Mary Bird

338

Penny-Lyn Beale on 29th December 2024

CON41-1-11/CON41-1-11p14 No; 1818. Proper Name; Mary Wilson Remarks; Previously convicted 3 times Lived as a Prostitute & Brothel Keeper. Status; Single - one child Husband - William Wilson transported to Bermuda per Scotia States a Widow - 2 children ** CON15-1-4/CON15-1-4P8 No; 1816. Aged; 30 years old Height; 4 ft 11 3/4 in Trade; Housemaid. Trial; Bolton Sessions - 2 April 1846. Stealing £40 from John Worrell in Bolton Native Place; Belfast. Previous convictions; * Buying stolen goods - 3 months * Keeping a disorderly house - 3 months * Pawning a watch - 6 months 2 children on board

41

Barbara Williams on 29th August 2015

Orphan Number: 5760 Orphan: Jane WILSON Mother: WILSON, Mary Father: WILSON, William Mother's ship: Elizabeth & Henry Father's ship: Age when admitted: 3yrs Date admitted: 8 Jan 1847 Date discharged: 22 Jan 1849 Institution(s): Queens Orphan School Discharged to: died of croup Remarks: References: SWD7, 28 The above child, Jane Wilson, is from the Ophan School database, though of course it could be another Mary Wilson but the date is very near to when the E & H arrived at VDL and the father has the same name as Mary's husband. There were two William Wilsons convicted in 1846 and transported to Bermuda, similar age, both in Lancashire (Liverpool and Salford) so it was a process of elimination and with the help of 2 guys on Rootschat we managed to narrow it down to the correct William, as the Liverpool William was sentenced too late to have made it onto the "Scotia" and was sent on another hulk to Bermuda. So it's the William from Salford who was Mary's husband. He was charged a month before Mary was convicted and it was only 2 months after they were married. Marriage certificate with names of both fathers to take it back a generation (attached) Newspaper clippings attached of Mary's conviction sentence and what an awful tale that was. (attached) Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser 28 March 1846 AN OLD BIRD - Mary Bird alias Wilson, was brought up at the Borough Court, on Thursday last, charged with stealing £35 from the person of John Waddilove, on Wednesday, on his return from the cattle fair at Salford. This was the ninth appearance of the lady (and probably her last) on a similar charge. The facts were clear, and she was committed for trial. Leeds Intelligence 18 April 1846 A MELANCHOLY CASE - At the Quarter Sessions of the peace for Bolton, on Friday, a case of a curious nature occured. Mary Bird alias Wilson, was arraigned on a charge of having stolen £35 from John Waddielove, a butcher in that town. The robbery need not be detailed, it may be well imagined. The prisoner, an unfortunate female, lived - horrifying to relate - with her own parents, in a common brothel, at the bottom of what is called Twenty Steps, in Bank-street, and was permitted and encouraged by them to endure a life of the most disreputable nature. When she committed the theft, she handed the money to her father, who went off with it to Manchester, and there himself got robbed of it in a house of ill-fame. He took this so much to heart, that, in a fit of excitement and despair, he went out and hung himself - an awful example of retributive justice, - the prosecutor losing his money for his iniquity - the prisoner receiving no benefit from it - and the author of her being, perhaps of her misfortunes, meeting so awful and end. She had been previously convicted, and was sentenced to transportation for ten years. Liverpool Standard Previous criminal registers found as Ancestry is free this weekend. (attached) Criminal register and transportation register from FMP as always (attached) Interestingly Mary gives her occupation as weaver the same as her father though according to the VDL register she "lived as a prostitute and brother keeper for 12 years. I cannot find them in the 1841 census.