In June 1870 Joseph Wildgoose, a labourer from Bakewell was convicted of assault on Robert Mitchell and fined one farthing plus costs.

James Wildgoose was convicted in Derby on 24^th March 1829 of receiving stolen goods. He was sent to Newgate Prison in London and on the 8^th. April transferred to the prison hulk Ganymede moored off Chatham. His gaoler described hims as  being of “bad character and connected with a gang”.

At Bakewell Juvenile Court in April 1864 Samuel Wildgoose aged 15 was remanded in custody for stealing bones. It is not reported whether or not they were of the human variety!

On 4^th April 1839 in Nottingham William Wildgoose (also known as William Wildgust) was convicted of stealing a coat and on 9^th May was transferred to the prison hulk Fortitude moored off Chatham from whence he was transported to New South Wales for a period of fourteen years. His galoer described hims as “a bad character” who had been convicted and imprisoned four times previously. In 1849 his Ticket of Leave was cancelled at Parrametta on the grounds of adultery.

He was the brother of:

Thomas Bonsor Wildgust who was convicted on 3^rd. January 1843 at Nottingham of stealing a woman’s stays. On 1^st February he was transferred to the prison hulk Justitia moored off Woolwich before being transported to Tasmania for seven years.

On a Thursday evening in August 1885 in Emmetsburg, Iowa John Wilgus and his sister Mary were charged with setting fire to John Steil’s house. There being insufficient evidence against her, Mary was discharged but John was found guilty and held to await the action of the Grand Jury, during which time he escaped from the sheriff.

He wasn’t all bad, though, as after the defection of his brother-in-law,  Zelora Bailey, John cared for Mary’s children and grandchildren. He never married and eventually died in 1930 in Montana.

In 1900 Edwin Wilgus was spending some time in the Ohio State Penitentiary. Crime? Unspecified.

William Wildgust was convicted of stealing 106lbs coal from Thomas Wragg and sentenced to fourteen years. He was transported to New South Wales, Australia and received his Certificate of Freedom in 1839.

One of the Good Guys

Patrolman Hobart Wilgus was the first police officer to answer the alarm when John Dillinger, the notorious gangster, raided the East Chicago Bank in January 1934. He accompanied Prosecutor Robert G. Estill to Tucson, Arizona from where Dillinger was extradited.

In 1900 Cecil Rose Wilgus divorced her husband Francis Eugene Clift who was serving four years in prison for grand larceny.

Goodman Wylesgoose was fined four shillings “for whipping ye dogs” (probable date 1614).

On 18 Oct 1832 William Wilgoss and George Woodley stood trial at the Old Bailey accused of stealing a blanket valued 1 shilling and a sheet valued four shillings from John Scott.  George Woodley was found to be guilty and given a six months’ prison sentence. William, however, was found to be not guilty.

The original text of the trial may be read on The Proceedings at the Old Bailey

Aged 23,  in 1829 Isaac Wildgoose was sentenced in Derby to 14 years’ transportation for receiving stolen goods. In July he was retained on the prison hulk Dolphin and transported on 30^th. July 1829 to New South Wales on board the Morley.  It is not known whether he ever returned to England.

In 1881 David Wildgoose was incarcerated in Aberdeen Prison but we do not know his crime.

William Wildgoose, aged 33, was discharged on sureties after being charged with seditious conspiracy/riot at Derby Assizes on 15^th. March 1843.

In the seventeenth century John Wilgus served as a juror in a witch trial in Aberdeenshire.

Another Goody Goody Gander

An Unknown Wildgoose (possibly James) was a Runner for Assistant Constable William Bland in Sheffield in 1825.  Known as “Jim Goose”, he arrested a butcher called George Sandys who had murdered his wife. Our Wildgoose generally did the work done by a detective today but, as he couldn’t read, he had no chance of becoming a Constable. For this reason he ceased to be a Runner and worked instead at his trade, file cutting, until his death.

At Derby Assizes on 17^th. October 1865 Edwin Wildgoose was sentenced to eight months for the crime of larceny.

In New South Wales, convict Joseph Wildgoose received his Ticket of Leave in 1825, Philip Wildgoose received a Conditional Discharge in 1827 and James Wildgoose absconded in 1831.

Young Christopher Wildego aged just seventeen from Great Marlow was sentenced by the Justices in the Buckinghamshire Quarter Sessions to be whipped and placed in solitary confinement for one week.  On 22^nd. December he stole a quartern loaf  valued at 10d from William Hatch, a baker of Great Marlow. William Hatch and John East, a fifteen year-old labourer witnessed the theft.

At the Derby General Quarter Sessions on 17^th. October 1865, Edwin Wildgoose was sent down for 8 months, convicted of larceny.

Prisoner number 2539, John Wilgus, sentenced for grand larceny on 06^th. November 1907, escaped from the Kansas State Penitentiary on 19^th. July 1910. A cowboy by occupation, he is described as being over six foot tall of stout build with hazel eyes – and several scars! $100 was offered as a reward for his capture.

It is John’s mugshot at the top of this page.

