convicts families arrivals in Australia

[Chatso58]

I have a John Donnellan who I believe to be a convict what I am trying to find out is when his wife Catherine came to Australia, can anyone tell me how to go about finding convicts families arrivals and more about there trial any help would be appreciated
                                      Chatso58

[LoneyBones]

Hi Chatso58,
you could try here;
http://www.records.nsw.gov.au/state-archives/guides-and-finding-aids/archives-in-brief/archives-in-brief-1/
Or there is also;
http://www.blaxland.com/ozships/

Good luck,
Leonie.

[~MERLIN~]

Two convicts by the name of John DONNELLAN are listed, which one are you referring to?

DONNELLAN John - arrived on the Isabella I (3) 1823

DONNELLAN John - arrived on the Blenheim 1834

[mboe]

Hi

I put up a similar query on rootschat a while ago and got this helpful response from judb.

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,387909.15.html

I have found a couple of general references to convicts' families coming to Australia - don't help in your particular search though.

http://heritagegenealogy.com.au/blog/2009/02/24/reuniting-of-wives-and-families-of-convicts/

The following, while it refers to 2 ships going to NSW rather than Van Diemans Land shows convicts accompanied by spouses/families, in 1803.

http://mc2.vicnet.net.au/home/grthom/web/Alexander.html

The National Archives (UK) apparently hold papers of petitions by wives to join their transported husbands but unfortunately these appear to be only available at the Archives.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/RdLeaflet.asp?sLeafletID=347&j=1

You can access some of the petitions at some Australian libraries as part of the Australian Joint Copy Project.

There is also at least one book/index out there on convict applications to bring their family to Australia - but not sure what state your convict was in to see if this might be relevant.
 
http://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2389414

I ended up finding a reference to the arrival of my convict's family on a land application in Tasmania.

M

[Chatso58]

Hi to All
Thank you for your reply, the John DONNELLAN I am researching is the one that arrived on the Blenheim in 1834
I need to match him up with wife Catherine who appears to have arrived nine years later in about 1843, I first thought they came together but can't find any information to back that Chatso58   

[History seeker]

If your convict is Irish check the Irish Archives website it will tell weather he requested that the government bring his family and you can get copies of the letters from your state library. I have found the letters very helpful in my family research.
 hope this helped
HS

[Andcarred]

Hi,

I can only find a Patrick Donnellan arriving on the Blenheim from Cork, Ireland.  The Blenheim arrived in Sydney in November, 1834.  Is this a transcription error?

Andcarred

[PrueM]

Not sure, Andcarred, but I've found records for John DONNELLAN arriving on the Blenheim 1834; apparently he was tried in Limerick, sentenced to Transportation for Life, and pardoned in 1847.

[History seeker]

What was Catherines maiden name? as sometimes the government would use the wife's maiden name when referring to her. Did they have children in Ireland? if so what were their names.

HS