Thanks for this push, Liz. I've just spent a happy couple of days investigating how to get such things as a certificate of freedom and trying to find out as much as I can from the Tasmanian archives and other online sources. And although I don't know much more about Robert McLean than I did before, I certainly know more about the Neptune and its amazing voyage in 1849/50 from the hulks of Bermuda to Cape Town and then eventually to Van Diemen's Land. And I have some idea of the arguments and politics and unrest (both in Cape Town and Tasmania) re transportation in general that this was part of. I love the way family history leads you on to learning about the past more generally. It's great (even though, as here, these complications can mean that the person you're investigating has not been included in the normal records). In case anyone wants to read more, as a P.S. I've put a summary about the Neptune, copied with thanks from the website: http://www.waanyarra.com/waanyarra/INW%20Chapter%201.html. There is also a book that the Tasmanian Archives people told me about: 'The remarkable voyage of the Neptune: February 1849 - April 1850' by Louis Hablutzel Posthumus, published in 1999 by Seaview Press, Henley Beach, S. Aust (ISBN 1876070870). This is certainly in some libraries in Australia. Also, here's another book I came across that might be of interest - 'The History of Tasmania' by John West, published in 1852. This can be downloaded in its entirety as a pdf files from Google Books, and it can be searched on-line as well (although not after you've downloaded it). Sue P.S. [The voyage of the Neptune 1849-50] Earl Grey of the British Colonial Office keenly supported the idea of allowing well behaved prisoners to be selected for resettlement in the colonies as "Exiles"-an Exile being a prisoner accepting the option of serving his or her sentence as a free person in a colony. He also maintained that many convicts, particularly the Irish, were not criminals, and should be seen for what they really were, political activists. Grey had an ideal opportunity to put these ideas to the test when, in May 1848, it was decided to dispatch 600 convicts to the Cape of Good Hope. They were to build a breakwater in Table Bay. In August of that year, Grey proposed that these convicts be exiled to the Cape, and immediately directed that 300 political offenders in Bermuda should be sent there. In a letter to the Administrator of the penal colony at Bermuda, Grey refused to accede to a request that these prisoners be sent to the Cape at no charge to themselves. He ordered that each should pay ten pounds for his passage to the Cape. Presumably this fee was deducted out of any money the prisoners earned whilst working for their jailers! ... "NEPTUNE" sailed from Bermuda on the 24th. of April 1849. For this journey she was under the command of Captain Henderson. The surgeon entrusted with the formidable task of keeping "passengers" and crew alive and as healthy as possible died before they reached the Cape. He was replaced by Surgeon Superintendent Thomas Gibson on their arrival. Being put on a Ticket of Leave meant that on their arrival at the Cape they would be handed the "Ticket", which would allow them to work for themselves in any spare time they had outside their required convict labours. The people of the Cape colony were violently opposed to these arrangements, and in June 1849, well before the arrival of the "NEPTUNE," had formed an Anti Convict Association to lobby the Colonial Office against the move. After making a brief stop at Pernambuco on the east coast of Brazil on July 18th. to replenish water and supplies, the "NEPTUNE" dropped anchor in Simon's Bay at the Cape on September 19th. 1849. By this time opposition to the landing of these men had reached hysterical proportions in the Cape colony and they could not disembark. The colony refused provisions, medical supplies and water to the "NEPTUNE," all of which had to be obtained from Mauritius. Grey came under increasing pressure to abandon his plans and eventually bowed to the wishes of his opponents, both in England and the colonies. On February 13th. 1850, some five months after arriving at the Cape, he ordered Captain Henderson to take the ageing "NEPTUNE" on her second voyage to Van Dieman's Land. In the flurry of activity preceding the departure, people from the mainland were deployed in helping with the stowing of materials and provisions on the "NEPTUNE." She sailed with 282 convicts (18 had died since leaving Bermuda), 43 troopers as guards, and 6 paying passengers. The number of crew is unknown. ... "NEPTUNE" reached the mountainous southern coast of Van Dieman's Land in early April. The waters were placid as they rounded the many promontories, wooded to the waters edge. After one night becalmed, the ship made way to the head of the D'Entrecasteaux Channel, taking on a pilot there to guide them to anchor in the Derwent river, a quarter of a mile from the quays and Custom house of Hobart Town. Officials and police were soon aboard, checking the roll and informing the men that they would be landing as free men. Thomas Gibson had kept everybody on board alive to this point, but sadly he died just ten days later at Newtown. All except John Mitchel [a famous Irish political prisoner] received conditional pardons, which meant that they gained total freedom on the condition that they did not return to England until their sentence had been served. Mitchel was given restricted freedom with a "Ticket of Leave" requiring him to report regularly to the police. (from http://www.waanyarra.com/waanyarra/INW%20Chapter%201.html) |-----Original Message----- |From: aus-convicts-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:aus-convicts- |bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of elizabeth edwards |Sent: 02 September 2008 17:31 |To: convicts rootsweb |Subject: [AUS-CON] Robert Maclean | | |Sue |You could get a copy of the Ticket of Leave and/or Certificate of Freedom for the |convict Robert MacLean. These would probably show his place of birth. |Best wishes |Liz |_________________________________________________________________ |Get all your favourite content with the slick new MSN Toolbar - FREE |http://clk.atdmt.com/UKM/go/111354027/direct/01/ | |------------------------------- |To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to AUS-CONVICTS- |request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject |and the body of the message