Thanks Robyn for all the details. Sounds like you've been pretty thorough already in your own research. However, it will be very difficult to establish a definite connection back to Wiltshire without further information. As you may have noticed from my email address, I am also an Australian so I do know a little about the history of white settlement and how it impacted on the aboriginal culture. Where do you live Robyn? Can you readily access the NSW State archives or the State Library? Sounds like you might have done that already. There may be other records of James other than those you have already located eg newspapers, land records, coroners records, criminal records, rental books etc etc. I'm no expert in this area but I believe it would be worth searching for any other possible records in Australia. The Wiltshire Record Office (they're online) should be able to advise you if the relevant Quarter Sessions are available. However, I have a copy of Gibson's guide to Quarter Sessions Records. There are evidently 'calendars' of prisoners 1828-38 ('calendars' as you may know are brief summaries of main facts) for the whole county and 'Great Rolls' 1603-1955 available through Wiltshire RO. According to Gibson, 'Great Rolls' are complete except for an occasional year in C17 and include jury lists, presentments, indictments, recognizances, writs, depositions, etc. I'm not familar with Quarter Session records so I have no idea how useful they might be. But certainly worth checking. Hope this helps. Robert PS The Mormans may also have filmed relevant Quarter Sessions which you can order in through your local LDS Family History Centre. All LDS resources are on-line at www.familysearch.com and are also available for purchase on CD-ROM at a very economical price. I had a quick look for you. I thought these titles sounded interesting: Title: Court records, 1563-1884 Authors: Great Britain. Court of Quarter Sessions of the Peace (Wiltshire) (Main Author) Minute books (draft) 1824-1865 Minute books 1783-1787 FHL BRITISH Film 1526614 Indictment books 1829-1884 Prosecutors' orders books 1848 FHL BRITISH Film 1526615 Items 1-12 PPS Will broadcast this to Lovelock list in case they have any further ideas. Don't forget there may be local papers in England that have references to convicts being transported. If he had a wife and child, someone must have looked after them. They may have received 'parish relief' or may have finished up in the Poor House. The Wiltshire RO should be able to advise here as well. I'm afraid you will have to go into 'sleuth' mode on this one. It may not be easy to find the connections you are after. But you'll learn a lot and hopefully have a lot of fun trying. Best of luck. Let me know if I can help further. PPPS How do you know James had a wife and children back in England? > Hi Robert sorry I have not replied for so long as I have been > very busy > JAMES LOVELOCK DEATH CERT SAYS NOTHING AS HE WAS A CONVICT HE DIED AT > ROLLANDS PLAINS NSW 3.12.1862 NO MOTHER NO FATHER NO WIFE NO > KIDS HE LIVED > 26 YRS IN NSW MARRIAGE ENG THATS ALL. THERE IS NO BIRTH CERT > OF WILLIAM HIS > SON BECAUSE HE WAS 1/2 ABORIGINAL THERE IS NO RECORD ONLY HIS > MARRIAGE CERT > SAYS 15.7.1858 TO FANNY SPOKES AGE FOR HIM IS 19 AND HER 21 > WILLIAM'S FATHER > AS JAMES LOVELOCK AND MOTHER IS COCKROACH ABORIGINAL NATIVE > THATS ALL FANNY > WAS THE DAUGHTER OF JOHN SPOKES CONVICT AND ANN COATES > CONVICT ALSO.THE > RITES OF THE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND > JAMES WAS CONVICTED IN THE WHILTSHIRE QUARTER SESSIONS > 8.4.1834 FOR STEALING > 2 PIGS HE GOT 7 YRS ARRIVING AUSTRALIA ON THE SHIP ENGLAND 3 > 28.9.1835 FROM > PORTSMOUTH CONVICT NO 2212 INDEX 209 > THE CAPTAIN OF THE SHIP WAS THOMAS BACON SAILED 8.6.1834 230 > MALE CONVICTS > THERE IS NO QUARTER SESSIONS PAPERS HERE IN AUSTRALIA > WILLIAM DID'NT MARRY AN ABORIGNAL GIRL JAMES HAD AN AFFAIR > WITH HER WILLIAM > WAS 1/2 CAST YOU SEE THE CONVICTS WHERE TREATED VERY BADLY > AND IF THEY HAD > A WOMEM THEY WOULD LIKE TO MARRY THEY HAD TO ASK PERMISSION > TO THE GOVERMENT > AT THE TIME IF THEY WHERE LUCKY THEY WHERE ALOUD AND IF THEY > WHERE MARRIED > IN ENGLAND THEY WHERE NOT ALOUD TO MARRY HERE. > IF THERE IS ANY THING ELSE I CAN HELP YOU WITH PLEASE CALL ROBYN > ______________________________________________________________ > __________ > Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com