Hi, I'm new to this list but subscribe to many others. I've recently made contact with a pen pal I had 45 years ago and he has just emailed telling me that his Gt. Gt. Grandfather was a convict. This is what he wrote; My great, great grandfather was a convict transported as a young man in the early 1800's on board the HMS Guilford. We believe he was convicted of theft in Liverpool Court of Petty Sessions. After arrival in Australia he was assigned to Sydney and later to the Hunter Valley (about 85 miles North West of Sydney). He was granted a "ticket of leave" (i.e. parole) after about 6 years but it was cancelled shortly after because he was outside his assigned area. He was then granted another ticket of leave and shortly after married a British officer's daughter. The marriage was written up in the Sydney Morning Herald at the time. He eventually moved to the Far North Coast of New South Wales with the first wave of early settlers to that area. I am a direct descendant of his family which continued to live in the Richmond River area for some 160 years (which is a long long time in this country). It is fashionable in Australia to be the descendent of a convict - it shows you are a "dinky dye Australian". John BUGDEN was transported and arrived March 5th 1824 on board The Guildford that had sailed from Portsmouth. Checking the criminal registers I find that John Bugden's life of crime started in 1814 when he was sentenced at January sessions of the City of New Sarum to 12 months for larceny. Can anybody help with further background on the Bugden family? It would be nice to find some living relatives. Any help would be really appreciated. Michael

Hello Michael There was a John Bugden baptised in St Edmunds Church, Salisbury on 26th December 1793, son of Goddard Bugden and his wife Mary (IGI Batch number C153491) Might this be the John you are looking for (New Sarum was the name much used in those days for Salisbury). You didn't give his approximate date of birth - maybe you don't know it - so I'm just guessing. Bugden is a well known name in south Wiltshire. There were also Bugden families in the Donhead St Mary area of south Wilts living alongside my Gurd family There was a John Bugden baptised on 8th October 1786 at Donhead St Mary, son of Elijah and Elizabeth. I noticed a sibling baptised a few years earlier and there might be others. 'Your' John might be either of these - or neither of them! If you'd like to contact me off- List I'll se what I can do to help Best wishes, Dot in Salisbury, Wilts > I've recently made contact with a pen pal I had 45 years ago and he has > just emailed telling me that his Gt. Gt. Grandfather was a convict. > > This is what he wrote; > > My great, great grandfather was a convict > transported as a young man in the early 1800's on board the HMS > Guilford. We > believe he was convicted of theft in Liverpool Court of Petty Sessions. > After arrival in Australia he was assigned to Sydney and later to the > Hunter > Valley (about 85 miles North West of Sydney). He was granted a "ticket of > leave" (i.e. parole) after about 6 years but it was cancelled shortly after > because he was outside his assigned area. He was then granted another > ticket > of leave and shortly after married a British officer's daughter. The > marriage was written up in the Sydney Morning Herald at the time. He > eventually moved to the Far North Coast of New South Wales with the first > wave of early settlers to that area. I am a direct descendant of his family > which continued to live in the Richmond River area for some 160 years > (which > is a long long time in this country). It is fashionable in Australia to be > the descendent of a convict - it shows you are a "dinky dye Australian". > > John BUGDEN was transported and arrived March 5th 1824 on board The > Guildford that had sailed from Portsmouth. > > Checking the criminal registers I find that John Bugden's life of crime > started in 1814 when he was sentenced at January sessions of the City of > New Sarum to 12 months for larceny. > > Can anybody help with further background on the Bugden family? > It would be nice to find some living relatives. > > Any help would be really appreciated. > > Michael