Hi Carol, Tony and all on the list who has so generously given of their time to answer my questions. What a very informative list you are - very much appreciated. Only 48 hours ago I have to say that even as an Aussie I had absolutely no knowledge that there ever was an Exile Scheme but now have that much information I'm all but drowning in it!!! So very wonderful. Now Carol in relation to proving whether or not the George listed as arriving aboard the Anna Maria is indeed my George, I am indeed working backwards. Unable to find any George COOK emigrating to NSW pre 1850 (either assisted or unassisted) that fitted the fact my George (according to his Death Certificates was born in 1823 somewhere in England - yes, that's what's on the DC - to parents William COOK and Charlotte FOSTER., the George COOK alias George SMITH which was transported on the Anna Maria in 1848 (having been born 1823) certainly fitted the profile. HOWEVER, my George married in 1851 and the marriage register does not not he was previously married, nor does his DC detail he was a convict with 2 wives, not one. So, guess I am stuck until I get his baptismal records (hopefully this will happen in next month or so) and that way I can either prove or disprove this gentleman is in fact my George COOK. I appreciate all the advice, assistance and info given to me in such a short space of time Truly Truly appreciate. Kind regards Cherylanne ------------------------------ Message: 3 Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2008 13:45:30 +1000 From: "Carol Wood" <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [AUS-CON] Exile Ships Scheme from England to Port Phillip To: <[email protected]> Message-ID: <[email protected]> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Hi, This is what the Qld State Library Convict database has to say about him, most of which information you already have. Title: Cook, George Description: George Cook, one of 190 convicts transported on the Anna Maria, 06 March 1848 Sentence Details: Convicted at Berkshire. Abingdon Quarter Sessions for a term of 7 years on 29 June 1846. Conditional Pardon. Vessel: Anna Maria (Ship) Date of Departure: 06 March 1848 Place of Arrival: Van Diemen's Land or Port Phillip Alias(es): Smith, George (Alias) Subject(s): Convicts - Australia - Registers Australia - Genealogy Source: Australian Joint Copying Project Microfilm Roll 92, Class and Piece Number HO11/15, Page Number 265 (134) Creator: Great Britain. Home Office Publisher: State Library of Queensland Digital ID: ctr-011077 Rights: Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2. 5 Australia License Is Part Of: Convict Transportation Register. As for proving whether or not he is your George, I assume you have worked backwards from yourself and found that you have a g grandfather named George Cook. Was he single or married when he arrived? You will have to compare ages and get marriage certificates and death certificates which list the names of his children. Hope he didn't marry under the name of George Smith or you might have a problem (grin). Cheers, Carol