Author Topic: 18th Century Convict Records now Online (Read 2387 times)

acceber · « **on:** Wednesday 25 July 07 09:50 BST (UK) »

Hi

BBC news online carries this article showing that ancestry.co.uk has now put these records online. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6914846.stm

"Ancestry.co.uk features records of 160,000 convicts transported to Australia between 1788 and 1868.

It is estimated two million Britons living today will have a convict ancestor listed in the records." [/b]

Another useful resource and one of BBC's most read and most emailed articles so far!

acceber

Lydart · « **Reply #1 on:** Wednesday 25 July 07 14:40 BST (UK) »

I've found an ancestor on it !

And then followed up the name of the ship on Google, and via that, found him on another site called Convict Tales ... even details as to the colour of his eyes !!

YIPPEE !!!! Today is a good day after all !

trish251 · « **Reply #2 on:** Wednesday 25 July 07 15:25 BST (UK) »

Check this thread

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,246418.0.html

and do ask on the Oz board if you are looking for convicts - they are NOT all on ancestry and they are usually available on free sites. NSW and Tasmanian archives have very good convict records - indexes are usually free & the price for details is reasonable if you cannot visit the archives to make your own copies.

Ancestry are advertising well - in the Oz press also - traced a convict to the PM and Opposition leader.

Trish

newbie · « **Reply #3 on:** Wednesday 25 July 07 17:05 BST (UK) »

I subscribe to ancestry.co.uk but I can't find these records on the site

it's not showing anything about it.....

newbie

Lydart · « **Reply #4 on:** Wednesday 25 July 07 17:21 BST (UK) »

Find Ancestry

Click on 'historical records' (top left)

Scroll down and find 'all databases' ... click it

Scroll down again and find 'Browse Databases on Ancestry.co.uk' which has an alphabetical thing under ... work through that ... I found the records under C, then Co, then Con, then Conv ... and I got to convicts in the end !

trish251 · « **Reply #5 on:** Thursday 26 July 07 01:12 BST (UK) »

Quote from: newbie on Wednesday 25 July 07 17:05 BST (UK)

I subscribe to ancestry.co.uk but I can't find these records on the site
it's not showing anything about it.....
newbie

You can get there a little quicker by clicking search, then Australia & then click anywhere on the map (the state option is nonsense)

or log directly to www.ancestry.com.au

Trish

newbie · « **Reply #6 on:** Thursday 26 July 07 11:34 BST (UK) »

I found it,

thank you very much Lydart and Trish, don't know why it wouldn't let me see it before?
newbie

Lydart · « **Reply #7 on:** Thursday 26 July 07 11:58 BST (UK) »

My subs is to UK Ancestry, so I wasn't sure if it would let me onto the Oz site !

trish251 · « **Reply #8 on:** Friday 27 July 07 02:50 BST (UK) »

It is amazing the free publicity ancestry manages to generate for itself, wish we all had the ability to get free infomercials. Meanwhile

Transportation to Australia started in 1788 and stopped in 1868 (so more 19th Century than 18th century).

Those in the UK seeking the family black sheep should note that transportation to NSW ceased in 1849, Tasmania 1853 and in the West transportation started in 1850 and ceased in 1868 (guess they decided free labour was a good idea).

After 1868, convicted felons had to stay at home. Large numbers of free settlers did leave the UK for Australia, so if you can't find your family post 1868 on the census, they may have emigrated of their own free will

Trish

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