Henry Savage, born about 1825, presumably in Nottingham, is where our line of Savage’s begins.

As yet, we have no birth record, nor do we have a marriage record for him and Emma Scott. What we do have is quite a collection of newspaper articles, with mention of Henry (sometimes known as Harry) and his Emma Scott, aka Mrs “Savidge”, and the birth records of his children, a few of which we have not been able to pick up their trail.

Henry has been a bit of an enigma. Our first legal record of him is his daughters birth, Eliza Savage, born in 1851. This is all we know of Eliza, although someone has come to me believing she might have become a Catholic, changed her name to Mary Elizabeth, and married at St. Barnabas after getting baptized at the age of 20 in 1871.

The Birth Certificate shows him married to Emma Savage, formerly Scott. Also states that he’s a Shoe Maker. Later records would also show him as a Cordwainer (Shoe Maker). This is doubtful as there is no record of him having an apprenticeship. He likely had a friend or close family member that was a Cordwainer, and might have known some basics, but no formal training. It was also stated that he was a Journeyman, which is someone selling their wares on the side of the road. His later troubles would discount his claim to be a Cordwainer as he would have lost his apprenticeship getting into legal trouble.

In 1856, his son Henry Savage is born. In 1858, the birth of James “Savidge”, to Emma Savidge, formerly Scott. In 1860, the birth of James Savage. James would later take on the surname of Scott-Savage, for reasons we can only assume at this point to distance himself from his fathers name.

The first time we hear about Henry in the newspapers is October 1849 when he was arrested for intending to fight in a Prize Fight in Basford. He was ordered to pay expenses of 14s, and entered into his own recognizance of £10, and to find a surety in the same amount. John Hibbert of Glasshouse Lane was accepted as his bond. He was then “liberated”.

It would be 9 years before I would find him in the Newspaper again (for now). December 1858, Henry Savage (a pugilist) and Henry Sharpe (a Cordwainer), were taken before Lord Belper and the magistrates charged with having committed burglary at the Sir Robert Peel beer house in Sneinton, stealing £40 of gold, the property of Mr Duffy, the landlord, whom had just returned from a gold digging expedition in Australia. They both denied the charges, although Sharpe was positively identified. Charges were dropped and no stolen property was recovered.

Next, in July 1862, Henry Savage living on Commerce Street was charged with having 21 lbs of stolen tea in his possession. A search of his house revealed house breaking implements and a bank book showing monies saved. Money found in the house he said were winnings from betting on horses, and stated that he received 6s 6d per week from the Union. He had also been receiving relief claiming to be a pauper, some of which he was ordered to pay back.

In July of 1863, he and Joseph Walsh, a FWK (Frame Work Knitter) were involved with breaking into a warehouse on Orchard Street in Radford belonging to John Allcock. Evidence was inconclusive and they were released.

More Later – Not the last of Henry.