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Thanks mgnv for your info. Have been a bit busy of late, but will try these websites when I can.

You could try:
http://www.irishgenealogy.ie/

This database now contains church records for Dublin City, Carlow, Cork and Kerry.
The remaining Roman Catholic records of Dublin City and Cork and Ross (except Cork City) have now been added to the website.
http://churchrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/about/aboutprogress.html

Thanks for all your help LadyKira. When one reads the actual trial notes and his prison notes, it would appear he was using the epilepsy card to get off as when he was in prison one of the doctors said there was no way what he did was caused by an epileptic fit. He tried a number of times to get out of prison early, but all failed until he served 13 years, which apparently was the minimum sentence for the time.

The press made a lot of him being very young looking, but he had been friends with Bridget since childhood and also worked with my grandfather, Bridget's brother. I sometimes wonder if because of the feelings at the time, he had more sympathy because he was English and Bridget's parents were from Ireland. Prejudice is a terrible thing. We'll never know for sure.

Thanks once again.

It is awful when something like that happens. It must have had a devastating effect on both families. There were questions about his health and epilepsy though. I wonder if there might have been a different outcome today with modern medicines?

Thank you so much for that LadyKira. I was never quite sure how/when he died. But I still know no more about the "Sun" in 1903. Any further ideas on how to find out?

I have always been greatly against capital punishment, but when I read the details of how Bridget died and the effect it had on her immediate family, I can see why some people would want it reinstated.

Thank you once again.

This one mentions Thomas and the campaign.

http://www.pbs.plymouth.ac.uk/solon/journal/issue%201.2/Weiner%20issue%201.2.pdf

Not what you are after but some interesting thoughts to help you on your way

http://www.islington.gov.uk/publicrecords/library/Leisure-and-culture/Information/Factsheets/2011-2012/(2012-03-03)-lhcexhib_faircop.pdf

1911 England Census about Thomas Washington Gibbs
Name: Thomas Washington Gibbs
Age in 1911: 28
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1883
Relation to Head: Convict (Prisoner)
Gender: Male
Birth Place: Chelsea, London, England
Civil Parish: Carisbrooke
County/Island: Hampshire
Country: England
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Bricklayer Formerly
Registration District: Isle of Wight
Registration District Number: 93
Sub-registration District: Newport
ED, institution, or vessel: 2
Piece: 5714


UK, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919 about Thomas Washington Gibbs
Name: Thomas Washington Gibbs
Birth Place: Chelsea
Death Date: 22 Jul 1917
Death Location: Mesopotamia
Enlistment Location: Fulham, Middx.
Rank: Private
Regiment: Welsh Regiment
Battalion: 8th Battalion
Number: 51225
Type of Casualty: Died
Theatre of War: Asiatic Theatres

I have now found out quite a lot about Bridget's murder, but there is one piece in the jigsaw I am stuck on. Her murderer, Thomas Washington Gibbs, was initially sentenced to death, but this was later commuted to life imprisonment after a campaign started by the then "Sun" newspaper. After viewing the papers at Kew I gather that this particular paper had started a campaign against capital punishment around this time. However, I cannot find any record of a paper at that time called the Sun. This was in 1903. Can anyone trace the publishing dates of this paper and whether it was a local or national paper. Thomas Gibbs eventually got out of prison after 13 years and joined up for WW1, where I gather he was killed.

Thanks in advance for any help received.

Thanks Eringobragh1916. On the marriage certificate it states the father of Daniel was (guess what?) Daniel deceased. The father of Bridget was given as Richard O'Brien. I understand from a relative I have recently contacted through GR that because of anti-Irish feelings the family dropped the "Mc" when they came to England: apparently it was felt to be less Irish without the "Mc". My grandfather suddenly became McQuaid when he married my grandmother, but that was only one year after his sister was murdered, so maybe it was a reaction to this. It is in part of the testimony at the trial that Bridget's mother was questioned as to the correct spelling of the surname because of the variations and the spelling "McQuaide" was given. It was a surprise to me when I saw the spelling "Quade" in some of the census returns when it was obviously my family. Will only ever know for sure if I can uncover any records in Cork.

Thanks also Victoria for your help, but yes I do have that information already.

And thanks WayneTracey for the Times article. Papers were obviously as bad with the facts in 1903 as today because Bridget was definitely 18.
Apparently Bridget and Thomas had grown up together and both families knew each other, so it must have been an even greater shock when he murdered her.

Off for the night now, but thanks to you all for the help so far. It is very much appreciated.

have you got the full details of the Daniel and Bridget marriage Brentford 1878

it should at least have their father's names on

can't see it on ancestry London banns and marriages

for info i'm sure that you have this already
Daniel Quaid
Age: 54
Estimated birth year: abt 1847
Relation: Head
Spouse's name: Bridget
Gender: Male
Where born: Ireland

Civil parish: Fulham
Ecclesiastical parish: St Peter
County/Island: London
Country: England

Street Address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

Education:

Employment status:

View image

Registration district: Fulham
Sub-registration district: North West Fulham
ED, institution, or vessel: 10
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 311
Household Members:
Name Age
Daniel Quaid 54
Bridget Quaid 45
Daniel Quaid 22
Norah Quaid 20
Bridget Quaid 16
Bessie Quaid 14
Michael Quaid 12
Maggie Quaid 10
David Quaid 8
Patrick Quaid 4
Annie Quaid 1

Betty...Does the Marriage Cert for Brid and Daniel not have their parents names on...?

I am having difficulty finding the McQuade (Variations) surname in the Co Cork...although there is one for Mallow ...a James McQuade ..lodging house keeper...1830s
Some crop up in Limerick and a couple in Kerry but not RC.

Betty,

According to the Times article she was 13 yrs of age?


T x

Thanks once again Ginny.

PM...when you send a private message by clicking on the persons name

N...when you add an 'n' to your thread to nudge it up to the top of the board

x

Thanks Ginny and WayneTracey. We have read the oldbaileyonline and, in fact, that is where we started our search.

I'd love to receive the Times article WayneTracey, but I don't understand the term "pm" you. Please can you explain. I admit there are lots of terms people use on GR that are beyond me: as well as "pm", there is "nudge" - what do they all mean? Anyway, I'd be happy to send you my email address if you can explain.

For information, Thomas Gibbs was sentenced to death and sentence was due to be carried out on 11 Aug 1903, but he was reprieved to penal servitude because of his young age - he was 21 but poor Bridget was only 18. However, we gather Thomas was released from prison at a relatively young age, but am not sure when. And the Daniel giving evidence was my grandfather!!

Thanks again WT. Betty

Check this out, about a quarter way down the page

http://www.oldbaileyonline.org/browse.jsp?path=sessionsPapers%2F19030720.xml

Betty there is a 4 line bit in the Times!

July 04 1903
At West London yesterday, a labourer named Gibbs, living in Fulham, was remanded on a charge of wiful murder of Bridget McQuaide, a laundress.

There is the full story on page 14, i can email it to you if you pm me your email address.

Have you tried the Gazette's they are free to search, I know there is a London and Edinburgh one, there is a Belfast one too i think (?)

The offenders name was Thomas Washington Gibbs.

....and your right it does seems a gruesome murder!!


Tracey x

ha ha!!!! I have a few Limericks but don't think I'll put them on here - there was a young lady from Devizes!!!!