G'day, my understanding is that then, as now, there was a distinction between petit (petty) and grand larceny; although now they are usually called simple theft and aggravated theft. One criterion for separating these categories was the value of the goods stolen. At one point, early in the transportation era, the thresh-hold was one shilling. But that was increased later: to five shillings, I think. At a trial, the value of the property was (and still is) a question for the jury. They were not always as heartless & ignorant as sometimes portrayed: they could inject some mercy into their verdict by reducing the value of the property below the relevant thresh-hold. So I have read secondary sources which cite examples along the lines "stole two sovereigns, to the value of eleven-pence". For much of the transportation era, the price of bread, and other basic comestibles, was highly unstable. Until 1815, Britain was almost constantly at war, and sea trade was extremely hampered. That left Britain largely dependent upon her own produce, which in turn fluctuated because of weather, and labour shortages, due to extensive recruitment for the Army & Navy. So, the questions begged by the phrase "stealing bread" are: was it a slice; a loaf; or a cart-load ? And, what was the prevailing price in that place, and at that time ? Balancing all that: there was a period when transportation had no deterrent effect. The challenge, during that period, for a poor Briton who wanted to migrate to sunnier shores was to steal something sufficiently valuable to warrant being prosecuted; but not so valuable as to be hanged for it; and ideally not to get any more than the minimum term, which seems to have been seven years. These challenges ensured that only the best were transported. Our ancestors were selected by the finest judges in Britain to become colonists !* And remember: True patriots all: For be it understood, They left their country, For their country's good ! (*leading one to wonder if those remaining in Britain tended to congregate at the shallow end of the gene pool ?) Peter THOMAS Darwin, AUSTRALIA <pmthomas@bigpond.com> -----Original Message----- From: Trudy Cowley [mailto:tcowley@bigpond.net.au] Sent: Friday, 3 March 2006 8:05 AM To: AUS-TAS-CONVICTS-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Loaf of Bread I think some time ago someone posed the question "Did any convicts get transported for stealing the proverbial loaf of bread?" I have recently come across an Irish female convict transported on Earl Grey in 1849/1850 who stole bread and was transported for 7 years. Her sister was transported with her for receiving the bread. Of course, this was at the height of the great famine in Ireland. Dr Trudy Cowley List Administrator TAS Convicts Rootsweb List