Pat Chrisfield
Pat’s poverty-stricken great-uncle Arthur found himself under lock and key many times in his lifetime for committing opportunist crimes
When I took my first tentative steps in genealogy I harboured no desire to find that I was a descendant of royalty or gentry. Instead I hoped for heroes, inventors, peace-makers and generally interesting individuals. I had no objection to the occasional criminal in my ancestry but hoped that these would not include murderers or sex offenders.
While researching my maternal line I came across my great-uncle, Arthur George Prior, who was most certainly interesting and had a staggering criminal record – he committed at least 45 crimes in 30 years (more of this later).
Family of paupers
Arthur’s parents were Thomas Prior and Sarah (née Oliver). He was born circa 1876 in Croydon, Surrey. I should, perhaps, mention here that the Priors were somewhat cavalier at registering births and it is therefore necessary to accept the declared ages in the census and other documentation. Arthur’s year of birth varies within a year or two so I have chosen to use the most quoted year.
Arthur had four siblings: three brothers, Thomas Henry born 1870, Edward Lawrence born 1876 and Alfred Ernest (my grandfather) born 1879, and one sister Jane, who was born circa 1878.
Following the death of his father in 1881, Arthur, aged seven, and his brothers Thomas, aged 11, and Edward, aged five, were residents of ‘North Surrey District School’ at Anerley Road, Penge (then Surrey, now London). This was a school for pauper children and served three workhouses (Wandsworth, Lewisham and Croydon). The school aimed to teach children basic literacy and numeracy and practical skills such as shoemaking, baking and farming for the boys and sewing and washing for the girls. It provided accommodation for between 800 and 900 children. At the same time that Arthur and his brothers were in this school his mother and youngest brother, Alfred, aged two, were residents of Croydon Workhouse.