View Full Version : Richard Hooper convict
Facts are very thin on the ground.
Richard Hooper was a railway guard, who was convicted in August 1853 of stealing from widows. He was transported for 10 years.
He left a wife and six children.
Charles, Emily, Rosina, Eliza and baby Albert were the children of his wife Grace.
Richard married Grace in 1845: https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/1623/images/31280_195054-00520?pId=2346811
Richard when he married was a widower of full age, son of Richard, a maltster. He was living in Elizabeth Place, Hoxton, and was then a messenger for the GPO. The witnesses were G Griffin and Eliza Thornton.
Richard's family were in York in 1851. The eldest child was William, aged 7, born Middlesex. He is shown as two years older than Chrles, b 1845, so I assume he is a son of Richard's first wife.
I can't find Richard on a census, I can't find a convincing baptism. When he was convicted, his age was given as 40. I can't find a first marriage.
Can anyone find out anything about Richard?
Grace names him as the father of two subsequent children, but when "daughter" Annie Jessie marries, she names Samuel Leonard Ball, station master, as father!
I wonder about this family?
1841 census Eglinton St Gorbals Lanarkshire
Richard Hooper aged 20 b England
Jane Hooper aged 20 b Scotland
Jane Ramsay Hooper aged 10m b Scotland
A few others in the house inc Thomas and Charles Hooper both b England and both in their early 20s (brothers of R?). Richard and Thomas are both Mail Guards.
Then Jane Ramsay Hooper died in London aged 8 in 1849 and is buried at St Giles in the Fields, Holborn, Camden. Address Foley St. As yet I'm not saying this is the same child, but could be.
I have not looked to see if this family appear on later census records etc, excluding them from the search.
Hmmm, the bap for Jane R Hooper on SP says her father is Thomas not Richard:
HOOPER
JANE RAMSAY
THOMAS HOOPER/JANE RAMSAY YOUNG FR922 (FR922)
F
13/09/1840
644 / 2
50 / 63
GORBALS
Obvs that's just the transcription.
I had assumed the first three in the house in 1841 were a little family and the others extended family as there were a few other people in between.
Oh, Jean/Jane Young m Thomas Hooper in 1839, so presumably a red herring. Sorry.
I suppose that could still be your Richard, but still unmarried in 1841?
He is a bit young I suppose if he should be 40 in 12 years time, though I'm imagining the Old Bailey record may be an estimation of his age.
In 1853 he says he has six children. Does that fit with what you know, including or excluding William?
A William H Hooper, son of Richard and Jane appears in these trees:
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/1030/?name=William_Hooper&birth=1844_London-Middlesex-England&count=50&father=Richard_Hooper&father_x=1&treePerson=46912381_6699188597
That William was allegedly born 12 Mar 1844 Bristol, Gloucestershire, England, and emigrated to the US in 1860, so doesn't appear on either UK or US census in the 1860s.
In 1853 he says he has six children. Does that fit with what you know, including or excluding William?
Five by Grace, supported by census/baptisms, and the inconvenient William.
This is Grace and the children in 1851 in York:
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/8860/images/YRKHO107_2353_2354-0636?pId=10898798
And back in London in 1861:
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/8767/images/SRYRG9_359_363-0604?pId=6358399
The three eldest children still at home were born in Peterborough, York and Newark.
The two youngest, bp after Richard was transported, born in London
Five by Grace, supported by census/baptisms, and the inconvenient William.
lol I didn't find any baps but that might be because I searched with parents Wil* and Grace and not Ric* and Grace!! :o
So, William may have been born anywhere?
Do you have anything more on William coming forward?
Those following the Hooper/Cage lines, like me, have only his presence in the 1851 census.
I do feel that a lad adrift, with his father transported and his step mother probably doing everything she could to make ends meet, might well have thought emigration the best option.
