How many convict relatives in your tree?

[coombs]

Also it is the fact you have rellies transported to the other side of the world, far away from their friends and family. I feel closer to ancestor siblings than I do first cousins as siblings of direct rellies are the next best thing to a direct rellie. Most of mine who went abroad went to Oz or America.

Thomas Tanner seemed to do OK as a businessman as he is listed as a timber merchant in Murrurundi in 1869, unless that was his namesake 18 year old son born 1851.

[Noy1818]

In the early years of Australia’s colonization people were ashamed to have any ties with convicts but now it’s considered “Australian royalty.” There stories are what makes our history interesting and unique. I'm proud to be descendent from 6 convicts on my direct lines! Times were hard back then and without convicts our great nation would never be what it is today.

My convicts include
- Michael Noy (as many of you would know about already! Was transported age 15 for stealing a donkey)
- James Harvey (transported for stealing a handkerchief)
- Esther James (for stealing 1 locket, 3 necklaces and a watch from her master. She had a real crack at it!)
- John Dodds (transported for burglary, was originally sentenced to hang)
- George Howes (transported for machine smashing)
- Mary Bevitt (transported for forging a bank note)

The best stories are always the ones ancestors tried to hide in my opinion!

[coombs]

I read that some convicts hoped to be transported as it was a huge opportunity for them, to live in Australia. I am very pleased to have 2 convicts in my tree, much better than always finding many 5xgreat uncle Fred's and Johns and Thomas' who were born, married, always lived and then died in the same village.

[smudwhisk]

I read that some convicts hoped to be transported as it was a huge opportunity for them, to live in Australia.

That sounds just like some potential distant relatives who claimed their ancestor in the 1700s intentionally got themselves arrested for theft so that he would get shipped to the US.  Considering all the other possible punishments, I've always tended to think that was wishful thinking by somone who didn't like the fact their ancestor was a convict of any sort.

In the 1830s the punishment for sheep stealing was death, albeit I think most were commuted to transportation for life, but I do wonder how realistic anyone suggesting their ancestor deliberately got themselves transported was but am happy to stand corrected.

[StevieSteve]

My great grandad was convicted of serving a short pint & fined £4

Transportation was too good for him...

[smudwhisk]

My great grandad was convicted of serving a short pint & fined £4

Transportation was too good for him...

 

[smudwhisk]

My 3xGreat Grandfather was convicted at the Old Bailey of stealing two speciality cheeses.  He worked on the docks in the City of London as a carpenter.  He was let off with a slap on the wrists after a number of good character references and no previous known bad behaviour.  He told the judge he didn't remember how he came by the cheeses because he was very drunk at the time.   A few year's later he was found face down in the Thames one morning drowned after a night on the town with friends and family, including his father who at the time was in his 70s.  Suffice to say, he didn't learn his lesson from the early run in with the demon brew.  His father outlived all of his children, only two survived to adulthood from his first two marriages and the other son fell off a post coach in Lichfield.  Still have no idea what a East End lad was doing in Lichfield when his wife and kids were in St George in the East.  The death predated Civil Registration, the circumstances of death were entered in the burial register but from what we were told by the Record Office in Lichfield, none of the local papers have survived for the period unfortunately.

My Aunt's ancestor was convicted along with his son in law of Horse Stealing, not just on one occasion they appear to have had quite a lucrative trade going in stolen horses.  At the time that normally involved transportation, he only got 12 months imprisonment and I think the SIL got two years from memory.  Why?  He was the illegitimate son of a wealthy family and judging by the newspaper reports of the trial, it was made known to the judge so it looks like family connections got him off lightly.

[Sinann]

I read that some convicts hoped to be transported as it was a huge opportunity for them, to live in Australia.

That sounds just like some potential distant relatives who claimed their ancestor in the 1700s intentionally got themselves arrested for theft so that he would get shipped to the US.  Considering all the other possible punishments, I've always tended to think that was wishful thinking by somone who didn't like the fact their ancestor was a convict of any sort.

In the 1830s the punishment for sheep stealing was death, albeit I think most were commuted to transportation for life, but I do wonder how realistic anyone suggesting their ancestor deliberately got themselves transported was but am happy to stand corrected.

People did during the famine in Ireland. At least they committed crimes knowing they would probably be transported but it's likely they weren't all thinking that far ahead, getting fed in prison would be an attraction itself, however some were see bottom of page 20 (by his numbering, 23 by my computer) and page 22/25
http://eprints.maynoothuniversity.ie/5096/1/Patrick_Butler_20140623100109.pdf

[jaybelnz]

I have a relative that could have been, except I think he was a bit late!  He first appeared in NZ during the Gold Rush in 1872, last appeared before that in Scotland 1861 census as an 18 yr old AG Lab.

No Passenger listing found for him.

He went on to become a wealthy landowning farmer, the properties are still in the family! Maybe he went to the Oz Gold Rush first, then hotfooted it here!

When I was talking to one of his direct descendants in NZ , I asked him if he knew how he had got here, his laughing answer was " he was a bad old b*gger, probably got deported"!