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  • George Wood shot dead

    From Morning Post and Daily Advertiser 6th Jan 1785
    "1784 Dec 30 - Hastings fisherman George Wood was shot dead by a soldier while trying to escape on his boat from revenue officers. The soldier was convicted of murder, but then pardoned and freed."
    Got a feeling that this was my gggf ......... there was an inquest as the paper continues;
    "the Coroner's Jury sat on the body and brought in a verdict of Willful Murder whereupon the offenders were taken up and and committed to gaol of the above place"

    I would appreciate knowing just how to get a copy of the coroner's report if anyone could help.
    Joe

  • #2
    Originally posted by joboy View Post
    From Morning Post and Daily Advertiser 6th Jan 1785
    "1784 Dec 30 - Hastings fisherman George Wood was shot dead by a soldier while trying to escape on his boat from revenue officers. The soldier was convicted of murder, but then pardoned and freed."
    Got a feeling that this was my gggf ......... there was an inquest as the paper continues;
    "the Coroner's Jury sat on the body and brought in a verdict of Willful Murder whereupon the offenders were taken up and and committed to gaol of the above place"

    I would appreciate knowing just how to get a copy of the coroner's report if anyone could help.
    Joe
    Not a lot of Coroner's reports survive but you should ask the local Records Office for Hastings if they have any. You could also ask the local court where any records may be held.

    Margaret

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    • #3
      George Wood was buried on 30th Dec 1784 at Hastings St Clements.
      Moggie

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      • #4
        Originally posted by margaretmarch View Post
        Not a lot of Coroner's reports survive but you should ask the local Records Office for Hastings if they have any. You could also ask the local court where any records may be held.

        Margaret
        Thanks Margaret .... taking your advice I have sent an email to the Hastings Record Office together with three clippings from newspapers at the time which describe the incident but no details of his address and/or family.
        Will let you know of any reply.
        The local court is unknown to me but one of the clippings mentions Lewes but not in any specific nature.
        Joe

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        • #5
          Hastings is in East Sussex so East Sussex Record Office in Lewes may be able to help you. There are a number of similar newspaper reports online of the verdict at the trial of Joseph Bevan the soldier at Lewes - he was sentence to be hanged, dissected & anatomized, but after sentencing there was a "respite" produced which secured his pardon, the report doesn't say what it was just quotes the legal precedence for producing it after sentence.

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          • #6
            Do you have his burial? It was the same day he died 30 Jan 1784 at St Clement, Hastings. There's a very good fisherman's museum in Hastings as well as the town museum so that might be another avenue to explore.

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            • #7
              Originally posted by Jill on the A272 View Post
              Do you have his burial? It was the same day he died 30 Jan 1784 at St Clement, Hastings. There's a very good fisherman's museum in Hastings as well as the town museum so that might be another avenue to explore.
              Thank you Jill .......... I will try to contact the museums ........ good advice.
              Joe

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              • #8
                Got this this morning;
                Hello Joe

                Thank you for your email.

                I'm afraid this is a little early for our resources. Our street directories do not cover this date and it is pre census information.

                I've had a look at a book we have on the Fishermen of Hastings but the information on the fishing families starts in the 1800s.

                Our Hastings newspapers are also too late to cover this.

                Best Wishes

                Zoe

                Zoë Edwards
                Information & Local Studies Librarian
                East Sussex County Council

                So back to square one .. any suggestions?
                Joe

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                • #9
                  That's disappointing.

                  Have you been in touch with the court yet? I imagine it would be Lewes but even if it isn't they would tell you where else to contact I'm sure.

                  Margaret

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by margaretmarch View Post
                    That's disappointing.

                    Have you been in touch with the court yet? I imagine it would be Lewes but even if it isn't they would tell you where else to contact I'm sure.

                    Margaret
                    Thanks Margaret,
                    I have tried all the links to Lewes Court for an hour or two this morning and can find no provision for anything relating to historical trials... I used 1785 then 1785+Wood and various other combinations but no luck... I also looked for a 'contact us' link and that too did not exist.
                    Joe

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                    • #11
                      I can send you the clipping about the trial if you need it. The court at Lewes doesn't have any historical records, they are all round the back in the East Sussex Record Office at The Maltings - they are packing up and moving to new premises later in June so there might be a period during which they are not able to answer queries.

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                      • #12
                        With the help of Jill on the 872 and a heck of a lot of research since I am pleased to say that George Wood who was shot and killed on 28th December 1784 was my 4GGF.
                        He was buried at St Clement Hastings on 30 December 1784.
                        The Sussex Family History Group (SFHG) to which I now belong had incorectly transcribed the event which is now in course of correction.
                        The Hastings Chronicle at;

                        provides just enough information to cover the event.
                        Thank you all for your interest.
                        Joe

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                        • #13
                          good to hear its a good conclusion

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                          • #14
                            Joe - there's a bit about you and George in the latest SFHG magazine, hope you get some further results

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Jill on the A272 View Post
                              Joe - there's a bit about you and George in the latest SFHG magazine, hope you get some further results
                              Thanks for the "heads up" Jill ........ I look forward to getting my copy.
                              Joe

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