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If he was tried for murder, the trial would be reported in the local newspaper. If he was unfit to plead or found innocent on the grounds of insanity he would probably be transferred to a lunatic asylum, possibly the Criminal Lunatic Asylum at Broadmoor. nell

Teresa If he was born in 1866 he would be 22 in 1888, which fits in with the death registered Jun 1888. Or have I misunderstood? Where have you got his date of death from? nell

Oh dear! Have just checked the death date and that can't be him! As it shows date of birth as 1866! Now I am back to square one and have looked all through but can't find his death at all! I know that his christening date was right 30/4/1865 but am stuck again!

Teresa - I'm curious as to how you came by that exact date of death. As far as I know there isn't anywhere on Ancestry that tells you dates of deaths...or is it that you have found a burial record for him somewhere. Just as a matter of interest - that death entry mentioned above for Medway is interesting - the prison that my ancestor died in came under the Medway district. Also - someone who died in May would have been registered in the JUNE quarter - so either of those two entries above could be your chap.

dont think it is either he died on 29/5/1888

Which is his death ? Deaths Jun 1888 RUSSELL Sidney 22 Winchcombe 6a 256 RUSSELL Sidney Richard 23 Medway 2a 321 or neither ? Elaine ;-)

Yes may decide to purcase the certificate to put an end to the mystery!

If it were me, I'd spend £7 on the death cert - either to elliminate him as a relly or get the details of where he died ! Elaine ;-)

Hello Athena What a lovely name! Well actually I don't have the death certificate think I found the death on ancestory website not sure. But there is a problem as I am not really sure if the Sarah Scutt is actually related to me! Although her husband Richard Scutt was born in Afpuddle Dorset where my ggggrandfather was born so think its a possiblilty!

If the crime was committed in 1886 and he died in 1888 doesn't it say which prison he was in on his death certificate? (I presume you must have it since you have an exact date of death). One of my ancestors died whilst in Gillingham prison and it actualy states this on his death cert. If there is no prison mentioned on his death cert then he couldn't have been given a very long sentence - or maybe he was let off for his 'imbalanced mind' and sent to some kind of home for imbeciles.

Oh right yes that is a good idea I may try those two suggestions, I do have report from the 'Times' and in there it just states that it is believed that his grandmother refused to give him money as he was about to emigrate to Australia. Another thing is that as his bags had already gone to Wareham station then surely he would have already got his emigration papers wouldn't he?

It was reported in the Dorset County Chronicle of 14 October, 1886 maybe you could contact Dorset Archives to see if any more info was reported. J

Hiya Bev Thanks for that info but someone else gave me that the other day from Genes but it still doesn't help me find out where Sidney went to prison or if indeed he did!

Hi Terri - take a look at this website; http://www.bereregis.org/Murders.htm J

Found this:- SHOCKING MURDER at Bere Regis A YOUNG MAN SHOOTING HIS GRANDMOTHER Shortly before going to press information reached us of a murder committed in this village. A young man named Sidney Russell, aged 21, on Tuesday night shot his grandmother, Sarah Scutt, aged 79, with a pistol. After committing the dreadful deed he went to the police station and gave himself into the custody of Pc. Bugby, to whom he confessed his crime, for which no motive has yet been assigned. When surrendering himself he said to the constable 'I have shot my grandmother; you must go and lock into it.' This was at five o'clock in the morning. The young man lived with his grandmother, with whom, it is said, he was not on very friendly terms. The latter sentence appears to be something of an understatement as Russell had been about to leave his grandmother for good by emigrating to Australia. In fact his departure was so imminent that his luggage had already been taken to Wareham station, and he had spent the evening going around Bere Heath and Hyde making last farewells to various friends and acquaintances. No really clear motive emerged at his subsequent trial, but it was by some supposed that the number of farewell drinks he had taken with friends during the evening had been sufficient to unbalance him. The effect which this episode must have had on the neighbouring school can be imagined from the following relevant entries in the Heath School log book by the mistress, Miss Horth: Oct 15. No school on Thursday afternoon as the room was required for the inquest up-on the body of Mrs Scutt who was murdered by her Grandson Sydney Russell in the cottage opposite the school on the previous Tuesday night. Nov 9th. Compelled to close the school this afternoon as I have to go to Winchester to appear as a witness against SydneyRussell. Nov 16th. Returned from Winchester & reopened school on wednesday morning - was kept at Winchester 7 days waiting the trial which took place on Tuesday 16th & the unhappy young man was condemned todie, but with a recommendation to mercy on account of mental-weakness. Return to the Village History page © Bere Regis Village Website 2004 - Site by Chola Design

Hi there thanks for all the help yesterday regarding this. Today I am trying to find out where Sidney Russell would have gone to prison, the court hearing was in Winchester 1886. Can anyone tell me how I can go about finding where this young man (21) would have gone to prison in those days. The murder was commited in Bere Regis Dorset it was his Grandmother that he shot! I know that Sidney Russell didn't actually die until 29/5/1888 so I am trying to find out a bit more about the case history. His poor mother died in 1873 he then saw his father remarry and most of his siblings went to live with their father....except for Sidney and his sister Emma. So as his grandmother was a Scutt this is a particular interest for me! Terri (nee Scutt)