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i have just found out that my 4 times g grandfather was in parkhurst on the 1881 census, aged 53...does anone know whether i would be able to find out why he was there and how long his sentence was etc?? Thank you Rebecca.

Rebecca You need to find the gaol register which will give his date of arrival and departure and maybe a lot of other useful info too. Read this info about convicts & prisoners in The National Archives: www.catalogue.nationalarchives.gov.uk/RdLeaflet.asp?sLeafletID=253 nell

Thank you very much, i shall try that one out........Rebecca.

hi Rebecca Have you looked at the Isle of Wight Family History Society site? (excellent site!!!) Some of the members have info on Parkhurst Personnel so there may be something about inmates.(I'm assuming he was an inmate?!) Sarah

Thank you Sarah,i shall take a look at that......i told my mother what i had found and she was mortified!!! His previous occupation was a police super so its any guess why he was in there!!! All i know is that he wasnt there in 1871, was there in 1881 but by 1891 he was back living with his wife and youngest daughter. Rebecca

Was he definately an inmate or was he just visiting on census night in his capacity as Police Super?

He is listed as an inmate but now that makes me think, if you want to take a look , his name was William ellison aged 53 on the 1881, he was born in wiltshire in minety.... although i tend to think he was an inmate as all his family are no longer at their home..the wife and youngest daughter are staying with another family and some of his other younger children were sited all over gloucester as guests in other peoples houses...... nobody in his family appeared to be together that night in the home! Rebecca.

Yep, I have to agree with you rebecca, especially as it states 'formerly police superintendent' That's quite exciting! Mine are all ag lab's. although both my grandads were prison officers at Parkhurst (well after 1881)

Have you seen the thread about prison info on General Topics board? will nudge it up for you

Thank you Sarah....i agree, most of my family were ag labs too so this came as a bit of a surprise! I shall let you know if i find out what he was in for.... Rebecca.

Have you tried archives of newspapers where he lived in 1871? If a police officer has been imprisoned it probably made the papers!!! please do let me know what you find. I'm fascinated

Rebecca my great grandfather was in Parkhurst at the same time as your relative, I wonder if they knew each other!! I found details of my relatives crime, although not his sentence on the Times Archives site. You need to subscribe but lots of libraries have access if you are a member

Thank you Marilyn......i am hoping too that my dads wife can help me as well, she is in the gloucestershire constab which is the area he was living in and working in when he was sentenced, maybe she will be able to dig out something too!

Marilyn, which site did you use please? rebecca.

Rebecca, when my other half comes back , (he has run off with my essex library card) I will look on the Times archives site for you. Am sure some one of your relations standing would have made the papers if he was convicted of something. I bet he had a worse time in prison than my relative!!

Ty marilyn, he was in chipping sodbury in 1871 as a police super so it could have been anytime between 1871 and 1881..thank you Rebecca.

Rebecca I checked out the Thames Archive and although there were 281 mentions of the name Ellison I am afraid that none of them were your William so I cant help any further on that track. When you get really desperate it might be a visit to Kew to see the prison records. Good luck anyway in your hunt.

Marilyn, thank you very much for searching for me.......it was very kind of you....good luck with all your research too...Rebecca. x