Join us for this expert webinar and uncover the detailed lives of Victorian criminal ancestors through court reports, prison registers, and newspaper archives with expert guidance from historian and bestselling author Dr. Dean Kirby.
The Victorian era produced some of the most meticulously documented criminal records in history, creating an invaluable treasure trove for family historians. While discovering a criminal ancestor might initially seem unsettling, these detailed archives offer rare insights into ordinary lives that would otherwise remain hidden from history.
Prison registers, court documents, and newspaper reports can reveal physical descriptions, personal circumstances, and life stories in remarkable detail, often providing the only surviving photographs of working-class Victorians.
Join us for this fascinating online event where Dr. Dean Kirby, former crime reporter and bestselling author on Victorian Manchester slums, will guide you through the process of investigating your criminal ancestors like a true detective.
What you'll learn
- Navigate Specialized Criminal Records - Discover how to access and interpret prison registers, court documents, and transportation records that contain detailed personal information unavailable elsewhere
- Uncover Physical Descriptions - Learn how prison records often include height, eye color, distinguishing marks, scars, and even tattoos, helping you visualize ancestors you've never seen
- Master Historical Newspaper Research - Develop techniques to efficiently search digitized newspaper archives for court reports that can provide rich narratives of your ancestors' lives and crimes
- Map Criminal Networks - Understand how to identify family connections, accomplices, and criminal networks that reveal broader social contexts of your ancestors' lives
- Visit Historical Crime Scenes - Learn practical approaches to locating and visiting the streets, buildings, and neighborhoods where your ancestors lived and committed crimes
- Contextualize Criminal Lives - Gain insight into the social conditions, poverty, and circumstances that often led to criminal behavior in Victorian Britain
- Craft Compelling Family Narratives - Develop skills to sensitively and accurately write up your ancestors' stories, placing their actions within historical context
Whether your ancestor was a petty thief, a notorious murderer, or somewhere in between, this session will equip you with the specialized knowledge to research their lives with confidence and sensitivity. Dr. Kirby's expertise in Victorian social history provides valuable context to understand not just what your ancestors did, but why they may have turned to crime and how their experiences reflect broader historical patterns.
This comprehensive session combines practical research techniques with compelling storytelling approaches to help you transform dusty criminal records into vivid family histories.
When & where does the webinar take place?
The webinar will take place on Zoom on 5th June, 1 pm UK time with Dr Dean Kirby. This webinar presentation is part of the programme brought to you by Family Tree Plus.
Get your ticket for £10, or join Family Tree Plus for just £5, come along to this webinar and attend four webinars every month! Already a Family Tree Plus member? Log in now to get your link.
Got a query? Email us a [email protected]
About the speaker
Dean Kirby is an award-winning investigative journalist whose nominations include the Orwell Prize for Exposing Britain's Social Evils. He used open-source tools including satellites to become the first reporter to reveal the existence of Russian filtration camps in Ukraine. He has a PhD in urban history and has had a life-long interest in genealogy.
He also offers genealogy research services, including help in locating ancestors' homes demolished in slum clearances, and can be contacted at [email protected].