Wednesday 5 May 2010

Peppermint Billy - a brief follow-up

This is just a mini-blog, as I had planned to start off just writing once a week, but I'd mentioned in my first blog that JamaGenie had started me off on this whole process, and naturally she is the one who has now found some extra clues that I missed first time around.

Five years ago The Ballad of Peppermint Billy was written by Kevin Wood which tells the tale of Billy and his misfortunes.

In addition there is a book Death by Peppermint by Tim Randle which tells a fictionalised version of Billy's life. In the first few pages (which you can read via Amazon) the story goes that Edward Woodcock was the local Bailiff and responsible for evicting the Brown family from their home in Scalford.  Whether Mr Woodcock also played a part in Billy's later conviction for theft which had him transported isn't clear but apparantly Tim Randle's own family lived in the tollgate in the late 1800s, so I'm going to do my best to contact him and see whether my Moore family crop up in his research.

12 comments:

  1. Edward Woodcock was my great great great grandfather, I am currently trying to find out more information about him myself.

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    1. Hi i am Edwards great great grandson i can help with more information regards James.

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    2. my great grandma was daisy woodcock can u tell me what relation u r to me plz

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    3. was your g.gran.Daisy married to Arthur e.Potter 1915 if so her father Edward was my grandfathers brother regards James.

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  2. im related to Edward woodcock don't no how many greats but my great grandma was a woodcock im looking to find out what the book is called abt this murder

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    1. Hi i am Edwards great great grandson who was your grandma regards James.

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  3. im related to Edward woodcock and his grandson that peppermint billy killed on my mums side and the woodcocks who lived there at the tollgate after are my relations on my dads side

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    1. Hi i am Edwards great great grandson James E.Woodcock son of Eric son of Matthew son of Edward son of Edward.who are you regards James.

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    2. Hi there, seems to be some dispute about who lived in the cottage after the murders one says the Clayton,s one says the woodcocks i do not believe either is true.regards James g.g.son of edward.

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  4. Edward was not a bailiff,however did give evidence of Browns horse rustling one of many crimes he was accused of but not convicted,before being convicted of theft from his employer and deported.

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  5. Hi,Daisy Daughter of Edward 1852,she married Arthur E.Potter 1915,he was killed in Flanders 1918,she married Frank Lamming 1919.regards James.

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  6. Edward murdered 70yrs old,James was 10yrs old.just an update on recent wrong information.regards James.

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