England & Wales, Criminal Registers, 1791-1892

You may find an ancestor here! Are you sure you want to know?

Ancestry posted a notice of a new database added on Saturday. That's unusual, they normally only add material on weekdays. The database contains criminal registers from England and Wales for the years 1791-1892. Apparently viewing the index results is free, but you need subscription access to view the register images.

Information listed may include:

• Name of criminal (or person charged)
  
• Age
• Birthplace (not often listed after 1802)
• Crime
• When and where tried
• Sentence (death, transportation, imprisonment, acquittal, etc.)
• Where and when received
• Date of execution or release
• By whom committed, to whom delivered

You can search by name or browse images from a specified county and year.

Ancestry advises that register entries may lead you to further information in: calendars of prisoners; prison registers; court records such as depositions, indictments, and case files; warrants, including pardons, reprieves, and transfers of prisoners; and transportation records. The online search guide “Tracing 19th and 20th Century Criminals”, from TNA is recommended.

Also don't overlook the possibility of finding a report in a contemporary newspaper in the British Library 19th Century digitized collection.