by linell » Tue Feb 05, 2013 6:38 pm
I have pictures and details of Caroline Pulley in a book, it says:-
Caroline Pulley appears twice in the album of Prisoners. She was a 39 year old repeat offender and sometime charwoman. Was arrested for the 11th time in Feb 1885. Following her arrest in Brierley Hill she stood trial at Stafford Quarter Sessions on the 13.2.1885.
The Calendar of Prisoners shows that Caroline was convicted of two charges, both for stealing coal. Previous convictions were for stealing Coal and Iron, and in one case an assualt on the Police. She was sentenced to 9 Calendar Months of Hard Labour at Stafford Gaol, a punishment she had already experienced on numerous occasions. Following this period she was placed under Police Supervision.
The Gaol's Admission Register records her details - Married with 7 children (so where were they in 1885, maybe with Relations? or in the Workhouse?) 5' 2 1/2" in height, brown hair, grey eyes, pale complexion and proper build. It is also recorded that she was born in Brockmoor Kingswinford and had a pock-marked face. She was discharged on the 12.11.1885. She may have been driven to stealing coal due to the time of year and the ragged state of her clothes.
Some further notes say she was caught stealing 60 lbs of Coal from a Boat on the Stourbridge Canal owned by Wm Pearson and another on the 28.12.1882, for which she was sentenced to 6 Months in Stafford Gaol.
As for your Thomas it doesn't look as though he was born in the Prison, he should be registered though after 1872 it was the Law of the Land to Register all Births, Deaths and Marriages, do you know of any other siblings?
Linell.