Home Page

Family History

John Ostle's Journal

Friends and
Neighbours

Forum and Links

In August 1834, five men stood trial at Carlisle for the murder of Bernard Burns at the Michaelmas Fair in Cockermouth. Among the witnesses for the defence were Robert Ostle and Hannah Ostle who gave an alibi to Joseph Green, one of the accused. The defendants were found not guilty although the locals seem to have disagreed violently with the verdict.

The following year, four of the defence witnesses, including Hannah Ostle were accused of perjury at the murder trail. All were found guilty and received heavy sentences. Hannah was sentenced to six months hard labour, and seven years transportation. However, in January 1841 the Carlisle Patriot reported that "Sarah Jefferson, convicted of theft and Hannah Ostle, convicted of perjury, who had been severally sentenced to transportation for seven years, obtained Her Majesty's pardon on Monday last, and were restored to their liberty, after having been five and a half years in Carlisle Gaol."

Full details of the trial can be found on George Allison's website. His family were also involved.

The mystery is Who were Hannah and Robert, where do they fit in the family tree? Hannah was aged 57 in 1835 but there are no other clues to their family