Update No. 2 - Lewis Bryan Saddington, the Habitual Criminal

Just a quick one to say that I have filled in part of one of the gaps currently to be found in Lewis Saddington's dodgy career.

On doing a general search for Saddingtons in the Online Catalogue of Kent Archives Service, I discovered our friend Lewis misbehaving in Canterbury.

The index to the judicial records in the Canterbury Cathedral Archives shows that on 7 December 1882, Lewis was up before the Court of Summary Jurisdiction and was convicted on two counts as follows:

James Taylor and Bryan Louis Saddington, St Alphege: assaulting William Neville Jeffries. Each fined 5s plus 3s 9d costs payable forthwith. If in default of payment, 7 days hard labour in HMP St Augustine's, Canterbury.

Bryan Louis Saddington: assaulting PC Edgar Hawkes a police officer in the execution of his duty as a constable of the City of Canterbury Watch. Fined 10s plus 6s 6d costs payable forthwith. If in default of payment, 14 days hard labour in HMP St Augustine's, Canterbury.

My best imperial arithmetic brings Lewis' total fine to £1 5s 3d. According to the Measuring Worth website, in 2008 terms, this would be £94.74 [using the retail price index] or £662.05 [using average earnings]. Either way, not an insignificant sum. Lewis may well have preferred to do 21 days hard labour, rather than try and find that amount of money.

So what else did our black sheep Saddington get up to during his life? It will be interesting to find out.

If Lewis is one of your Saddingtons, or if you come across him in your research, please do get in touch.