Crimes back in England

Posts : 2593 Join date : 2009-04-24

You woundn't Adam and Eve it.

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Posts : 3362 Join date : 2009-03-03 Location : Devon

1879graves wrote:: Admin

Where the hell did you find Dowdle, Michael from ????

Well it has been nearly ten years now from when I first heard of Michael Dowdle. It has taken many years of searching but I have at last found an illustration of him.

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Manchester Times 25 August 1899

Subject: Re: Crimes back in England Sat Dec 22, 2018 10:12 pm

Good get Andy Salute

90th

Posts : 947 Join date : 2011-10-21 Location : Algoa Bay

Hi All,
An interesting thread.
I seem to remember that the Butler mentioned at the beginning of this thread, from 88th Regt, had deserted his posting in Pietermaritzburg and fled to the Highveld where he with other like minded deserters from the Regt specialised in robbing, as Highwaymen, gold bullion from the Witwatersrand mines. Their modus operandi was spectacular, but to my memory no one was ever injured by them . This gang of desperadoes defied and very smartly evaded all law enforcement attempts , moving later up to Rhodesia when things became too 'hot' in the ZAR, doing the same, then to Australia continuing with their nefarious activities. They specialised in the use of explosives to break their way into vaults etc
As a by-the-by; anyone capturing and returning a soldier to his Regt was awarded a bounty of 2Br pounds.

regards

barry

Subject: Re: Crimes back in England Thu Jun 11, 2020 2:06 pm

On Michael Dowdle.

This report on the murder from the South Wales Daily News gives that Dowdle was "wounded in the thigh at Isandula". I assume that this is a mistake for Ulundi. If so, he's Private 1589 M. Dowdle, 2/21st (Royal Scots Fusiliers), who was wounded at Ulundi.
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All the best,
Lee

Subject: Re: Crimes back in England Thu Jun 11, 2020 2:10 pm

The conviction for murder of an Isandlwana widow:

The County Observer of 19 November 1881 reported that Mrs Esther Bishop, the wife of an Isandlwana casualty, was convicted of the murder of a baby through drowning.
There were 3 soldiers named Bishop who were killed at Isandlwana: Private 154 J. Bishop (1/24), Private 1550 H. Bishop (2/24), and Driver 1524 C. Bishop (N/5 RA).

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All the best,
Lee

Posts : 303 Join date : 2011-10-18 Location : Cornwall

Afternoon Lee,

You might find the thread at the following link of interest:

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Regards,

Tim

Subject: Re: Crimes back in England Thu Jun 11, 2020 3:03 pm

Hi

She lived in 1881 at 'Infantry Camp 2" at St Botolph

I'll try to find out more later.....

Cheers

Sime

Subject: Re: Crimes back in England Thu Jun 11, 2020 3:05 pm

OK, in light of the earlier post/thread

I will save my efforts...... Neutral

Subject: Re: Crimes back in England Thu Jun 11, 2020 3:44 pm

Thanks, Tim.

A most interesting (and sad) episode.

All the best,
Lee

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