How to find out about Grandfather's alleged criminal background

[crosshatching]

Hi Everyone,

I'm trying to find out about my Grandfather's criminal past. All my childhood I have been told that he was in and out of prison. The stories of what he might've been in for vary on who the storyteller is. I can't find my way to any prison records - and I think if I were to ask in the family it might kick open a can of worms. This would've been the 1950s and my Mum and her sisters are still alive. Has anyone had a similar situation and how did you go about researching it? I have a name and city to start from.

Many thanks in advance for any help offered xx

Your family don’t know? Or refuse to tell you?

Newspaper records would be my first step if you know the area he lived in.

I agree. The local archives from the area may have copies.

It's more that I think it would kick off a bit of drama if you see what I mean. I don't want to do that unless I can find some solid records.

You could try the British newspaper archives online

I've been looking at the British Newspaper Archives but nothing seems to come up.

Really?

is he still alive?

either way…. A chat with your mum over coffee about what grandad did 70 odd years ago is going to cause big drama?

Essentially you can't unless it was reported in the newspapers.

You can't make an FOI or a SAR for these someone else's criminal record without being their legal representative and with a legal authority to request it.

Some newspaper archives may be your best bet. We found DH's great grandmother's 1945 divorce application hearing in a newspaper - it was granted by the local matrimonial court because he was an abusive POS even by the low standards of that time. Yes, there was absolutely 100% PTSD involved as we know his war record (one of his ships was hit and sunk, multiple convoy ships around him lost) but he was horrific long before WW2 began.

Try newspapers.com
I think you get a week's free trial. I had more luck with that when searching for my family member.

Thanks for this - there are some similarities here. I'll keep looking at the Newspaper Archives.

Thanks - I'll give that a try.

We used Ancestry.com on a freebie weekend and hit up everything we could think of.

My grandfather was part of a small group of men who robbed a federal (USA) bank using guns. At which point my grandmother divorced him. And besides being disowned by her own family went no contact with his. I found the story eventually in a small newspaper.
My father always wondered if he remarried had other children etc.
I hope you find out more.

"You can't make an FOI or a SAR for these someone else's criminal record without being their legal representative"

This isn't quite true. It's true if the person is alive, but if the person is dead then you can make an FOI.

Assuming that the OP's grandfather has passed away the OP can make an FOI request to the appropriate police force. They may or may not still have any records.

In addition, since this was before 1971 (when crown courts came into being) any cases would have been heard at the local Assize court.

These records go up until 1971 and are held by The National Archive in London. You will not be able to access them online but you will have to go to London to search the records yourself (or get somebody at the National Archive to search for you for a fee).

There is a guide here about how to do it:

https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/criminal-trials-assize-courts-1559-1971/

For court cases after 1971 then HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) should have the records and you can make a FOI request at the bottom of this page:

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-courts-and-tribunals-service

British Newspaper Archive can be perverse. Go at it with spelling variations, vary the number of key words. It can throw up surprising things.

This is really helpful, thanks for that, I didn't realise I could get someone more knowledgeable than me to look it up!

Also with newspaper searches try just the surname as often only initials were reported not forenames. Use wildcard searches

The assizes would only be for the most serious offences. Petty crimes would have been at the magistrates' court (petty sessions) - try the city archives.