Genealogy Chat

Bankruptcy proceedings were and are reported in:

London Gazette Home Page
Visit the London Gazette for insolvency data, public notices or honours and ... The London Gazette is the official newspaper of record in the United Kingdom.

www.london-gazette.co.uk/

Suggest you do a date search under family history section and verify the accuracy of the newspaper report. This site should report if there was a committal to prison.

Do hope my thoughts were wrong!!
Have you looked at this site:

Criminals in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries | The National ...
20 Jan 2011 ... Prisons were used for temporarily holding vagrants and debtors, those convicted of smaller offences, .... Brixton. 1855-1875. HO 8/126-206. Broadmoor. 1862-1875 ..... Northumberland: Sessions and Assizes. 1864-1866 ...

www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/research-guides/c...

Brixton looks a possibility.

cannot find him at all during 1871 - thought he might have been in prison.

Passenger lists only start at 1890 - and passport applications have gaps in the records one of them being 1863-1873 [which would be one of the periods I would have looked at because he had already been to the USA by 1866]

1881+ passport applications - there a number who could be him and his wife, but there are only initials and without them being together I am guessing!

His wife was with her parents in 1871 census - I wonder if he was in prison?

I will check the census again to see if I can find him!

Thanks for your reply Perchino - I will look through the links you have posted.

This might explain your ancestors actions:

Debtors' prison - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A mid-Victorian depiction of the debtors prison at St Briavels Castle. ... uses debtors with mildness and malefactors with rigour; England, on the other ...

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debtors'_prison - 22 hours ago - Similar

Marshalsea - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Before the Bankruptcy Act of 1869 abolished debtors' prisons, men and women ...

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marshalsea - Similar

The 1869 Bankruptcy Act:

United Kingdom insolvency law - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
United Kingdom bankruptcy law follows a similar, but separate set of principles. ... In 1869, the Bankruptcy Act 1869 was passed allowing all people, ...

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_insolvency_law -

Hi Kay,

Thanks for your reply.

I have searched their records - but Stephen Wood is a common name and without his wife to verify it is difficult to confirm that it is him! I would just be guessing.

Sorry, I should have added that he appears to still be living in Nottingham, England in the 1881 census with his wife - but I can find no more about him after 1882. I just wondered if the above bankruptcy proceedings would provide any clue? and whether there was a possibility that he emigrated before 1881/2 but was put onto the census anyway [by his wife?]

If I can try to track down a year, then it may help me to find him in USA records.

I have two previous threads I have posted about him - in case this helps with background?

http://www.genesreunited.co.uk/boards.page/board/ancestors/wood/thread/1158155

http://www.genesreunited.co.uk/boards.page/board/ancestors/wood/thread/1191586

Have you looked on **Ellis Island** ships passanger lists embarking in US its free to search and a good site for details.

Hi,

I have a brickwall concerning a relative who I think emigrated to the USA, and I am trying to work out when he finally emigrated and stayed there.

He was declared bankrupt on 19/2/1866 - he claims that he was in the USA at the time - meanwhile his wife sells all his effects, and the money was [stupidly] given to her instead of the courts - despite a notice apparently being issued to the auctioneer telling them not to part with the funds! [I am working from newspaper cuttings]

Anyway, on 16/11/1866 his solicitor appeared before the court and made an application for leave to surrender. On 7/12 1866 the money was paid, 'to surrender 'and the bankrupt now surrendered in due course' - does this mean he surrendered or not? The 15/1/1867 was fixed for the last examination and order of discharge. However, there seemed to be a problem with agreeing his accounts.

On 1/2/1867 his solicitor appeared for him - the bankrupt apparently living in London. On 22/3/1867 his solicitor supported him - however towards the end of the news report it states 'there was very little encouragement for the bankrupt to return from America to petition the court.' The hearing was adjourned until 28/5/1867 but I can find no further reports.

Does any of this make sense to any of you?

Any help would be appreciated.

Many thanks.

Elaine