Find Ancestors

Thanks for that alviegal. I had a little look myself and found lots of articles myself. He was indeed a very disturbed man. His brother also went on to commit murder too. How awful for the rest of the family. Luckily out of my whole tree they are the only two criminals.
He was actually scentenced to death but somehow just ended up doing life in Dartmoor. Think they should have let him hang personally!

This item requires a subscription to The British Journal of Psychiatry. Or you can buy the article for $15.
Note the mistake in the surname.

Recent Medico-Legal Cases
bjp.rcpsych.org/cgi/reprint/47/197/423.pdf
21 Jun 2011 – John Edward Casey, 17,was indicted for the murder of Thirza Isabella Kelly, at. Stokesby. The deceased was a widow of a good character, ...

This is from http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra/searches/subjectView.asp?ID=F3467

Home Office: Registered Papers, Supplementary HO 144/949/A62390

CRIMINAL - LIST OF CRIMINAL CASES, INCLUDING EXTRADITION CASES: Cossey, John Edward Court: Norwich Offence: Murder Sentence: Death (commuted to P.S. for life) . CRIMINAL - LIST OF CRIMINAL CASES, INCLUDING EXTRADITION CASES: Cossey, John Edward Court:
Date: 1901

The case is also reported on this site http://www.murder-uk.com/
I'm sorry to say that he seems to have been a seriously disturbed young man in this gruesome case.

'Cossey was sentenced to death but this was later commuted to penal servitude for life.'


Poor Thirza's death. She was 10 years older than him.

Civil Registration event: Death
Name: KELLY, Thirza
Registration District: Flegg
County: Norfolk
Year of Registration: 1901
Quarter of Registration: Jan-Feb-Mar
Age at death: 27
Volume No: 4B
Page No: 25


Liz

Kate, pm me your e mail, and I'll send you the article...

Chris :)

My goodness - a murderer! That is very strange as today I found olut his brother Thomas Albert Cossey B 1897 was also sent to prison for murdering his wife or her lover.

I can't quite believe it, it's terrible really but I can't help being fascinated!

Thanks for that bit of info

Name: Margaret M Cossey
Birth Date: abt 1899
Date of Registration: Apr-May-Jun 1926
Age at Death: 27
Registration district: Yarmouth
Inferred County: Norfolk
Volume: 4b
Page: 46

www.stokesby.org.uk/page4.html

Seems he was responsible for above murder...according to various newspapers December 1900.

Chris :)

Oh - what a shame. Thank you for that. I will have to keep looking!

Is this the marriage of John?

England & Wales, Marriage Index: 1916-2005 about John E Cossey
Name: John E Cossey
Spouse Surname: Baldock
Date of Registration: Apr-May-Jun 1919
Registration district: Flegg
Inferred County: Norfolk
Volume Number: 4b
Page Number: 100a
Find Spouse: Margaret M Baldock


His birth in the same area.

England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index, 1837-1915 about John Edward Cossey
Name: John Edward Cossey
Date of Registration: Jan-Feb-Mar 1883
Registration district: Flegg
Inferred County: Norfolk
Volume: 4b
Page: 45

I had my doubts it was the right guy Couldn't see a birth for him though which is explained as he was Canadian born Wondered too how he jumped from being a farm labourer to a manager

Sorry but I don't think that is the right person travelling to Canada. I've found this marriage.
Your man's parents were William and Mary E, I believe.

Ontario, Canada Marriages, 1801-1928 about Edward John Cossey
Name: Edward John Cossey, a clerk
Birth Place: Waterloo Ont
Age: 31
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1885
Father Name: Daniel Cossey
Mother Name: Emily Baner
Spouse Name: Lena Frances Phillips
Spouse's Age: 24
Spouse Birth Place: Bristol Eng
Spouse Father Name: Abner George Phillips
Spouse Mother Name: Emily Clara Sauce Phillips
Marriage Date: 4 Jul 1916
Marriage Location: Middlesex
Marriage County: Middlesex
Archives of Ontario Microfilm: MS932_388


and his birth.

