1838? – Estimated year of birth.This date is likely incorrect as it seems James lied about his date of birth a number of times.
1841 – Census – James Jowle, aged 3, is living with his mother Sarah Jowle, aged 34, his brother Samuel Jowle, aged 15, Maria Jowle, aged 11, Mary Jowle, aged 5, in New Mills, Derbyshire.
1851 – Census –James Joel, aged 13 and working as a cotton piecer, is living with his mother Sarah Joel, a 45-year old widowed housekeeper, Samuel Joel, a 25-year-old cotton piecer, Maria Joel, a 20-year-old cotton piecer, Mary Anne Joel, a 15-year-old cotton piecer, James Joel, a 13-year-old cotton piecer, and John Mason, 50-year-old labourer, lodging with the family at Hurst Whitfield, Derbyshire.
1855 – 26th December – James Joule committed in Glossop for housebreaking and sent to Glossop Lockup. He is later transferred to Derby Prison.
1856 –1st January – James Joule, a single millhand aged 19, is convicted of two counts of Housebreaking at the General Quarter Sessions in Derby and sentenced to 4 years penal servitude.
1856 –4shJanuary– Extract from the Derbyshire Advertiser and Journal – “James Joule, 19, millhand, pleaded guilty to breaking into the house of Thomas Holland, at Glossop, on the 22nd October last, and stealing a quantity of clothing and other articles. He was also found guilty of breaking into the house of John Hadfield, the 27th October, at Glossop, and stealing a pair of boots. Superintendent Hatton, of said there were several other charges of felony against him. —The Count sentenced him to four years penal servitude.”
1856 –5th January – Extract from the Derbyshire Times and Chesterfield Herald –“ James Joule, aged 19, charged with breaking and entering the dwelling-house of Thomas Holland, of Glossop, on the 22nd October, and stealing a coat, waistcoat, pair of trousers, and other articles,—There was a second indictment against the prisoner, for a burglary at the house of John Hadfield, of Glossop.—Prisoner pleaded guilty to the first Indictment, but not to the second; evidence was therefore offered-upon the latter charge.—The case was clearly proved; and prisoner being found Guilty, and receiving a bad character from the lock-up keeper at Glossop, was sentenced to four years’ penal servitude. ”
1856 –23rd January – Transferred to Millbank Prison, his prisoner number is 2081. His prison trade here is as a tailor.
1856 – 15th July – Transferred to Pentonville Prison, his prisoner number is 6428. His behaviour is described as Good. His progress at school, formerly he could not read or write, is Very Good and his prison trade is that of a weaver.
1857 – 27th March – Transferred to Chatham Prison, his prisoner number is 873.
1859 – 6th May – Received at Woking Convict Invalid Prison. Prisoner Number 61.
He is described as having a swarthy complexion with brown hair and hazel eyes and his height is 5’7 and his body type is slender.He is further described as having a blue mark on his right arms, hollow eyes and a small blue mark over his left eye.He is noted as being single and protestant. His next of kin is his mother, Sarah Joule, living in Glossop.
1859 – 31stDecember – Released from Woking Convict Invalid Prison.
1862 – 11th August – James Joule committed in Glossop for housebreaking. He is transferred to Derby Prison.
1863 – 18th March – James Joule, is convicted of Housebreaking at the Assizes in Derby and sentenced to 4 years penal servitude.
1863 – 1st June – Transferred to Wakefield Prison, his prisoner number is 7459. His behaviour is described as Very Good. His progress at school is Fair and his prison trade is that of weaving and matting.
1864 – 3rd April – Transferred to Portland Prison, his prisoner number is 3131. His behaviour in the prison is Good but there is a note saying, ‘To note in caption that he has been informed he is not entitled to remission’ i.e. he must serve his full sentence. His reading and writing are imperfect and his progress at school Slight. His prison trade is in the quarry and new scars are noted;scars under one of his eyes and‘several scars on arms from seborrheic eruptions’ which are small red pustules.
1864 – 14th July – James Joule, for refusing to work on present diet, was put on four days of bread and water and forfeited 28 days remission off of his sentence.
1866 – 13th July – James Joule is released on license, number 18537, and sent to the Prisoner’s Aid Society in Birmingham.
1868 – 28th January –James Joule is sentenced to 3 months in prison for vagrancy.
1868 – 1st February –Extract from the Glossop Record –“On Thursday, Chapel-en-le-Frith, before F. G. Bagshawe and T. Slack, Esqrs., James Joule, a returned convict, was brought up in custody of Mr. Superintendent Moran, and charged with sleeping in the gas works at New Mill on the 28th of January.—P.C. Johnson stated that at one o’clock on the morning of the 28th, on passing the house of Mr. John Wharmby, grocer, New Mills, he observed a man on Mr Wharmby’s premises, close to the window, and seeing witness, the prisoner leaned close against the house, and appeared to be drunk. The policeman asked him what he was doing there, and he said “nothing.” The policeman scrutinised him and told him to be off. Shortly afterwards the policeman met Sergeant Swallow, and on communicating the intelligence him, and giving a description of his person, the Sergeant said he was satisfied the man was James Joule, the returned convict. Both officers then went in pursuit him, and after visiting several of his haunts, found him in the gas works lying before the fire. The Sergeant charged him with vagrancy and with attempting to break into the house of Mr. Wharmby. The prisoner immediately jumped up and said knew was liable to 14 days’ imprisonment, but denied any attempt at burglary. Upon Johnson proceeding to search him, the prisoner pulled a knife out of his pocket and threw it in the fire. He was then taken into custody. —Mr. Moran said he was a known convicted thief. On the 11th August, 1862, ha was committed at Glossop for burglary at Hadfield, and at the following Derby Assizes, March 18, 1863, was sentenced to four years’ transportation. On the 13th of July, 1866, he was discharged on a ticket-of-leave, and was ordered to report himself on the 2nd of each month at the county police station, Glossop, until the expiration of his time. He failed to do so after October. There were also several other previous convictions against him. — The Bench gave him a strong reprimand, and sentenced him to three months’ imprisonment with hard labour as rogue and vagabond.”
1868 – 20th October –James Joule is sentenced to 15 calendar months and 7 years supervision at the Derby General Quarter Sessions, for Larceny and Receiving Stolen Goods.