Week 33 is "Family Legend" and they are something we all have. Finding evidence that proves a family legend is always hugely exciting - and finding evidence that disproves a family legend is so disappointing, but it all adds to the overall story of our family.
One family legend that had always fascinated me was a tale of an illegitimate child born in my father's family in the 1880's. While not actually providing proof of an illegitimate child, a series of newspaper reports from 1888 were a fascinating find that built on the original story.
My great great grandfather, Walter Proctor Green, took a newspaper editor to court and sued him for libel after he published innuendo that suggested Walter's wife Isabella had been having an affair. The case excited considerable local interest and was reported in several local newspapers.
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| From the Chelmsford Chronicle, Friday 5 October 1888 |
The entire court case was reported in the papers, and finally came to a close later in the year. After hearing all the evidence the jury retired to consider their verdict, and after only 23 minutes found editor Ernest Brown guilty on all counts. He was sentenced to prison for three calendar months without hard labour.
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| The final paragraph in a lengthy report on the case |
A final article appeared about the case at the end of the year, when it was reported that a committee had been formed to start a subscription to recompense Walter Green for the cost of the prosecution, which clearly showed where public sympathy lay.
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| From the Essex Standard, Saturday 22 December 1888 |
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