Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Detective Abbott

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Detective Abbott

    I have just been reading a newsw report from "The Hull Daily Mail" dated October 4th 1888. In the article it mentions a Detective Abbott, being accompanied by John Kelly, and a little girl, to visit Mrs Frost.

    It states that Mrs Frost is Kate Conway's sister, and she must accompany Abbott to the Golden-lane Mortuary.

    Any info on this police officer?

    He at once informed them that, to his knowledge, a sister of "Kate’s" was living at 6, Thrawl-street, a thoroughfare adjacent to Flower and Dean-street. Inquiries were made early on Wednesday morning established the accuracy of this statement, for Kelly, accompanied by a detective and a little girl went straight to the house, and no difficulty was experienced in finding the sister of the deceased. Mrs Frost to use the name which she first gave to the police, lives on the top floor of the house, and the girl was sent upstairs to see her, found the old lady in bed, from which at first she refused to rise. The lass returned to the detective and Kelly with this message, but was requested by the former again to go upstairs, and this time to tell Mrs Frost that her sister was dead, and that it was necessary she should see the police. Thus appealed to, the woman rose, dressed and was soon ready to accompany Detective Abbott on the mission of identification at Golden-lane. Mrs Frost was accompanied by her son, George Gold, and also a young married woman named Lizzie Griffiths. The mortuary was reached at one o’clock, and the sister on beholding the body of her mutilated relative had no difficulty recognising the features. The poor woman, as might be naturally expected, gave way to a paroxysm of grief after gazing on the dreadful sight, and had to be led from the mortuary. Her son George, who is a woodchopper in Thrawl-street, made the question of identity still more certain at once declaring the body to be that of aunt Kate.
    Regards Mike

  • #2
    Hi Mike
    The only one I can find in the right area is:

    1881
    6 New Street, Aldgate
    Head: Thomas Abbott aged 26 - Police constable
    Wife: Maria Abbott aged 27 born Clare, Suffolk
    Children:
    Thomas aged 2 born City
    Frederick aged 5 months born City

    1891
    22 Quilter Street, Bethnal Green
    Head: Thomas Abbott aged 36 born Chatteris, Cambridge - Police sergeant
    Wife: Maria Abbott aged 37 born Clare, Suffolk
    Children:
    Thomas aged 12 born City
    Frederick aged 10 born City
    Florence aged 8 born City
    Maud M aged 6 born Bethnal Green
    George aged 5 born Bethnal Green

    1901:
    36 Elwin Street, Bethnal Green
    Head: Thomas Abbott aged 46 born Chatteris, Cambridge - Retired Inspector of Police (Listed as blind)
    Listed as married but no wife included
    Children:
    Thomas aged 22 born London - Barman
    Florence aged 18 born Bethnal Green
    Maud aged 16 born Bethnal Green - Machinist
    George aged 14 born Bethnal Green - Errand boy
    Ernest aged 9 born Bethnal Green
    Charles aged 5 born Stoke Newington
    Lodgers:
    Walter Clark aged 21 born Mile End - Fish porter
    Kate Coltman aged 22 born Bethnal Green - French polisher

    Comment


    • #3
      Hi Mike and Chris,

      There are various mentions in The Times from 1888 onwards of a Detective Abbott/Detective Constable Abbot of the City Police. In 1893 he is referred to as Detective Sergeant, and by 1894 has become Detective Inspector Abbot.

      He is last mentioned as Detective Inspector in 1899

      Regards,

      Simon
      Never believe anything until it has been officially denied.

      Comment


      • #4
        Hi Simon
        These fit in with his ranks as listed in the census;
        1881: Constable
        1891: Sergeant
        1901: Retired Inspector

        Presumably his blindness mentioned in 1901 led to his retirement some time between September 1899, the last mention of him in a court report, and April 1901, the date of the census

        Comment


        • #5
          Thanks gentlemen, I have been looking all day for info on this man. I find it strange that a young girl would accompany Abbott and Kelly to Mrs Frost's residence!!
          Regards Mike

          Comment


          • #6
            Hi Mike,

            Nice find.

            Is there a leading paragraph to the article? It seems to start abruptly.

            Regards,

            Simon
            Never believe anything until it has been officially denied.

            Comment


            • #7
              What appears to be his marriage took place in Shoreditch in 1874 when he married a Maria Sherman.
              In 1871 Maria Sherman is listed as a servant at Clapton Road, Hackney in the household of Thomas North Jenkinson, a butcher
              Her age is given as 18 and her place of birth as Clare, Suffolk, which accords with Abbott's wife

              Comment


              • #8
                Hi Mike and Chris,

                Yes, this is our man—Thomas Abbott.

                I'd sit down for what follows.

                The Times, December 7th 1900—

                Click image for larger version

Name:	BLIND 1.jpg
Views:	1
Size:	62.3 KB
ID:	655224

                The Times, December 13th 1900—

                Click image for larger version

Name:	DEC 13 1900B.jpg
Views:	1
Size:	98.6 KB
ID:	655225

                Click image for larger version

Name:	DEC 13 1900.jpg
Views:	1
Size:	19.6 KB
ID:	655226

                Regards,

                Simon
                Never believe anything until it has been officially denied.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Wow - not the cause of his blindness I expected!
                  Quite some story
                  Well found
                  Chris

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Maria Abbott is listed in 1901 in Aylesbury Prison

                    District Prison and House of Detention, Aylesbury, Bucks
                    Convict:
                    Maria Abbott (Married) aged 47 born Clare, Suffolk
                    Profession: None

                    Maria Sherman and her family were from Suffolk but were living in Shoreditch by the time of the 1861 census:
                    7 Pownal Road, Shoreditch
                    Head: William Sherman aged 35 born Long Melford, Suffolk - Bootmaker
                    Wife: Mary Sherman aged 39 born Long Melford
                    Children:
                    Thomas aged 12 born Long Melford
                    Joseph aged 10 born Clare
                    Maria aged 7 born Clare
                    Louisa aged 5 born Endham, Kent
                    Clary aged 4 born Endham
                    Last edited by Chris Scott; 11-13-2008, 08:54 PM.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Hi Chris,

                      The Victorians had some quaint expressions.

                      Could Maria Abbott "having arrived at a critical period in her life" mean menopause?

                      Regards,

                      Simon
                      Never believe anything until it has been officially denied.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Hi Simon,

                        I think the Old Bailey transcripts make it pretty clear that this is exactly what was being referred to.

                        http://www.oldbaileyonline.org/brows...0-74#highlight

                        Mark

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Thanks Mark,

                          Good find.

                          My attempt at gentle irony obviously went awry.

                          Regards,

                          Simon
                          Never believe anything until it has been officially denied.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Simon Wood View Post
                            My attempt at gentle irony obviously went awry.
                            Ah, irony.

                            I understand.

                            Mark

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Simon Wood View Post
                              Hi Mike,

                              Nice find.

                              Is there a leading paragraph to the article? It seems to start abruptly.

                              Regards,

                              Simon
                              The begining of the article explains how Kelly went to Golden-lane mortuary to identify the body, and having done so, was asked by the police if he knew any relatives in the area of the deceased. He was aware of a sister, and took the police and a little girl to find Mrs Frost.

                              I really have no idea why the little girl was involved, in what was quite a sombre, gruesome bit of business!
                              Regards Mike

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X