I cannot find a birth registration for him that matches. The only William Henry born in Gloucestershire (in the previous year) is a son of William. This very ambiguity makes me think I may have the right person!
kiterunner
14-01-23, 09:40
If you search on FMP for Richard Hooper, plus variants of name, with keyword maltster, you will get a lot of results from directories etc which may be spurious (I haven't looked at them) but one of the results is from the bankrupt directory - 1831 Richard Hooper, maltster, Stapleton Road, Bristol.
Wow, Kite, that really does sound promising!
kiterunner
14-01-23, 09:53
And Ancestry has Richard Hooper, maltster, of Bristol, in the Freemason records:
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/60620/images/43970_ugl%5Ecf%5Eb%5E1813-00119?treeid=&personid=&rc=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=pCf1&_phstart=successSource&pId=1403908
19 Jul 1824, age 21.
And Ancestry has Richard Hooper, maltster, of Bristol, in the Freemason records:
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/60620/images/43970_ugl%5Ecf%5Eb%5E1813-00119?treeid=&personid=&rc=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=pCf1&_phstart=successSource&pId=1403908
19 Jul 1824, age 21.
I wonder whether that is father or son? If the age is to be believed (and others seem exact) that would make Richard junior born not much earlier than 1822.
kiterunner
14-01-23, 10:04
I don't know whether this is going to end up ruling that family in or out, but this is the baptism of Richard Hooper, son of Richard Hooper, maltster, and Matilda:
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/61685/images/engl0082d_p-st-pandj-r-2-7_m_00206?treeid=&personid=&rc=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=pCf3&_phstart=successSource&pId=1451456
12 Jan 1831 St Philip and St Jacob, Bristol. I think it says age 1 month.
kiterunner
14-01-23, 10:05
Ah, o.k., looking back at post #1, that can't be the Richard you are looking for!
Richard had a good hand, perfectly assured by the time of his marriage in 1845. So he must have had a decent education. But as he appears to have practised deception for some time before he was caught and convicted of forgery, he may well have practised deception in other fields!
Oh, joy. Trove in 1856 shows a Richard Thompson, otherwise Hooper and Josiah Rigby, otherwise Ormsby, two men whose period of transportation was not yet up!
Could not really tell from the article which were the original names and which the aliases. Don't fancy lookig for Thompson!
Note, I searched Ancestry 1851 for all Richards associated with Gloucestershire, and found curates, paper hangers, silk merchants, ag labs, but nobody likely to be father or son.
Now searched for all Richards + guard/rail* in 1851. One Richard Cooper rail labourer b Rawcliffe, Yks, who I can't find anywhere else, but nothing else I've spotted.
Richard was granted a prison license on 31st July 1857.
ie a convict was released from prison whilst still under a sentence of penal servitude".
He wasn't transported.
https://www.digitalpanopticon.org/life?id=obpdef1-916-18530815 Granted prison license then Click on more details
If he was on parole in 1857 then it is quite possible that Walter age 3 and Annie age 1 both born Islington are his children.
He should therefore be on the 1861 census somewhere or had died.
Possible death?
HOOPER, RICHARD 46
GRO Reference: 1860 M Quarter in ISLINGTON Volume 01B Page 149
Ooh, Kat, that fits with what I just found. On two of the later baptisms he was recorded as a matting manufacturer. I just found this:
Perry's Bankrupt Gazette 24 December 1859
Hooper Richard, cocoa-nut matting manufacturer, Upper Gifford St, Caledonian Road - Drs-p
Caledonian Road is in Islington.
Ooh, well done, Kat! That's a source I didn't know of before.
Margaret in Burton
14-01-23, 18:13
My great great grandfather was sentenced to 5 years transportation but he didn’t go. He was on on the Leviathan Hulk prison ship in Portsmouth in 1841 and was given a royal pardon for being very useful as ships tailor. That was his trade. He retuned to Exton in Rutland and married.
Thank you, Merry. I should not do research late at night: I never even spotted that Richard was a matting manufacturer.
