Samuel Glasson

[cornishglassons]

Hi Everyone,

I know it is a little out of the area but does anyone know to which Glasson line Samuel 'the ferret' Glasson belongs? His claim to fame seems to have spent 14 Christmas Days (and dinners) in Truro Jail...mostly for drunk and disorderly on Christmas Eve.

Many thanks,
Carole

[Deleted]

Carole

Couldn't possibly be mine, we were far too well behaved ;D

Lannanta

[cornishglassons]

Feb 10, 2009 14:31:05 GMT -5 @lannanta said:

Carole

Couldn't possibly be mine, we were far too well behaved ;D

Lannanta

LOL - are you sure? Just discovered in an article on Bodmin Jail I under estimated his achievements. It was actually 31 Christmas Dinners he had inside!!!!

Carole

[Deleted]

Hi Carole

He was a well known man, for all the wrong reasons. Being the youngest in the family he might have been rebelling against being picked on by his siblings?

I believe that he was from Kenwyn, son of Robert Glasson and Jane Burt who were married in 1782 and had quite a number of children. I did try once to find out who this Robert was but gave up.

Lannanta

[Cornish Terrier]

When Robert married Jane BURT he was recorded as 'of Cambron' (Camborne).

IGI ( ) indicates he was buried at Kenwyn 19th February 1837 but I do not have that entry in what little Kenwyn information I have.

IGI also shows his baptism as 16th August 1761 at Camborne son of John.

That would mean probably one of the following would be his parents:-

John GLAZEN m. Ann WALTERS 23rd June 1751 Crowan (IGI)
John GLASSON m. Mary RICHARDS 30th August 1752 Gwinear (IGI)
John GLASSON, t. m. Ann HAMPTON 25th December 1756 Crowan

The first two of these do not appear in Phillimore but there are certainly gaps where they might belong and it is possible the entries have been found in BTs.

CT

[cornishglassons]

Thanks so much both of you. That gives me something to work with and I'll let you know my findings.

Best wishes,
Carole

[Deleted]

I have spent some more time on Samuel Glasson more commonly known as "Ferret".

For example:

7th May 1841 - West Briton newspaper
TRURO POLICE. On Monday last, Samuel GLASSON, well known by the name of FERRET, was charged with being drunk and disorderly between one and two o'clock on Monday evening. The prisoner, who was fined 5s., with costs, remarked when in custody, that should he be committed for three months, it would complete his tenth year in the house of correction, having been sent there 25 times, for different periods of imprisonment.

Another article, one of many also appeared at the date shown:

3rd July 1832
Samuel Glasson, committed by Clement Carlyon, esq., mayor of Truro, for want of sureties in breach of peace against his wife Ann: discharged.

I am interested in the marriage that must have occurred between Samuel and Ann. There is a baptism for a Nicholas Glasson on 25/12/1831 relating to the address of Calenick Street in Kenwyn, where the parents are cited as Samuel and Ann.

Does anybody have a marriage entry for Samuel, son of Robert and Joan, and Ann....?

[Cornish Terrier]

Lannanta - don't know if this will be much help but an early foray has produced a couple of items.

I note from the baptism of Nicholas that old Sam Glasson was a 'whitesmith'.

In the 1841 Census at Kenwyn Street, Kenwyn is a Saml Glasson age 35, smith.

The only other person in the household at that time was an Elizth. Ley, F.S. age 15.

On the opposite page of this Census, and also at Kenwyn Street, was the family of John Glasson, also a 'smith', and his wife Wilmot with eight children including son Nicholas.

This is obviously John Glasson and Wilmot Quick.

In 1851 Samuel Glasson, blacksmith, is a visotir to the family of James Powell at Calenick Street, Kenwyn.

But this time he states he is unmarried.

So far I am coming up blank with the marriage of Samuel and Ann and have also not yet found Ann or young Nicholas in 1841.

Not much help but ........

