Cleopatra Posted November 7, 2012 Report Share Posted November 7, 2012 I did read, he said from the gallows before he was hung I think it was, that Bridget was present when he struck Peggy Fahey with the hachet but she rushed to him to stop him and he pushed her aside and continued to strike Peggy Fahey with the hachet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleopatra Posted November 7, 2012 Report Share Posted November 7, 2012 I am ever so sorry Algy but I was in one of my naughty moods. Please accept my sincere and most profound apology. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted November 7, 2012 Report Share Posted November 7, 2012 I found this, nothing new really apart from it reveals that Peggy F was a pedlar woman and that Patrick Lyons was only in his early 20's when he was executed.  They didn't mess about in those days though as he was executed on the 26 april 1851 three weeks after his trial. His wife was definately let off as there is no record of her being executed.   Liverpool assizes before Mr Justice CRESSWELL Apr 5th 1851  The trial of Patrick and Bridget LYONS  For the murder of a pedlar woman called Peggy FAHEY at Warrington and occupied most of the day.  The prisoners appeared cool and collected indeed at times they manifested almost an air of unconcern. The female appeared a lot older than the man, the age of the male by calender 21 the woman 40.  Mr MONK proceeded the case for the prosecution.  The murdered woman slept at a lodging house with another woman called COLLINS an elderly woman.  On the morning of the 4th Feb 1851 Bridget LYONS went upstairs to rouse FAHEY who got up and went downstairs. LYONS and his wife were both downstairs. FAHEY scarcely had time to reach the bottom step when COLLINS heard a scream.  COLLINS started dressing to go down when Bridget LYONS stopped her on the stair preventing her from going downstairs and informing her that the noise was from a drunken man. She was allowed down a little later when she was informed that the drunken man had gone.  COLLINS crossed the kitchen floor in bare feet and noticed a wet area. She asked if it was blood but was informed that it was water spilled by the drunk.  COLLINS then left the house and Bridget LYONS locked the house up.  COLLINS returned that evening with a man called NEWCOMBE also staying there. She was suspicious at the absence of FAHEY and the fact that she was prevented from entering the coal-hole under the stairs, she informed the police.  The police found the body of FAHEY in the coal-hole. The couple were apprehended, Patrick LYONS who had gone missing from Feb 4th was found in Westminster on the 14th Feb.  He made a statement that his wife murdered FAHEY.  Bridget LYONS stated her husband murdered FAHEY and hit her repeatedly over the head with a hatchet he used for chopping wood. Both found guilty of murder and sentanced to hang.  Saturday May 3rd  Patrick LYONS on Saturday morning last was hanged at Kirkdale County Gaol Liverpool.  He addressed the crowd confirming his wifes innocence and asked for prayers for himself. He had spoken to his wife and sister previous  Attended by two catholic priests Rev's Mr's EGAN and MARSHALL.  CALCRAFT was executioner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracey Bennett Posted November 7, 2012 Report Share Posted November 7, 2012 One of the reports I read said one of the witnesses only spoke Irish and had to have a translator to give her statement. The reports also talk of Bridget having such a strong Irish accent that she struggled to make herself understood. It's funny to think of people only speaking Irish, it re-enforces their status as immigrants. I imagine they'd have been viewed a bit like Eastern Europeans today. Â Not sure why this grim little tale has captured my imagination so much but it has! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracey Bennett Posted November 7, 2012 Report Share Posted November 7, 2012 Oh, I also meant to say, Patrick Lyons was apparently buried at Kirkdale where he was hung. I wonder what happened to the burials there when the prison closed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
algy Posted November 7, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 7, 2012 One of the reports I read said one of the witnesses only spoke Irish and had to have a translator to give her statement. The reports also talk of Bridget having such a strong Irish accent that she struggled to make herself understood. It's funny to think of people only speaking Irish, it re-enforces their status as immigrants. I imagine they'd have been viewed a bit like Eastern Europeans today. Â Not sure why this grim little tale has captured my imagination so much but it has! Â Tracey, another snippet of information regarding the census years 1831/1841/1851, it mentions the increase of population due to the immense amount of Irish nationals continually passing through the town, probably travelling from Liverpool to the cotton mills in Lancashire. Â Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted November 7, 2012 Report Share Posted November 7, 2012 When I was researching part of my family tree (I've given up now) I noticed there were a heck of a lot of Irish people living on many