents its own unique problem as you now have to sort through them not only in the records of Ireland but also in the immigrant country. This is where you have to be very careful in your research to assure you have the correct person. This blog will focus on the immigrant country.

Several Families with the Same Name

Yes, you may have three Kelly or Stewart families in an county or township, and they may or may not all be related. So how do you sort through everybody?

If I’m using a land record in the immigrant country, I start with picking a targeted time frame. If 1800-1820 or 1850-1860 fits your research needs then stick to that as a test. Then using the land deeds, go chronologically through the records extracting all Kelly or Stewarts; even if you have no idea who they are. If the surname is simply to common, then choose particular given names you need to know more about. This narrows your target to all John Stewart deed transactions from 1800 to 1820. Then line them up chronologically.

A Pattern Emerges Separating out Individuals and Families

Once you do this then a pattern will begin to emerge. In the land records you will find the description (location) of the properties, the buyer or seller, the neighbors and the witnesses. Then at the end of your search you will see just how many John Stewarts you really have.

Then separate them out by what the records say. Do you have two John Stewarts or Frank Kellys or do you have five? This will go a long way to helping you sort through common names and stay on track with your research.

Click Here if you would like to know more about deed research and sorting through common names and surnames.

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