Person:Isaac Crossley (1)

Isaac Crossley was baptised on 7th December 1774 at Sandy in Bedfordshire, son of John and Mary Crossley.

On 20th November 1796, aged about 22, he married Ann Robinson at Meppershall. They settled in the parish of Southill, which lies between Sandy and Meppershall. They appear to have had a few children, several of whom were baptised on the same day in 1821.

In 1807 Isaac was sent to prison for three months after his dog destroyed some game.

In 1813, Isaac appears to have had an affair with a younger woman called Sophia Smith (who seems to have also been known by her stepfather's surname as Sophia Jones). Sophia became pregnant, with the child being baptised in June 1814, so presumably conceived in the autumn of 1813. Whilst Sophia was pregnant, Isaac was charged with deserting his family. He was found living at Buckden in Huntingdonshire and taken into custody in Bedford Gaol in November 1813, where he was held for about six weeks pending his trial. His punishment was that he was ordered to become a soldier. He was discharged from Bedford Gaol on 12th January 1814 and enlisted into the Bedford Militia.

Sophia had her baby, a girl called Celia, at Barnet in Hertfordshire. Celia's baptism describes Isaac as being a private in the Buckinghamshire Militia. Whether this indicates that Isaac had changed regiment or that Sophia wasn't sure precisely where he was serving is unknown. Isaac does not appear to have had any further involvement with Sophia and Celia, who reverted to calling themselves Smith or Jones. Isaac served as a soldier for just over a year, but was discharged as unfit for further service in July 1815. His discharge papers describe him as a shoemaker.

Isaac appears to have returned to live with his wife Ann in Southill. He fell foul of the game laws again in 1823 and spent another three months in Bedford Gaol. He was described as being 5'6" tall with brown hair, hazel eyes and a dark complexion.

The 1841 census finds Isaac and Ann living at Southill, with Isaac working as an agricultural labourer.

Ten years later Isaac and Ann were visiting a family called Robinson in Luton, who were presumably relatives of Ann's as they were also from Meppershall. Isaac was again described as a shoemaker.

Isaac died in 1852, and was buried at Southill on 6th December 1852. He was about 78 years old. Ann survived him by just over two years.

1. ↑ England. Births and Christenings, 1538-1975. (FamilySearch, Ancestry.com, Findmypast).

   ch. 7 Dec 1774, Sandy, Bedfordshire: Isaac son of John & Mary Crosely

2.   Bedfordshire Record Office. Bedfordshire Gaol Register. (Bedford)
   BLARS QGV10/1.

   Name: Isaac Crosby
   Age: 30
   Height: 5'7¼"
   Hair: Black
   Complexion: Dark
   Residence: Southill, Bedfordshire
   Offence: Dog did destroy game
   Committed: 4 Oct 1807
   Gaol: Bedford Gaol
   Sentence: 3 months
   Discharge date: 15 Dec 1807
   General remarks: Orderly

3.   Bedfordshire Record Office. Bedfordshire Gaol Register. (Bedford)
   BLARS QGV10/1.

   Name: Isaac Crossley
   Age: 40
   Height: 5'7"
   Hair colour: Brown
   Complexion: Dark
   Residence: Buckden, Huntingdonshire
   Offence: Leaving family chargeable
   Committed: 23 Nov 1813
   Gaol: Bedford Gaol
   Trial: 12 Jan 1814
   Sentence: Ordered to be a soldier - entered into the Beds Militia

4.   UK, Royal Hospital Chelsea Pensioner Admissions and Discharges, 1715-1925 (National Archives / fold3.com).

   Examination of Invalid Soldiers on Friday the 28th of July 1815
   Name: Isaac Crossley
   Age: 45
   Total service: 1 4/12
   Rejected
   Complaint: Fistula
   Where Born: Sandy, Bedford
   Trade or Occupation: Shoemaker
   Height: 5'7½"

5.   Bedfordshire Record Office. Bedfordshire Gaol Register. (Bedford)
   BLARS QGV11/1.

   Name: Isaac Crosley
   Age: 56
   Height: 5'6"
   Hair colour: Brown
   Eye colour: Hazel
   Complexion: Dark
   Identifying features: Large mark on the right hand
   Occupation: Labourer
   Marital Status: Married
   Born: Sandy, Bedfordshire
   Residence: Southill, Bedfordshire
   Offence: Breach of the Game Laws
   Committed: 20 Nov 1823
   Sentence: 3 months
   Gaol: Bedford, New House of Correction
   Prison work: Cook
   Discharge date: 12 Feb 1824
   General remarks: Good

6. ↑ England. 1841 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class HO107; Piece 9; Book 16; Folio 9; Page 15, 6 Jun 1841.

   Address: Southill, Bedfordshire
   Isaac Crosley, male, 76 [1764/5], Ag[ricultural] lab[ourer], born in county
   Ann Crosley, female, 70 [1766-71], born in county

7. ↑ England. 1851 Census Returns for England and Wales. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class HO107; Piece 1757; Folio 592; Page 7, 30 Mar 1851.

   Address: Back Street, Luton, Bedfordshire
   John Robinson, head, married, male, 54 [1796/7], Labourer, b. Mepershall, Bedfordshire
   Mary Ann Robinson, wife, married, female, 30 [1820/1], b. Biggleswade, Bedfordshire
   Mary Ann Robinson, daughter, female, 7 [1843/4], b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   William Robinson, son, male, 4 [1846/7], b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   James Samuel Robinson, son, male, 2 [1848/9], b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Sarah Atkins, lodger, unmarried, female, 19 [1831/2], Sewer, b. Watford, Hertfordshire
   Isaac Crowsley, visitor, married, male, 80 [1770/1], shoemaker, b. Sandy, Bedfordshire
   Ann Crowsley, visitor, married, female, 80 [1770/1], b. Stotfold, Bedfordshire

8.   Deaths index, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

   d. Isaac CROSSLEY, December Quarter 1852, Biggleswade Registration District, Volume 3b, page 215, aged 83 [1768/9]

9. ↑ England. National Burial Index.

   bur. 6 Dec 1852, Southill, Bedfordshire: Isaac Crossley, 82 [1769/70]