James HAILEY Hiding in 1891/1901

[Oakum Picker]

Had this on FTF yesterday. Would be grateful for any thoughts here.

ORIGINAL POST

Can anyone see James in 1891 or 1901 please?

I had long ago given up looking for the death of my ggg-gf's brother James HAILEY as my last sighting of him was in 1881 but lo & behold whilst looking for something else entirely different today, I find him alive & well & living in Norwich in 1911.

Here is what I think I know about him.

He was baptised in 1828 in Hitchin Herts to Joshua & Elizabeth.

In 1841 he can be found in Hitchin living with his mother & most of his siblings, his father having been sent on an extended holiday to NSW in 1832.

I believe his first brush with the law was in 1845 when he's sentenced to 2 mths for larceny.
In 1850 he's sentenced to 7 yrs transportation for stealing 8 bushels of potatoes & 12d of property but for some reason is not sent. It may have been something to do with the unwritten '3 strikes' rule as he only had the one prior conviction.

However the 1851 Census finds him in Armley Gaol, Leeds. I assume this is where he was sent for his punishment but not for long as he was back in court in Jun 1852 where it shows he was convicted twice before of a felony but this time was found 'Not Guilty'.

During this time he fathered 2 sons in Sep 1850 & Mar 1852 & both were baptised in Nov 1852. He married their mother in Jan 1853 & things go quiet for a few years.

In 1861 he's in Hitchin with wife Ann & 4 sons.

In Oct 1863 he's back in trouble with the law being found guilty of stealing a gun from one man & the trunks of 2 beech trees from another. It shows he has 2 previous convictions & he is again sentenced to 7 yrs transportation. This time he is sent but not until 1866 - destination Western Australia.

I thought this would be the last that would be seen of him in this country because of the numerous difficulties facing any convict trying to return.

There's no sign of him in 1871, not surprisingly & Ann is in Hitchin with the 3 youngest children still saying she's married. Ann dies in 1874 & in 1881 James is in the Hitchin Union Workhouse - a widower.

Then I can find no further sign of him until he pops up in 1911. At least I now know he died in 1916.

FOLLOW UP POST


What do you think of this? Name spelled incorrectly, status incorrect, age about right, occupation right, birthplace incorrect. BUT he is in the West Wymer workhouse & was living in East Wymer in 1911 plus I cannot see one James HAILEY (or variations) born in Norfolk in any other census.

http://search.ancestry.co.uk/iexec?h...=&pid=10571941

[ElizabethHerts]

It looks promising, Glen. I haven't found him in 1891 yet.

[Merry]

That last link does't work for me! I'm guessing it's a 1901 census page?

What does it say in brackets on the 1911 after the word pensioner?

[Phoenix]

That last link does't work for me! I'm guessing it's a 1901 census page?

What does it say in brackets on the 1911 after the word pensioner?

Hawker - the codes in blue: 350/993 mean retired from business - hawker.

[Oakum Picker]

Thanks for looking Elizabeth & Merry.

Merry - I can't read that either.

Here's the piece
RG13; Piece: 1848; Folio: 109; Page: 15.

[Oakum Picker]

Thanks for that Phoenix - now I know, I can see it. Apologies for not replying sooner, I had to go out immediately after I posted.

[maggie_4_7]

I had a look and couldn't find him so he definitely went to Australia and came back?

Suprising he came back though and yes I think that must be him on the 1911.

Do you think he might have gone again and come back? (unlikely but the first time was unlikely too most never did)

What a life he had and he lived to quite old really for that time.

[Oakum Picker]

Maggie.

Yes, I was surprised he returned, none of my others did - they were all of the labouring class & illiterate but he is the only possible option in '81 & '11.

Transportation stopped 2 yrs after he was sent. As he had already served nearly 3 years when he arrived in WA, he would have been able to apply for his TOL 15 mths later I would assume (I know I shouldn't) & so could have started saving for his return. It probably took him 10yrs!!

Two of his brothers also had long lives my ggg-gf 1815 - 1906 & 1819 - 1908. Even the shortest lived saw the C20th 1822 - 1901. The sisters didn't fare quite as well but of a family of 9 only 1 died as a baby. The others all married & had families -54 children between them. This was after their father was transported in 1832 when the eldest child was 17. The hardship obviously toughened them up.