Poacher shoots Gamekeeper

Lorna Allison · Post by **Lorna Allison** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 11:06 pm

One day into a free Trial on Ancestry and I found the gt. grand daughter of my grandfather's cousin. Her grandmother was one of two children I had given up finding. Their father "died" at 34, Mum into dom service and children into orphanages. She thinks Granny looked after them but that is not what the Census says

My new relative tells me that there were in fact 4 children (correct I now find) and that the family's understanding is that their father, who was a gamekeeper in Surrey & Kent was shot by a poacher. This is supposed to have happeded in 1894 and I thought all I had to do was to do a search on London Times on Ancestry but while they have dozens of Alexander Tait, Gamekeepers on record

nothing appears in 1894.

Any suggestions how I might check up on this?

Regards

Lorna

Lorna Allison · Post by **Lorna Allison** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 11:07 pm

Oh dear, me again. Put this under the wrong heading. Could some kind person fix it please?

Lorna

LesleyB · Post by **LesleyB** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 11:12 pm

Hi Lona
I've moved it here to General Discussion - not sure if that was what you had in mind.

Best wishes
Lesley

Lorna Allison · Post by **Lorna Allison** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 11:15 pm

Thanks Lesley, that's fine.

Lorna

Currie · Post by **Currie** » Thu Apr 02, 2009 3:05 am

Hello Lorna,

The Gamekeeper is supposed to shoot the Poacher, not the other way round.

I had a look at the London Times and other available 19th Century newspapers but couldn’t find anything that even remotely resembled the incident. When you say he was shot was this supposed to be shot dead?

I could be wrong but I think the London Times on Ancestry may be only 1788-1833. You can possibly still access the rest of the newspaper down this track viewtopic.php?t=11928&highlight=tryinfomarks

Sorry I couldn’t help,
Alan

Lorna Allison · Post by **Lorna Allison** » Thu Apr 02, 2009 12:47 pm

Hello Alan

That is correct - shot dead! Well, that is the family story and I have had some experience of the inaccuracy of those, although usually there has been some truth which received subsequent embellishment.

The Ancestry contact is in Canada so I reckon if the death did not merit media attention I will have to go down the route of getting the certificate. If you don't find anything in the newspapers then I don't reckon much for my chances.

I see on TS, supporters rallying to the cause of GR and now I feel distinctly pro Ancestry

(but I'm still coming off before the end of the fortnight!) Have found a bona fide 3rd cousin once removed, similar age and outlook, keen to be accurate and wanting to send me pictures. Oh joy

Thank you so much for looking Alan

Regards

Lorna

Currie · Post by **Currie** » Thu Apr 02, 2009 2:01 pm

That’s okay Lorna,

You would think that a murder would have been reported, unless there’s a problem with the info.

If he died in England the death should be on FreeBMD. http://freebmd.rootsweb.com/cgi/search.pl

I’m thinking of joining a site where I can hide from my relatives. Genes Disunited I think it’s called.

All the best,
Alan