Thursday, August 30, 2007

Descendants of John & Caroline Pask née Darby

This information relates to a currently unidentified main branch of the family with roots in Monmouthshire.

Paula Payne, our main Monmouthshire researcher has found a very interesting document containing the photograph of Elizabeth Pask taken in 1871 when she was 13 years old.

Unfortunately it was taken in Usk Prison. Elizabeth at the time was a servant, and found guilty of stealing from her master. She was sentenced to 4 weeks' hard labour and liberated on October 19, 1871.

Elizabeth's prison record provides a full description, misdemeanor, including the photograph on page 1. On page 2, her liberated date.

There was only one Elizabeth born in 1858, and her parents were John & Caroline Pask née Darby. Initially, this seemed very unlikely as in the 1851 census, and 1861 censuses, John was a Farmer of 100+ acres. I researched the family through the years, and it appears that something must have happened between the 1861 and 1871 censuses, as in 1871 the family had moved to Merthyr Tydfil, and John was a Shepherd, living with his wife Caroline, and sons John & William.

Elizabeth, and her sister Caroline were in service to a Mr Stuckey, a Spirit Merchant, at 7 Courtland Terrace, Merthyr Tydfil.

An Elizabeth Pask married in 1878 in the Merthyr Tydfil registration district. A cross match gave either a Richard Davies, or George Roberts. Unfortunately I cannot locate either Elizabeth or Caroline in subsequent censuses.

Details of this family are not currently on the website, however this, and the additional researched information will be available in the next website update.

Many thanks to Paula for providing the documents. I have often seen the early prisoner photographs, and have been quite envious of the photographs and information available.