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  • "Insolvent debtor" ?

    Hi

    I've found a newspaper cutting from the Worcester Journal, 21 Feb 1827 that says

    "INSOLVENT DEBTORS - Mr Commissioner Harris will hold his court, at the Guildhall, in this city, on Friday next; when the following Petitioners will apply for their discharge:- John Andrews, late of Worcester, bricklayer and plasterer. - George Palmer, formerly of Clent, Stafordshire, but late of Stourbridge, butcher ........ . - James Gould, late of North Littleton, labourer. ......... "

    I believe that James Gould is my 4x g.gfather.

    FS has a burial of a James Gould in North Littleton on 20 Jan 1833, and I'm trying to get someone in Worcs to do a look-up for me to see what's the age of this James (am hoping 70+ish, then will be more convinced that he's mine), and there is no James Gould in North Littleton on the 1841 census.*

    James was married (11 Jul 1781 in North Littleton) to Sarah (nee Knight) and there's a burial in North Littleton of a Sarah Gould, age 74, which would tally with her baptism in North Littleton in 1761.

    From the newspaper article, what does "late of North Littleton" mean in this context, please? Does it mean he's not there any more and if so, and family (he and Sarah had four sons) wouldn't take him in, would he be in the workhouse? But why would he be in the workhouse without Sarah?

    This is my first possible workhouse inmate, so please excuse these really basic questions.

    * edited to say : Have an answer now on the James burial in 1833. He's 89, which makes him b. 1744. A little earlier than I'd hoped and now doubting that the death is mine.

    HELP ! please
    Last edited by SmallTownGirl; 06-07-13, 07:42.
    Always looking for Goodwins in Berkshire.

  • #2
    Yes it means he isn't living there anymore - interesting that none of the people listed have a present address listed - could it be they were all in a debtors prison?
    Judith passed away in October 2018

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    • #3
      Originally posted by JudithM View Post
      Yes it means he isn't living there anymore - interesting that none of the people listed have a present address listed - could it be they were all in a debtors prison?
      If they were all in debtors' prison, how could they pay off their debts?

      Sorry for being so ignorant.
      Always looking for Goodwins in Berkshire.

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      • #4
        STG

        Simple answer - they couldn't! The only hope was discharge from debt after having served a prison sentence, or a relative coming forward to pay off the debt. Hard times.

        OC

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        • #5
          Originally posted by Olde Crone Holden View Post
          STG

          Simple answer - they couldn't! The only hope was discharge from debt after having served a prison sentence, or a relative coming forward to pay off the debt. Hard times.

          OC
          Oh dear. If he IS the James who died in North Littleton in 1833, he'd have been 83yo when he was in debtors' prison. Eeek!
          Always looking for Goodwins in Berkshire.

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          • #6
            There was Time Team special on the TV last week about Lincoln Prison and a whole section about Debtors prison, which they put people into when their couldn’t pay their bills, it was used to ensure that if they did have any money tucked away or their family/friends did then it was used as they had to pay for everything they got , meals, blankets, drinks, haircuts it was not like a normal prison, more like a ‘hotel’,or as they put it a 'gentlemans club' but only if you paid so friends and family could visit, the ‘prisoner’ just couldn’t leave.
            It was said that many ‘prisoners’ used it as a way to get away from numerous debtors, but they were talking about ones who had some money to pay for the services, it must have been awful if someone really didn’t have any money, life would be very difficult.
            Last edited by foxyloxy; 06-07-13, 12:30.
            Foxyloxy

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            • #7
              Have now found an earlier newspaper article, dated 1 Feb 1827, for him which gives notice of the hearing on 23 Feb, and starts off with the words "The Matters of the Petitions and Schedules of the Prisoners hereinafter named ...."

              so he was in debtors prison from before 1 Feb until 23 Feb, which seems to suggest that the family couldn't afford to buy him out. And I'm sure I saw something on the same page as the later notice about the weather having been particularly cold in the month of Feb with the thermometer down below freezing on most nights (or something like that). He must have been quite a tough old fella to withstand that at his advanced age.
              Always looking for Goodwins in Berkshire.

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