Once these cheaper certificates come in, I ought to get his death details for completeness. Little Walter Robert Hooper died aged 5, the year after he was baptised.
kiterunner
14-01-23, 18:34
Searching the British Newspaper Archive, the Royal Cornwall Gazette dated 21 Dec 1816 mentions Richard Hooper, late of the borough of Launceston, Cornwall, malster and common brewer (or I am assuming that is what they have mangled with their OCR). Searching for maltster rather than malster brings up a lot more results, including some from 1817 also about the one from Launceston - looks like bankruptcy reportings, again.
kiterunner
14-01-23, 18:37
FreeREG has the baptism of Richard Hooper, 19 May 1812, at St Mary Magdalene, Launceston, son of Richard and Patience. Father's occupation not shown, but there is the baptism of Charles Hooper, 31 May 1816, same parents, father's occupation maltster.
kiterunner
14-01-23, 18:45
Hmm, I'm not sure about this!
1851 census, Launceston:
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/8860/images/CONHO107_1899_1899-0451?treeid=&personid=&rc=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=UMN51848&_phstart=successSource&pId=6997327
Richard Hooper, age 37, vetenery surgeon (sic) born Launceston, is in Launceston visiting a Thomas Mason whose brother-in-law is Charles Hooper, 32, also born Launceston. Richard is married but his wife isn't there.
kiterunner
14-01-23, 18:54
I may be clutching at straws here, but in 1861 Charles Hooper has a nephew William age 18, born "Glascow" Scotland:
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/8767/images/CONRG9_1517_1522-0429?treeid=&personid=&rc=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=UMN51850&_phstart=successSource&pId=16076682
So Charles and Richard from Launceston could be the brothers who Merry found in Scotland in 1841? I need to go back and re-read the posts about them...
Prison register Chatham Prison, Kent: Register Of Prisoners
For what it's worth, in 1853 he was 5'6" tall, with brown hair, a fresh complexion and hazel eyes. (along with being 40 and a railway guard!)
Prison register Newgate Prison, London: Register Of Prisoners
This record has the above personal details again but also includes 'Launceston' before his occupation. I don't know what this means!
kiterunner
14-01-23, 18:59
Prison register Chatham Prison, Kent: Register Of Prisoners
For what it's worth, in 1853 he was 5'6" tall, with brown hair, a fresh complexion and hazel eyes. (along with being 40 and a railway guard!)
Prison register Newgate Prison, London: Register Of Prisoners
This record has the above personal details again but also includes 'Launceston' before his occupation. I don't know what this means!
I do!!! Read my last few posts!
Oh, this is odd. Remember the Scottish people I found far back on this thread?
They (or at least Thomas) was/were from Launceston! 1851:
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/8860/images/HRTHO107_1715_1715-0585?ssrc=&backlabel=Return&pId=6100260
kiterunner
14-01-23, 19:05
Okay, William Fradd Hooper marriage to Mary Burt Barry Jul-Sep 1872 Plymouth district... I think that is the William Hooper who was born in Glasgow but can't find the marriage record to see who his father was. (He is on the 1891 census with a wife Mary Ann and children including Rosina K age 16 born Plymouth, the GRO site shows her MMN as Barry.)
kiterunner
14-01-23, 19:07
Scotland's People has Richard Hooper marrying Ann Fradd or Tradd 5 Sep 1841 Glasgow.
Children of Richard and Patience Hooper bap in Launceston (transcriptions from FMP):
26 Mar 1810 William Physic
19 May 1812 Richard
31 May 1816 Charles
24 Mar 1822 Henry and also James
13 Apr 1828 Robert
(So, no Thomas!)
Patience and Richard in 1851:
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/8860/images/CONHO107_1899_1899-0184?ssrc=&backlabel=Return&pId=6993199
https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=GBC%2F1851%2F4273372%2F00519&parentid=GBC%2F1851%2F0009341145
He is an assessor of taxes. Could do with learning his occupation at the time his children were baptised.
