| Title | John Kitson |
| Date | April 1857 |
| Location | Yeadon |
| Photo ID | V222 |
| Comment | “John Kitson, Bigamist of Yeadon. This man, as we lately stated has a wife and family at Yeadon whom he deserted some time ago and married a widow (a shopkeeper) in Scotland whom he fleeced of her money and then deserted. We also mention his base treatment of a young woman at Otley some twelve years ago, when he obtained some money from her having promised marriage (the day being fixed) but he broke his promise and the poor young woman had twins to him, two fine girls now both alive. His first marriage took place at Otley Church more than twenty years ago, being the first by the present vicar after his appointment to Otley. On Thursday week Kitson was placed at the bar of justice at Jedburgh and the Rev. Joshua Hart, vicar of Otley, appeared against him being the only living witness to his first marriage. The prisoner was sentenced to four years of imprisonment”. Image courtesy of the British Newspaper Archive, research by Edwy Harling. |
V222A – J Kitson
John Kitson – 1857
Found, in addition to Edwy’s newspaper clipping.
Marriage record of July 30th 1837 – Mary Frankland is spouse.
Used alias Hardacre – his mother’s maiden name.
Trial date: 9th April 1857, Jedburgh.
Crime: bigamy
Aged 39:
“Guilty in terms of own confession.”
Penal servitude: – four years
Additional research by Helen M.
7 December 2022
Consolidated by Jack Brayshaw. 03 July 2022.
Last updated: 9 December 2022 – Photo ID: V22A & additional text..