On 30^th. April 1685 William Wildgoose was committed to gaol at the Easter Session at Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire until he paid his fee to the officers of the Court.

In 1871 John Wildgoose was a prisoner in Derby Prison. Offence? Unspecified.

John Wildgoose the elder and John Wildgoose the younger were alleged to have broken and entered a mine at Matlock called the Royal Oak and dug and taken away lead in 1741 and 742.

In 1613 in Aberdeen Thomas and Gilbert Wilguiss were convicted of an unspecified crime.

A transported convict from Morley, James Wildgoose absconded from his prison sentence in New South Wales in 1831.

On 13^th. June 1837 George Wildgoose, a grocer in Macclesfield, Cheshire, was declared bankrupt

Grace Annesley was a right little madam. Her story may be read on The King Lear Connection page.

On 12^th. July 1721 Frances Wildgoose of  St. Giles in the Fields, London was indicted at the Old Bailey for “feloniously stealing a pair of Linnen Sheets, 3 Muslin Pinners &c the Goods of John Atkins” on 9^th. June of that year.  She got off though – the jury acquitted her for lack of sufficient evidence.

A Victim!

Edward Wildgoose was an embroiderer who lived in St. James’, Westminster.  On 30^th. May 1754 John Monk was indicted for stealing a silver spoon valued 10 shillings from Edward on 24^th. April 1754.  A witness for the prosecution was Amey Atkins, maid-servant to Edward. Monk was found to be guilty and sentenced to be transported.

A copy of the original text may be found on The Proceedings of The Old Bailey

In 1819 William Wildgoose, a labourer from Over Haddon, Bakewell , was fined five pounds for poaching at the Derbyshire Petty Sessions but…in 1818 Thomas Wildgoose, a labourer from Matlock was found not guilty of the theft of thirty shillings at the Derbyshire Quarter Sessions.

In 1670 Captain Wilgress was sent by the Governor of Jamaica to search for and capture Captain Yallahs, a Dutchman in the service of Spain who was fighting the English logwood cutters.  Instead, Captain Wilgress became a buccaneer for his own profit, catching a Spanish vessel ashore, burning Spanish houses along the coast and stealing logwood. The Captain may or may not have been a true Goose but we’ll give him the benefit of the doubt!  However, a Captain John Wildgoose did live in the Caribbean during the same period so perhaps ….

Johnathan Wild, a bucklemaker was hanged aged 43 in 1725 at Tyburn for the crime of receiving stolen property. I don’t know that he was a true Goose but thought this as good a place as any for him to hang about.

An Unknown Wildgoose, a servant, is listed in Arthur L. Hayward’s  Lives of The Most Remarkable Criminals Who have been Condemned and Executed for Murder, the Highway, Housebreaking, Street Robberies, Coining or other offences

In 1823 Anthony Wildgoose, a shop-keeper of Hackney Lane, Darley, Derbyshire was fined five shillings with six shillings and sixpence costs at the Derbyshire Petty Sessions for a weights offence.

In 1791 Dinah Wildgoose was fined one shilling at the Derbyshire Quarter Sessions for rioting and obstructing a constable in the execution of his duty.

In 1824 Benjamin Wildgoose was up before the beak at the Derbyshire Quarter Sessions accused of assault.

Another Victim!

On 28^th. May 1839 a white drake with a green bell belonging to Mr. Henry Wildgoose was stolen from a brickyard in Coronation Road, Bedminster!

Is this a joke?

Thomas Wildgoose was found not guilty of the theft of thirty shillings at the Derbyshire Quarter Sessions in 1818. Witnesses in his defence were Walter Holmes and Abel Holmes.

Joseph Wildgoose (aka Joseph Wildgust) was convicted of theft with his accomplice Henry Cheadle and was transported to New South Wales, Australia for four years on 28^th.October 1835.

Robert Wildgoose of Cuddesdon and George Massey of Shotover, labourers, were charged with being drunk and riotous at Wheatley on 16^th. December1870. They were each fined 2s. 6d. with costs of 12s. 6d.

I am indebted to Sue Hedges of the Guild of One-Name Studies for this gem.

On 3^rd. January  1843 Thomas Wildgus of Nottinghamshire was transported to Australia for a period of  seven years for stealing twelve pairs of stays from James Wallis.

and Another Victim

At the Old Bailey on 2^nd. January 1834 Philip Campbell was convicted of stealing (amongst other items on 28^th. November 1834) 3 watches and 2 boxes from James Wildgoose.  Campbell, aged 21, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to fourteen years’ transportation.

A Horrid Murder

During the reign of Edward III in 1339 in Liverpool, Roger Wildgoose was murdered together with Henry Baret.We do not know the manner of their deaths but the five men who committed the crime were pardoned “in consideration of their having ‘gone beyond the seas’ in the king’s service.”

It Couldn’t Happen Today

Ethel Wildgoose sued John Sharples, an assistant cashier at the General Electric Company in Birmingham, for breach of promise of marriage. The case was brought before the Under-Sheriff and a jury at St. George’sHall, Liverpool, for assessment of damages on 27th. February 1904. The defendant undertook to pay fifty pounds damages and costs.