of the the inner streets of Warrington town centre. Â Where they were families both parents were often Irish but their children were all born in Warrington so many clearly stuck around rather than just passing through. Â I tried to find Peggy Fahey on the 1841/51 census yesterday but couldn't find her in Warrington although I did find some with the same name in Liverpool and they were Irish too. Maybe she was a passer through which and Lyons might have thought she wouldn't be missed. I might have another look now. Â No idea why I'm going to do that other than like Tracey said....it's sort of captured my imagination too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleopatra Posted November 7, 2012 Report Share Posted November 7, 2012 Mine too. Would love to know what happened to her after she was pardoned. Maybe she remarried so had a different name and maybe a family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracey Bennett Posted November 8, 2012 Report Share Posted November 8, 2012 I looked too Dizzy, got all excited when I found Bridget and Patrick Lyons (both Irish) running a boarding house in Warrington in 1851 but then realised she would've been in prison and he was on the run on the night of the census so it can't have been them. I also found a Bridget Lyons (Irish and a widow) running a boarding house in Ashton Under Lyne in 1861 but she had children in their late teens/20's living with her so it couldn't be our Bridget. Â I guess with all the Irish people these names were common here. I also didn't realise that the Irish Census records have basically all been destroyed so no hope of tracing her there either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleopatra Posted November 8, 2012 Report Share Posted November 8, 2012 Is this Margaret Fahey.....? Â Â Burial: 7 Feb 1851 St Elphin, Warrington, Lancashire, England Margaret Fay - Age: 27 Abode: Bank Street Cause of Death: Murdered Buried by: A A Bridgman Register: Burials 1847 - 1854, Page 213, Entry 1697 Source: LDS Film 1562963 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleopatra Posted November 8, 2012 Report Share Posted November 8, 2012 Seems Bridget received her reprieve:- Â At the Liverpool Assizes, on the 31st ult., Patrick Lyons and Bridget Lyons his wife, were tried for the Murder of Peggy Fahey, at Warrington, on the 4th of February. The prisoners, who are Irish, kept a lodging house, and Peggy Fahey, a travelling pedlar, was their lodger. It appears that the contents of her basket of wares had excited the cupidity of Lyons and his wife, and that they had murdered her early in the morning, when she was preparing to go out, by striking her on the head with a hatchet. Suspicion having arisen, the house was searched, and her dead body was found in a closet, together with her basket, and a butcher's cleaver with which the murder had been committed. The woman was immediately taken into custody, but the man had fled, and was traced to Dublin, where before he was apprehended, he had enlisted in the East India Company's service, and had been passed by the Surgeon. The prisoners were both convicted, and the judge pronounced sentence of death upon them. The woman has since received a reprieve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracey Bennett Posted November 8, 2012 Report Share Posted November 8, 2012 Ooh, great work Cleo. I didn't think to trace Peggy to be honest, I was just looking for Bridget. Bet poor old Peggy didn't get a headstone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleopatra Posted November 8, 2012 Report Share Posted November 8, 2012 There are so many different Bridget Lyons you never would believe it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted November 8, 2012 Report Share Posted November 8, 2012 I would Cleo as I've just found them all and no way am I going to look at all of those now. Loads of Patricks too, blimey they were popular names. Â The burial you found does sound like it is her with a wrong spelling. That's 2 variants to her name now. Nice one (although the reports said she was about 20) but one of them states that the clothes were removed of the body on the 7th and that's the same date of the burial. Would they have buried her the same day though, I guess they would as it was pretty clear how she'd died. Â Tracey, I thought I'd found 'them' too last night on the 1851 census (living at Friars Green) but I left it untill this morning before posting as I was confused about their ages. I was horrified to see they had a 2 month old son. Â Thanks goodness you noticed that our Bridget and Patrick would have been in prison then. I tossed and turned all night wondering what had happened to their baby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted November 8, 2012 Report Share Posted November 8, 2012 Mine too. Would love to know what happened to her after she was pardoned. Maybe she remarried so had a different name and maybe a family. Â I've found Bridget Lyons. She was 'transported for life'. Â Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted November 8, 2012 Report Share Posted November 8, 2012 I've also found her on the convists ship 'Sir Robert Sippings [seppings] voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1852 with 221 passengers  Convict Name - Bridget Lyons  Description - Bridget Lyons, one of 220 convicts transported on the Sir Robert Sippings [seppings], 17 March 1852  Convicted at - Lancaster Assizes at Liverpool  other details from convict ship record...  