How many Convicts are you descended from?

[trish251]

Di!! 

I think you take the prize! 

MarieC

Wow - I think so too - and pre 1988  the prize was always given to the free settlers - amazing how things change & the convicts are at last recognised for what they gave to Australia (whether willingly or not)

Trish

[Lady Di]

More than happy to share Jenn,

What would you like - the Chimney sweep who stole a handkerchief and was sentenced to Life, or maybe the guy who tried to "rip off" the Bank of England or there are lots who stole livestock - horses, chickens etc. No murderers or anything really bad though  

The Irish are the ones who are the biggest challenge as I don't know what some of them did   (probably just being Irish was enough!!)

You're quite right Trish - we are (and should be) very proud of what the early "settlers", convict or free, did for this great country.
 
Di

[Robert Coble]

Hi all,
My Convict came out to N.S.W. in 1833 which in my G G Grandfather there and his brother was transported to Tas in 1940 and his cousin was transported to Tas as well in 1846 the went to South Australia then to Vic to NSW there them they are all over Australia now. LOL

[Rochdalian]

Can't compete with Di but my wife has 3 direct  and 7 who you may call in laws as they married into various branches of the family as it expanded.  All in Tassie but most ended up in Vic.

Bob

[teddybear1843]

I have convicts in my tree but they weren't transported!

One branch, father, mother & three daughters, all killed a bloke in 1882.  All but one of the girls, who was 13 at the time, were convicted of manslaughter and put into Norwich Castle Prison.
 
There are so many more details known about those that broke the law etc.

Teddy
 

[Les de B]

I have heard of families descended from up to 8 convicts but these were rare

I'm extremeley lucky, being one of those rare direct blood descendants of 8 convicts;

1) Sarah Dorset "Lady Julianna" (2nd Fleet) 1789
2) Mary Harrison "Mary Ann" (2nd/3rd Fleet - debatable) 1791
3) Edward Robinson "Admiral Barrington: (3rd Fleet) 1791
4) George Smith "Fortune" 1806
5) Mary Clark "Woodman" 1823
6) Wlliam McCready ""Recovery" 1823
7) Thomas Sarjeant "Maquis of Hastings" 1827
Stephen Williams "Eleanor" 1831

plus quite a few more who married into the family of direct blood ancestors. Also, lucky enough to have Robert Watson, a 1st Fleet crewman abaord the "Sirius".

Though in seeing Di's response of having 17 convict descendants, she is certainly a rarity!

Family Trees are an amazing thing. I compare my convict ancestors with other ancestors on the same family tree level. Some of these include Sirs, Countesses, Reverends, high ranking military men, and extremely wealthy businessmen. Its an incredible comparison, but I would never swap any of them - rich/poor or gentry/convict!

Les



Les

[MarieC]

I agree that all our convicts are to be prized just as much as the more virtuous and famous in our trees.  I like to say that England exported all her most enterprising citizens, and gave Australia a flying start!

I too have a crewman as well - Joshua Bentley on the "Lady Penrhyn" of the First Fleet, who fathered a child by a convict woman.  The child was the first white child baptised in Australian waters.  (Well, I'm almost certain he's mine - everything points that way but I haven't got that final bit of definitive proof!)

MarieC

[Bellejazz]

Lady Di & Les your respective numbers of 17 & 8 are very impressive!

I agree that all our convicts are to be prized just as much as the more virtuous and famous in our trees.  I like to say that England exported all her most enterprising citizens, and gave Australia a flying start!

 

- Belinda.

[margaret1]

I have 5 convict ancestors who are direct blood relatives - all on my father's side of the family. My mother's line were all free settlers.

Margaret Stocker 'Indispensible' 1796  married Isaac Cornwell 'William and Ann' (3rd fleet) 1791.
Jane Ison (Lloyd) 'Surprize' 1794 married William Eaton 'Admiral Barrington' (3rd fleet) 1791.
Richard Clough 'Portland' 1832.

All settled in the Richmond/Windsor area of NSW.

Les, I wonder whether my William and your Edward were aquainted?
Di, 17 is truely amazing! 

Margaret