Thread: Broadmoor Prison/Hospital

Matthew Arnold of Somerford Keynes, Wilts. (my Gr. Grandfather), was tried at Devizes Sessions in 1860 for sheep stealing and sentenced to 4 years in prison. This I found out in the Eng/Wales Criminal Registers. Further research to the Wiltshire Family History Centre, I found out that he was sent to Broadmoor "Insane Asylum". While looking for him there I read a history that states (Broadmoor) started to accept male patients in 1864.. So what was Matthew doing there 4 years earlier? Was it that the building were used to hold criminal prisoners until the building were ready to accept "patients"?
There is only one Matthew from Somerford Keynes and is found there in the 1841, 51, census and is later found in the 1881, 91, 1901 Wales census. He died in Swansea in 1903. He was married in 1853 to Jane Wellavise. She is shown in the 1861 census as head of the family (Somerford Keynes). She died in Swansea in 1900.
The issue of these Dartmoor years is driving me nuts. I tried to browse the census for 1861 but I'm not sure where to start. I found out that Sandhurst was the civil area but the hospital is not listed except for what appears to be a construction camp (huts).
Help?

I have an ancestor who was a patient in Broadmoor at the time of the 1901 and 1911 censuses and he was recorded by initials only. Age and place of birth matched.

Slizzy:
Thank you for finding this record. I'm a beginner I can't believe you just checked every prison in UK until you found him lol. I'm not sure what the RG9 is.
I just searched for M. Arnold Portsea, Hampshire, and found him. Did you search for initial M. with surname Arnold from Somerford Keynes? Is that how you found him?

This has to be my Matthew Arnold because of the location of is birth but the DoB is "wrong" as it was on the trial record (they said he was 28 but at least that is consistent with this record).
If you follow him in the 1841 census and the 1851 census his age gives him a DoB of ~1827. That's a five year difference. Is that common to have ages misrepresented in the census?
I've got so much to learn!

Originally Posted by slizzy

Hi puppetaxe,

Matthew appears to be in Portsea Prison in 1861; it is possible he was moved to Broadmoor at a later date.

He's enumerated as M Arnold, age 29, born:Somerford Keynes, Wiltshire, England

Convict in custody, Portsea, Hampshire. Occupation: Butcher (unclear, I think it says Butcher)

RG9; Piece: 637; Folio: 143; Page: 31

Hi Puppetaxe,

For a beginner you are doing great; you found his trial records and other records - so I'd say well done you. Given a few weeks you'll be well advanced.

To answer your questions.

1. Yes, it is quite common for ages to be inconsistent on census returns; in some cases it's also common for birth places to differ also (but, generally they will not move more than a few miles).

2. I searched by surname only (didn't enter a first name), put in place of birth, and for date of birth 1829 +/- 2yrs

3. The census reference numbers quoted eg: RG9, p637, f143, p31, are used as a finding aid, and refer to the GRO references. If you go to census returns and scroll down you will find it possible to select a particular census year, each year has a different RG number, and for example - to find the ref I gave, go to 1861 and click on it, you will then see at the bottom boxes where you you can enter the references I gave you. Try it out as it's good practice.

4. Anymore help you require feel free to ask and we'll do our best to help.

Forgot to mention, Matthew may have found prison life difficult and therefore been extremely distressed and this could have led to him being admitted to Broadmoor at a later date, he also may have been transferred from Portsea to another penal establishment prior to going to Broadmoor.

Slizzy:
The information I received from the Wilts. Family History Centre said that the trial information has him being sent to Broadmoor. That was my initial confusion because the history of Broadmoor shows they didn't accept males patients until 1864, four years later than Matthew was supposed to have been sent there.
Maybe...he was sentenced there as a prisoner...perhaps it wasn't ready (it must have been under construction in 1860), and so they had to send him off to Portsea. Prison records might show.
Puppetaxe

Originally Posted by slizzy

Forgot to mention, Matthew may have found prison life difficult and therefore been extremely distressed and this could have led to him being admitted to Broadmoor at a later date, he also may have been transferred from Portsea to another penal establishment prior to going to Broadmoor.

I was able to obtain an abstract of Broadmoor Hospital admission register from Berkshire Record Office in respect of my individual. It gives the date of admission and from whence he came, details of his original sentence and date of discharge after 34 years.