The baptism of Charles in 1816 is on FreeREG. Father's occupation, Maltster :D
Malster in 1841:
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/8978/images/CONHO107_133_134-0465?ssrc=&backlabel=Return&pId=300935
FMP
England, Phillimore Marriage Registers, 1531-1913
Richard Hooper of the parish of Launceston, malster, married Patience Physick by licence at Werrington Cornwall on 21 Dec 1808.
I do!!! Read my last few posts!
lol sorry, I was cooking dinner whilst posting so sometimes was a bit slow!
I saw that vet this morning right at the very start, but ignored this completely 'wrong' occupation!!
I too have been cooking supper, so trying desparately to catch up.
Richard the maltster died abt 1853. Hi will almost certainly does not survive.... unless Cornwall, like Devon, were given estate duty wills.
Here is the death duty entry (4th from bottom) https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=BMD%2FIR27%2F305%2F179&parentid=BMD%2FD%2FDDUTY%2F868507https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=BMD%2FIR27%2F305%2F179&parentid=BMD%2FD%2FDDUTY%2F868507
The malster was in Bodmin Gaol in 1816::
https://search.findmypast.co.uk/bna/viewarticle?id=bl%2f0000177%2f18161221%2f002&stringtohighlight=richard%20hooper%20malster
(column 2 towards the bottom)
Well, at least it was only for debt!
Prison register Chatham Prison, Kent: Register Of Prisoners
For what it's worth, in 1853 he was 5'6" tall, with brown hair, a fresh complexion and hazel eyes. (along with being 40 and a railway guard!)
Prison register Newgate Prison, London: Register Of Prisoners
This record has the above personal details again but also includes 'Launceston' before his occupation. I don't know what this means!
I'm going loopy. I've looked at about 30 records on fmp and have not seen the Newgate prison register. Do you have any idea where it's from, Merry?
Alright, I've found it:
https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=TNA%2FCCC%2FPCOM2%2F213%2F00207&parentid=TNA%2FCCC%2F2B%2FPCOM2%2F01133604
(several pages from where I was looking!)
Here it is - :
https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=TNA%2FCCC%2FPCOM2%2F213%2F00207&parentid=TNA%2FCCC%2F2B%2FPCOM2%2F01133604
kiterunner
14-01-23, 22:31
I too have been cooking supper, so trying desparately to catch up.
Richard the maltster died abt 1853. Hi will almost certainly does not survive.... unless Cornwall, like Devon, were given estate duty wills.
Here is the death duty entry (4th from bottom) https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=BMD%2FIR27%2F305%2F179&parentid=BMD%2FD%2FDDUTY%2F868507https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=BMD%2FIR27%2F305%2F179&parentid=BMD%2FD%2FDDUTY%2F868507
I couldn't get your link to work, but I think I found the same record by searching the Index to Death Duty Registers on FMP.
Anyway, is this it at Cornwall Archives?
https://kresenkernow.org/SOAP/detail/f32d08ec-1cb5-40f2-a374-9b7fbf0f842d/?tH=%5B%22richard%20hooper%22%5D
Erm, that can't be him as he is on the 1861 census!
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/8767/images/CONRG9_1517_1522-0358?ssrc=&backlabel=Return&pId=16075342
HOOPER, RICHARD 87
GRO Reference: 1863 J Quarter in LAUNCESTON Volume 05C Page 19
Bum. *goes to the bottom of the class:o*
lol and no will for any of them, but the look of it!
Indeed. Still, everyone has found an incredible amount of information for me, for which I am truly grateful. This is a dim and dusty, disregarded corner of the extended family, on which a strong searchlight has revealed so much.
It looks as if an application from Grace to get her husband released was rejected 24 July 1854: https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/61805/images/ho13_103_00311?backlabel=ReturnSearchResults&queryId=334ce4dfa4cc1056af3f113759f06382&pId=260792
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