Much Ado About Nothi

Much Ado About Nothing

There are just two returns given when Lincolnshire is put into the search engine for the Victorian Prisoners Photographs at the National Archives site.  Louisa MITCHELL who was born in 1844 in Grimsby stole a watch in Surrey and was given three months hard labour in 1873 for doing it. In 1872 John ARCHER was given six months hard labour for stealing three brass balls from his master.  The descendants of these can get a copy of the photo from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ using their visa. While we consider it a bit of luck to find such things I am fairly certain that the ancestors concerned would not have viewed it in this light.  
The surname MITCHELL was rarely used as a Christian name for this was normally Michael but it is from this that many MITCHELLS have come.  However there is a link in one family back in the 12th century when Michael de Middleton was the Keeper of the Kings Wolfhounds.  Twenty years later the keeper was William MICHEL and later still Richard MICHEL.  It is thought that this was the father passing on the post to his sons.  The second possible origin is from the Old English mycel and the Middle English michel and muchel. These translate to the word big.  Most of us have heard of this one without realising it.  One of the outlaws with Robin Hood was Much the Millers son.  We know John nicknamed Little was big and so it is likely that the Millers son nicknamed Much was little.  
It is coincidental that the second photo is of John  ARCHER and who knows perhaps he is descended from one of the archers with Robin HOOD. Some of the earliest instances of the surname were spelt L’ARCHER with it being an occupation.
Another very interesting site I came across recently is that of www.durtnall.org.uk/.  This is the family site of Mike Durtnall.  What Mike has done is to collect the details of ancient documents and put them on his web site.  Some are for sale now while others have been on eBay.  The following is the sort of item I found 63/7 Searby - 1827 - Disposal of Half of Manor of Searby by Mary Ann Roadley to John Walter Dudding and John Iles. 4 sheets parchment - signed and sealed by  Mary Ann Roadley and witnessed by John Ferraby and Chas. Smith. Contains details of all properties and land included in the sale, and the tenants. Names mentioned - Berry, Bristow, Brown, Clark, Cousin, Dauvatt, Day, Dixon, Drewry, Duislake, Ferraby, Field, Gibson, Hall, Hargrave, Hilton, Jacklin(g), Jackson, James, King, Kirkland, Medley, Mumby, Nicholson, Petch, Platt, Portas, Radley, Rands, Scutterby, Sharp, Smith, Taylor, Trow, Walker, Wakefield, Weston, Wildbore.  £58.
If you do not know the area then something along the lines of the next item that was for sale in 2002 can happen. Archive of fifteen indentures on paper, 1750-1803, dealing with land and property transactions in the Manor of Somerby and Searby , Lincolnshire, all in fine condition. An important archive of documents for local historians and genealogist. Somerby is today the village of Somersby and Searby is the village of Swabey, both lying between Horncastle and Alford.   They have just moved the village of Somerby 30 miles south.
The last one I do not have a date for.  Did anyone see this item?  Up for sale were the marriage registers for 1812 -1837 for the villages of Saxby and what seems to be Firsby.  How did they become saleable items?  I checked the Archives list of deposited Registers and there is no mention of any being missing.  The Saxby register has one page used and the Firsby has eight.  Not an earth shattering omission to the data available unless it is a marriage of your family.  Where did they go to, does anyone know?
Bits and Bobs
Court Report – Tuesday Oct 5th 1858 – William Plaskitt of Cabourne was charged with refusing to attend and be sworn as a parish constable.  Discharged on his consenting to be sworn into office.
A policeman’s lot never was an ’appy one                              Lincolnshire Family History Society 1997