University of Edinburgh Archive and Manuscript Collections

Scope and Contents 'This old lady used to be a housekeeper, stole a sum of money and served a term of imprisonment. She is a bad spoken old thing and a disturber of the peace. She lives alone with a dog in a tumble down one roomed cottage with only a tiny bit of window and practically no furniture. [Male informant] has been trying to get her to move but she won't. Brother a waterwatcher, sister a housekeeper, keeps her in clothes. [Male informant] says she is a silly creature, puts stories about. Very...

Scope and Contents

'Served a prison sentence for housebreaking. PC says he is very peculiar, disappeared for 10 days recently. Seems vacant when you speak to him, takes a very long time to reply. Ex-army.'

Relatives in survey: wife 19.54

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'This man served a prison sentence for rape. Sacked from where he had been a farm worker - tried to tell his boss his business. He is now working for a coal merchant. Very bad temper, knocks his wife about, not alcoholic. Wife, a poor sort of woman in bad health, fainted recently in a shop, had a black eye. Has a nasty nagging tongue but is a good mother, methodical. They are very short of money. This man is various described as lazy, hard-working, not a good card.'

Scope and Contents

"This man has just finished a sentence for theft. Used to drink a lot but has not been drunk since released. He is not doing anything at present. Mother alive, very old, dear old woman, clean. Housing: dirty, one room and attic (mother has the other half which is clean). Inharmonious."