Ontario, Canada Births, 1869-1911 about Edward John Cossey
Name: Edward John Cossey
Date of Birth: 23 Jul 1884
Gender: Male
Birth County: Waterloo
Father's name: Daniel Cossey
Mother's name: Amelia Baner
Archives of Ontario Microfilm: MS929_68

Well both Ilfracombe and Dartmoor are in Devon so maybe he met his wife after he came out of prison,

Cant see a marriage for them though

Yes I think it all fits. He was born in Norfolk, Repps, sent to prison in Essex in 1901 then maybe got transferred to Dartmoor? I was wondering why his last address in England was Ilfracombe.

Am I making sense? Please point out if I have got anything mixed up.

Is there any way of finding out what he did to be in prison?

Thanks again for the help

1901 in prison in Essex
COSSEY, John Edward Prisoner Single M 18 1883 General Laborer
Repps
Norfolk VIEW

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

RG number:
RG13 Piece:
1674 Folio:
102 Page:
9

Registration District:
Chelmsford Sub District:
Great Baddow Enumeration District:
Ecclesiastical Parish:
Springfield All Saints with Holy Trinity

Civil Parish:
Springfield Municipal Borough:
Address:
Springfield County:
Essex

Are you sure its him because he is in Dartmoor in 1911

COSSEY, John Edward Convict Single M 27 1884 Farm Labourer Repps Norfolk VIEW

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

RG number:
RG14 Piece:
13099 Reference:
RG14PN13099 RD279 SD2 ED28 SN9999

Registration District:
Tavistock Sub District:
Tavistock Enumeration District:
28 Parish:
Lydford

Address:
Princetown Dartmoor County:
Devonshire

Wow - that was quick! It sounds like the right person.

Thank you all very much!!

:-D

the wife
passenger transcript details
Name: Mrs Elena F COSSEY
Date of departure: 29 July 1921
Port of departure: Liverpool
Passenger destination port: Montreal, Canada
Passenger destination: Montreal, Canada
Date of Birth: 1892 (calculated from age)
Age: 29
Marital status:
Sex: Female
Occupation: Nil
Passenger recorded on: Page 25 of 40

Printer friendly version
Click here to view image
The following people with the same last name travelled on this voyage: -
Mr Edw John COSSEY Page 25 of 40 View transcript
Ship:
Official Number:
Master's name:
Steamship Line:
Where bound:
Square feet:
Registered tonnage:
Passengers on voyage:

MEGANTIC
White Star Line
Montreal, Canada
995

Report a transcript fault
back to search results redefine current search

could this be him
passenger transcript details
Name: Mr Edw John COSSEY
Date of departure: 29 July 1921
Port of departure: Liverpool
Passenger destination port: Montreal, Canada
Passenger destination: Montreal, Canada
Date of Birth: 1884 (calculated from age)
Age: 37
Marital status:
Sex: Male
Occupation: Manager
Passenger recorded on: Page 25 of 40

Printer friendly version
Click here to view image
The following people with the same last name travelled on this voyage: -
Mrs Elena F COSSEY Page 25 of 40 View transcript
Ship:
Official Number:
Master's name:
Steamship Line:
Where bound:
Square feet:
Registered tonnage:
Passengers on voyage:

MEGANTIC
White Star Line
Montreal, Canada
995

Report a transcript fault
back to search results

is this the one?

Name: Mr Edw John COSSEY
Date of departure: 29 July 1921
Port of departure: Liverpool
Passenger destination port: Montreal, Canada
Passenger destination: Montreal, Canada

Date of Birth: 1884 (calculated from age)
Age: 37
Marital status:
Sex: Male
Occupation: Manager
Passenger recorded on: Page 25 of 40





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


The following people with the same last name travelled on this voyage: -

Mrs Elena F COSSEY Page 25 of 40 View transcript



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Ship:
Official Number:
Master's name:
Steamship Line:
Where bound:
Square feet:
Registered tonnage:
Passengers on voyage:
MEGANTIC


White Star Line
Montreal, Canada


last address in England-Ilfracombe. Intended future residence Canada