Wendy I think you will need to go beyond the Bedford Gaol Database. The LDS has filmed the Quarter Session Rolls, so you should be able to hire the film for the appropriate year. www.familysearch.org Family History Library Catalog Search on Bedford Select England, Bedford Select Court Records Select Quarter Session Rolls 1714-1851 Select the year you are interested in. I've looked at a few of these films, and it's tedious going, lots of repetition. It is unlikely that you'll find more than a few words listing the crime and the sentence, but that might help you go further. None of my family who appear in the Bedford Gaol Database (& there are many) are to be found in the Quarter Session Rolls. Good luck. Bev ----- Original Message ----- From: "Wendy Lindsay" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, May 30, 2008 7:58 AM Subject: [BDF] Bedford Quarter Session Records > Hi Listers > > I have recently found that my husband's great grandfather William MANN may > have been sent to Australia as a convict. > There was a William MANN, aged 22 on the Australian Convict Index for > 1840. He was born in Norfolk and was described as a farm labourer and > soldier. > > On the Australian Convict Transportation Register (Piece HO 11/12) it is > stated that he was convicted on 1 January 1839 with a James SKIPPER in the > Bedford Quarter Sessions, both receiving 7 years. He was transported on > the "Maitland" departing Sheerness (Master Geo (Jn) Baker, Surgeon Plp > Toms) 22 March 1840 and arriving in NSW on 14 July 1840. >

Wendy, Your "trail" through Google reveals you have been doing quite a bit of work trying to track down William Mann without much success. I was going to suggest NSW State Archives but I see you are in Queensland. You might check there if they have an sources for Convicts. See if you can find the shipping indent for the Maitland. I also see that the 1888 death of William Mann gives his father's name as Robert. There were five occurrences of Robert Mann in 1841 census of Norfolk that could fit. It might be worth checking these out. Use the Hugh Wallis site to check available records for those parishes mentioned in 1841 census. Peter