I can't say one way or t'other whether the situation mentioned was "common". But I can quote an example where similar compassion was sought and refused. William COMSTIVE: Sept 1820 at York, sentenced to death, commuted to transportation for life 1821 arr VDL per "Lady Ridley" 1822 married Hobart; two sons produced 1834 at Hobart, sentenced to death, commuted to transportation for life 1834 to Sydney per "Arab", then to Norfolk Island 1842 granted conditional pardon re 2nd life sentence; removed from NI to Sydney; granted ToL 1843 Mrs COMSTIVE dies in Launceston 1845 COMSTIVE suffers a stroke; unable to support himself; applies to be transferred to VDL, in order to be reunited with his sons: A magistrate at Launceston inquired into the application, and spoke to both sons: they were impecunious (love that word), and intended to leave the colony; permission refused, as he would not be supported by his family, and must therefore be "chargeable' to the VDL government. COMSTIVE continued serving his 1820 sentence in NSW until he died at Parramatta Benevolent Asylum in 1858. Peter THOMAS Darwin, AUSTRALIA <pmthomas@bigpond.com> And Trudy wrote: Hobart Town Courier, 1 January 1831 p.2 col.4: The late case of Jane New, a female convict of this colony, who had joined her husband at Sydney, has been the indirect means of producing a new act of Parliament, passed under the present reign on the 26th of July last, by which convicts originally transported to either colony many [sic] now be sent to the other. > -----Original Message----- From: Joan Fawcett [mailto:jfawcett@hotkey.net.au] Sent: Thursday, 12 January 2006 1:43 PM To: AUS-CONVICTS-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Was this common practice? In 1832 Catherine Carr arrived in New South Wales as a convict per SOUTHWORTH. She had been sentenced to 7 years transportion at Dublin the year prior. In January of 1833, her husband arrived at V.D.L, petitioned Governor Arthur for his wife to be sent down to him, which petition was sanctioned, provided nothing was found against Catherine's character in N.S.W. Then in June of 1832 Catherine sailed to Tasmania to join her husband. I personally have not come across inter-colonial transmissions such as this, and I am wondering if anyone else has come across a similar occurrence with thanks Jenny Fawcett