Hello Listers this is my first Shropshire posting. I am an Australian researching my convict ancestor JOHN BATES, who was a 'native of Shropshire' and a 'farmersman' according to the convict records I have investigated. I have received from your archives at Stoke-on-Trent a copy of the newspaper account of his trial (Staffordshire Advertiser 1825). He was found guilty of "breaking open and entering the dwelling house of William Blagg" at STANTON on the 23 July 1825, when he was 18 years old (ie born c.1807). John Bates was a 'servant' of Blagg at the time and the article says that John Bates' father had a house (nearby I suppose) which was searched for evidence. The article also says that John had a 'little brother' for whom a 'pinafore' was ordered made from some cloth stolen from Blagg's house. I would like establish John's family,and hoped the Newspaper account of the trial might help me do this. The IGI says there was a John Bates who was baptised at Market Drayton 11 Jan 1807. This could be my John Bates. The Parents named are Thomas and Hanna Bates, also of Market Drayton. They had other children, including young sons (Isaac and Abraham) who would have been infants/toddlers at the time of the trial: so possibly the "Little Brother" mentioned above for whom a pinafore was ordered. Does anyone else research BATES families in this area? Can suggestions be offered about confirming his family and background or perhaps providing details about the said William Blagg and his house/farm at Stanton? Are Market Drayton and Stanton near to each other? Any scrap of information will be appreciated, since there are no further Australian records left for me to pursue. Cheers Greg

Hello Greg Your research has been made more difficult because John BATES appears to have been born in the County of Shropshire but committed his offence in the County of Staffordshire. As a general rule records for the two counties are kept within each county so you need to pursue his birth/baptism in Shropshire and his offence/trial in Staffordshire. I would suggest you post a similar message on the Staffordshire Mailing List at http://lists.rootsweb.ancestry.com/index/intl/ENG/STAFFORDSHIRE.html asking specifically for help and information relating to the place where the offence took place and what records are available in Staffordshire relating to the trial. As you pick up small pieces of information you may be able to ask more specific questions and then get better answers. Mike Shropshire, UK ______________________________________________________ Greg Bugden wrote: > Hello Listers this is my first Shropshire posting. I am an Australian researching my convict ancestor JOHN BATES, who was a 'native of Shropshire' and a 'farmersman' according to the convict records I have investigated. > > I have received from your archives at Stoke-on-Trent a copy of the newspaper account of his trial (Staffordshire Advertiser 1825). > > He was found guilty of "breaking open and entering the dwelling house of William Blagg" at STANTON on the 23 July 1825, when he was 18 years old (ie born c.1807). > > John Bates was a 'servant' of Blagg at the time and the article says that John Bates' father had a house (nearby I suppose) which was searched for evidence. The article also says that John had a 'little brother' for whom a 'pinafore' was ordered made from some cloth stolen from Blagg's house. > > I would like establish John's family,and hoped the Newspaper account of the trial might help me do this. > > The IGI says there was a John Bates who was baptised at Market Drayton 11 Jan 1807. This could be my John Bates. The Parents named are Thomas and Hanna Bates, also of Market Drayton. They had other children, including young sons (Isaac and Abraham) who would have been infants/toddlers at the time of the trial: so possibly the "Little Brother" mentioned above for whom a pinafore was ordered. > > Does anyone else research BATES families in this area? Can suggestions be offered about confirming his family and background or perhaps providing details about the said William Blagg and his house/farm at Stanton? Are Market Drayton and Stanton near to each other? > > Any scrap of information will be appreciated, since there are no further Australian records left for me to pursue. > > Cheers > Greg > > REMEMBER - The question you are asking may have already been answered. > Threaded Archives at - > http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/index/ENG-SHROPSHIRE-PLUS/Archives > > Searchable Archives at - > http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/index/ENG-SHROPSHIRE-PLUS/ > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > >

At 05:11 PM 19/09/2008, you wrote: >Hello Listers this is my first Shropshire posting. I am an >Australian researching my convict ancestor JOHN BATES, who was a >'native of Shropshire' and a 'farmersman' according to the convict >records I have investigated. Hello Greg Welcome. There are a number of Stanton's in Shropshire, and the nearest one to Market Drayton is Stanton upon Hine Heath, which is approx eight miles south-west. However, I must ask how you came to the conclusion that Market Drayton may have been John Bate's birthplace or christening place? Again, is it possible that the name of William Blagg's farm was Stanton? One needs to pick out some more definite possibilities from the newspaper article if this is possible. There are also towns not all that far away named Stanton Long (or Long Stanton) Clee Stanton, Stanton Lacey. Again, where was the trial conducted? If it was Market Drayton then perhaps Stanton upon Hine Heath is the place you require re. Blaggs. The IGI does not come up with many Blagg folks, but there are a couple christened/married etc. at Stanton upon Nine Heath. Also Whitchurch, which is a bit far north. There is also a Stanton in Staffordshire, a bit far across - about 17 miles east of Stoke-on-Trent. Over to you Cheers Graham Melbourne Oz