CT

[Deleted]

Ct

We got to the same position pretty quickly methinks. It is possible of course that Samuel just hit Ann until she said she was his wife and while that may sound a bit rough I have attached another report:

2nd February 1844
On Wednesday, SAMUEL GLASSON alias Ferret, and W. H. TUCKER, were charged with assaulting MARY PARSONS and JANE PARSONS, both of whom appeared in court with black eyes. Tucker, as it was his first offence, was let off by finding sureties in GBP10 to keep the peace for six months; but Glasson, being an old offender, was fined GBP5 for the assault, and ordered to find two sureties in GBP25 each to keep the peace for six months, in default of which he was committed for six months to the house of correction, or until such sureties are found.

Lannanta

[Cornish Terrier]

Not sure where we are going to find the information at the moment.

But it appears young Nicholas did not last long.

Nicholas Glasson of Calenick Street age 2 buried 28th August 1833 at Kenwyn

CT

[Glazin2018]

CT

Back to Samuel the ferret Glasson :-) 

West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser - Friday 13 November 1829
A female gypsey, of rather youthful appearance, has been telling the fortunes of the spinsters, widows, etc of Padstow and its neighbourhood, for the last fortnight. On one occasion she boasted she had obtained fourteen shillings the previous day.
Under various pretences, she obtained from several of her dupes, trinkets and articles of wearing apparel, which she was to return on Monday last, with valuable additions; it is unnecessary to add, that she failed to keep her appointments, to the no small chagrin of the expectants.
She dresses in a gaudy style, and is accompanied by a fellow of low stature, called Glasson, a native of Truro, nicknamed, the Ferret.

Just a teaser 

[Cornish Terrier]

The lad did get around a bit didn't he!!!

[Glazin2018]

CT

Samuel and Ann had a son Nicholas as you pointed out earlier in this thread. He was baptised in December 1831 and buried in August 1833, at Kenwyn. So from the above Samuel is out and about in Cornwall in 1829 but back to Kenwyn shortly after.

But in 1832 he is up to his old tricks again and sees himself at Bodmin for a few weeks:

Institution: Bodmin Gaol - Register No: 4269
Date Of Admission: 3rd June 1832
Samuel GLASSON, a whitesmith, of Kenwyn, Truro
Committed By: Clement Carlyon Esq., Mayor of Truro.
Offence Sentence: For want of Sureties in a Break of the Peace towards his wife Ann GLASSON. Midsommer Sessions.
No Appearance against him. 6th time. Bridewell.
Personal Details: Aged 27 years, ht 5-2½, eyes grey, hair dark brown, complexion dark, can read/write, Married 1 child. Scar on fore part of head & on nose-Marked on left arm SG with an upside down triangle made of dots. (Cornish Bezants)
When Discharged: 5th July 1832 by the Court
Remarks Behaviour: Orderly

As you can see from the gaol records he states that he is married and has one child, who will most likely be the Nicholas mentioned above.

Seemingly from that time on Ann disappears from Truro and away from her supposed husband Samuel.

Well in my opinion, almost disappears - remember his 1829 connection with a youthful gypsy at Padstow mentioned above:

Institution Bodmin Bridewell - Register No: 7331
Date Of Admission: 3rd November 1833
Mary Ann GLASSON
Occupation
Abode: Honniton, Devon, late Truro Cornwall
Committed By: W. Warren, Mayor, Truro
Offence Sentence: Pretending to tell fortunes, 2 Calendar Months hard labour from 31 October last, no previous here
Personal Details: Age 31, ht 5-0½, eyes/hair/complexion dark, scar on left wrist, on left thumb & forefinger, read not write, married, no children
When Discharged: 3rd January 1834
Remarks Behaviour: Orderly

This woman states that she is married and has no children, Nicholas is no longer alive, so she seems most likely to be the wife  Ann who Samuel was being violent with.  What do you think?

[Cornish Terrier]

Yes, it certainly seems to fit her description. No help in locating a marriage though.

CT

[Glazin2018]

CT

Well actually it could be.  If you accept that Samuel was prepared to follow the gypsy lady around a bit (e.g. Padstow) and also accept that Samuel's first wife could have been known as Mary or Ann (or both) then the marriage on 7th June 1831 at St Gluvias between Samuel Glasson and Mary Mears would do quite nicely?  Especially when it is possible that one of the witnesses was a Jn Tucker, remembering that Samuel's second wife was Elizabeth Tucker.

Lannanta