1858 DC - JAMES RUSSELL...does this say "Police Report&

[Anne H]

I've uploaded a DC to the Gallery for approval. Could someone please tell me if it says "See Police Report, 16th October 1858" in the informants section...and if it does, how would I go about obtaining a copy of the report?

Many thanks for any help!

http://talkingscot.com/gallery/displayi ... p?pos=-714

Regards,
Anne H

Gallery URL added - AndrewP

[nelmit]

I've uploaded a DC to the Gallery for approval. Could someone please tell me if it says "See Police Report, 16th October 1858" in the informants section...and if it does, how would I go about obtaining a copy of the report?

Many thanks for any help!

Regards,
Anne H

Can't see the image in the gallery Anne.

Annette M

[AndrewP]

Hi Anne,

I think it says:

See also P.F.'s Report 16th October 1858.

I think this is possibly for an RCE (entry in the Register of Corrected Entries) for the Procurator Fiscal's report, but has not been labelled as such. The date is 5 days after the issue of the certificate. May be worh contacting GROS to see if they can track down an RCE of around that date in Maryhill.

All the best,

AndrewP

[DavidWW]

In the very early year's of statutory registration there was some confusion as to when the RCE entry procedure should be used, as, obviously, was the case here.

As there's no RCE stamp in the normally blank LH column, there shouldn't be an entry in the Register of Corrected Entries.

What happened to the PF's report, obviously sent to the registrar, would be intriguing to know, and well worth asking GROS.

David

[Anne H]

Many thanks Annette, Andrew and David for your responses.

I sent off an email to GROS with the information. Here's hoping they can shed some light on this P.F's report...I'm really curious!

I also found his 13 page Will and most of it is a "metes and bounds" description of property he seems to have owned with houses, buildings, tenants, and so forth and refers to something about the Sasine Book so that should be an interesting read. It's a bit difficult on the eyes to read but I'm sure I'll eventually be asking questions on this also.

Thanks again.

Regards,
Anne H

[Anne H]

Hi,

Just an update on my quest in locating the P. F's Report for James Russell.

I received a response to my email from GROS today saying that the records may be held at the National Archives of Scotland. I emailed NAS and got an "out of office" automated reply...I hope they're just out to lunch and come back and tell me what I'd love to know.

Regards,
Anne H

[Anne H]

Hi...just an update!

Sadly , it looks like I’m not going to find out anything further about the death of my James Russell from the PF’s records since they apparently haven’t survived. According to NAS, FAI’s didn’t come into force until 1895 and 1906 and unless I can find my way to a local newspaper from around 1858 when James died, that might give some further detail, I’ve come to a dead end for now.

Here’s a copy of the email I just received from NAS. Thought others might be interested in the response.

14 September 2006
Dear Ms Harty,

Re: Enquiry- James Russell P.F report.

Thank you for your e-mail of 22 August 2006 concerning the above. Investigations into all sudden or suspicious deaths are the responsibility of the local Procurator Fiscal of the area in which a person died. The Fiscal’s role is similar to that of the Coroner in England and Wales, and the findings of their investigations are noted in the Register of Corrected Entries. You would usually find an entry in the margin of a death certificate referring to the Register of Corrected Entries (usually abbreviated to RCE or ‘Reg. Cor. Ent.’) giving a volume reference number. You generally find very little in these registers except the cause of death. For information on accessing the Register of Corrected Entries, contact General Register Office for Scotland.

General Register Office for Scotland
New Register House
Edinburgh
EH1 3YT
Email: records@gro-scotland.gov.uk
Website: www.gro-scotland.gov.uk

Unfortunately Procurator Fiscal records do not survive.

The Fatal Accidents Inquiry (Scotland) Acts did not come into force until 1895 and 1906. These acts provided, for a sheriff to hold a Fatal Accident Inquiry into fatal accidents and sudden or suspicious deaths which occurred in his locality. FAIs. The purpose of an FAI is to establish exactly how a death occurred and records can include statements from witnesses and experts as well as the official verdict. These records are held by the National Archives of Scotland as part of the records of the Sheriff Courts (series ref: SC). Unfortunately, has the FAI Acts did not come into force until 1895 and 1906 there will not be an inquiry into the death of James Russell.

It is possible his death was reported in local newspapers of the period and you may find more information there. You can find information on the location of local newspapers for different date periods in Newsplan: Report of the Newsplan Project in Scotland (The British Library Board, 1994). You should be able to consult this book in a good reference library.

I hope this information helps you with your research.

Yours sincerely,


Ms Leanne Swallow
Principal Search Room Archivist

THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF SCOTLAND
West Register House
Charlotte Square
Edinburgh
EH2 4DF

E-mail: wsr@nas.gov.uk
Website: http://www.nas.gov.uk
Tel: 0131 535 1314 Direct line: 0131 535 1413
Fax: 0131 535 1411



Regards,
Anne H

[Jockbird]

Hi Anne,

Have you tried the digital archives of The Scotsman? Although it is generally Edinburgh biased it can sometimes hold reports of other 'significant' events.

I had a case which was referred to the Procurator Fiscal and someone found the newspaper article relating to his death in The Scotsman.

The website is www.archive.scotsman.com

As I said, coverage is slightly biased towards Edinburgh area but it is very useful for checking for accidents etc anywhere in Scotland. It's £7.95 for 24 hours access but if you save up a list of searches to do you can get a lot done in 24 hours.

As you know dates of death, you could look up then & date of registration - my case had a significant time lapse between the two - and hopefully something may come up.

Good luck
Donna
x

[Anne H]

Hi Donna,

Thanks for your reply. I actually did have a look on the Scotsman but I don't have a subscription and didn't come up with anything looking at the bits & pieces they "tease" you with. When I pay my credit card down a bit I might try my luck and get a subscription.

I think there would be a possibility of finding something in a local paper since according to his Trust Disposition & Settlement, James Russel owned quite a bit of land besides having his spirit dealorship and what would appear to be a few tenament buildings by the number of people owing him rent at time of death, so I actually have a few things I need to look into with this one.

Regards,
Anne H

[Jockbird]

Morning Anne,

You could try contacting the Mitchell Library.

I've just googled Glasgow Newspapers 1858 and one of the returns is for the Mitchell's "Glasgow Collection" where they have Glasgow Newspapers from 1741 - present day.

Here's their contact details:-

Archives and Special Collections
The Mitchell
North Street
Glasgow
G3 7DN
Phone: 0141 287 2910 or 2988
Fax: 0141 287 2815
E-mail: lil@cls.glasgow.gov.uk

The advice on TS is generally to call them but I appreciate you are a wee bit further away than a lot of us.

I have emailed them before and it's not instantaneous but they did reply....didn't find what I wanted, but an absolute diamond on this site did and in the Mitchell's very own archives too.....maybe I'd got the new girl!

Oh dear I'm not selling this very well!

Good luck
Donna
xxx