Hi Sharon, I suggest you talk to Marlene Williamson in New Zealand who helps with the Linton Cambs at roots web message board and has first hand experience with her family research on her excellent website http://www.rd29.net/cc/ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/6303901.stm? I spotted this recently on the BBC online website which eludes to the move from the laboring jobs in the countryside to cities. I am not sure myself how they got to new lives abroad in the 1800s - unless they were deported for some petty offense like cutting down a tree on the King's land or stealing some aristocrat's stock etc - but even as late as the 1950s Australia was offering the assisted passage scheme to new immigrants. My sister sailed on the P & O Canberra for something like ten pounds, I think! http://www.linton.info/newsletters.html For the past two years Garth Collard has written a feature called The Way We Were . It appears usually on page 8. One dealt with the misdemeanors and crimes in Cambs that would warrant deportation to the "colonies"! Anyone interested, as I am in Linton families, would enjoy a preview of Garth's little book, recently given to every household in Linton, but also available for purchase from him. Marlene mentioned it on the LIN-CAMS message board, after I sent her a copy. http://www.linton.info/lintoninpictures.pdf Judy (CAMBS interests DAYS in Linton, Camps, Bartlow, Ashden (Essex) and nearby villages)