Crime: - Convicted at: Lancaster Assizes at Liverpool Sentence term: Life Ship: Sir Robert Sippings Departure date: 17th March, 1852 Arrival date*: approx 17th November, 1852 Place of arrival: Van Diemen's Land  of the 220 convictos on board the average sentence was 8 years and onl3 3 convicts on board were for 'LIFE' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted November 8, 2012 Report Share Posted November 8, 2012 She seems to have died on the ship  Got to go out... more later Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
algy Posted November 8, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 8, 2012 She seems to have died on the ship  Got to go out... more later Brilliant!! keep researching Dizz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted November 8, 2012 Report Share Posted November 8, 2012 Yep she definately popped her clogs.  I've just read the ships 'daily sick book' on the National Archives. An awful lot of illness on board during it's journey, as you would expect, and it lists who had what and for how long.  Folio 3: Bridget Lyons, aged 42, Convict; disease or hurt, dysentery. Put on sick list, 6 May 1852. Died, 14 June 1852.  Out of the 220 female convicts on board 219 arived at the destination and Bridget was the only one to die on the journey .  Quite shocking though as there were a lot of young children on board who had been shipped off with their convicted mothers.  A lot of illness amongst them too and although they are named in the sick book they are not actually recorded or named as being actual passengers on the ships convicts record book that I just downloaded. (massive file 247mb as it lists every convict on every ship for that year.. at least it was free)  Anyway on Bridget's ship like I say she was the only convict to die.  although 5 of the little kids died too of some strange sounding illnesses..... they were  Mary Crooke, aged 6 months, Child; disease or hurt, marasmus. Put on sick list, 26 April 1852. Died, 13 May 1852  Elizabeth Denham, aged 13 months, Child; disease or hurt, diarrhoea. Put on sick list, 1 May 1852. Died, 3 May 1852.  M A Calligan, aged 18 months. Child; disease or hurt, marasmus. Put on sick list, 1 May 1852. Died, 27 May 1852.  Elizabeth Wilson, aged 1, Child; disease or hurt, catarrhus. Put on sick list, 24 May 1852. Died, 8 June 1852  Thomas Joyce, aged 9 months, Child; disease or hurt, diarrhoea. Put on sick list, 18 June 1852. Died, 21 June 1852 Not that the these names are relevant but I felt I had to post them as some form of rememberance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted November 8, 2012 Report Share Posted November 8, 2012 here's her actual ship record which states she died...... Â Â Â Â Would they just have thrown her body overboard I wonder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleopatra Posted November 8, 2012 Report Share Posted November 8, 2012 marasmus is malnourishment. catarrhus is a violent head cold with flowing mucus. (a very snotty nose where the snot just flows out) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleopatra Posted November 8, 2012 Report Share Posted November 8, 2012 Would they just have thrown her body overboard I wonder  Most likely, but in a sack. But what a dismal ending to an interesting tale. Poor bitch. Worse thing she ever did was marrying that no good toyboy Patrick Lyons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracey Bennett Posted November 8, 2012 Report Share Posted November 8, 2012 Wow, great work Dizzy! This is amazing, both the story - which is compelling in itself - and the 'hive mind' detective work we've all done together to uncover the story bit by bit. Â How sad that all 3 died, I wonder how many people have thought of them and remembered them in the last 150 years? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted November 8, 2012 Report Share Posted November 8, 2012 What a team eh  As for people thinking of them or remembering them well at least we have Tracey but then again murderers really don't deserve remembering I suppose.  I just don't know when to stop though as I just found this about Bridget too from the ships records where it describes her a little.  Folios 15-19: Bridget Lyons, aged 42, Convict; disease or hurt, dysenteria. Put on sick list, 6 May 1852, at sea. Died, 14 June 1852. 'An old woman of broken down constitution from age and mental anxiety and of a phlegmatic temperament', she complained of being frequently purged with tormina and much straining when at stool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted November 8, 2012 Report Share Posted November 8, 2012 But what a dismal ending to an interesting tale. Poor bitch. Worse thing she ever did was marrying that no good toyboy Patrick Lyons. Â I've no sympathy for her really as if she hadn't helped hide the body or told porkies she may have remained free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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