Hello Ursula My GGG Grandfather, born in Perthshire, was transported for life to Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania) in 1836 for "forging and uttering a bill of exchange". His wife and 8 daughters were left to make the best of it, and as far as I know he never returned. My GGG Grandmother called herself a 'widow' in the 1851 Scottish census but I know he was still alive at that time (from his appearance on passenger lists of ships travelling between Launceston in Tasmania and Melbourne). My GGG Grandfather as a 'Lifer' was not allowed to return to the UK. He spent his first years being allocated to work for free settlers and after about 7 years got his 'Ticket of Leave' which was a bit like being on probation i.e he was allowed to travel around and find his own employment but had to report back to the authorities at specified intervals. He received a Conditional Pardon in 1849 which meant he was a free man within the territory of Australia but was not allowed to return to the UK. The British government did nothing to help convicts return to the UK. Most convicts stayed on in Australia. Some applied to have their wives and families join them. Some married other convicts and stayed on, regardless of whether they had wives back in the UK or not. Those who did return probably worked their passage on England-bound ships. I belong to the Rootsweb Australian Convicts and Tasmanian Convicts Lists. They are a mine of information and you might like to join them. They can be found at: aus-tas-convicts@rootsweb.com aus-convicts@rootsweb.com Rhoda ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ursula" <ursularclarke@yahoo.com> To: "Perthshire List" <perthshire-l@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, January 07, 2011 3:43 PM Subject: [PERTHSHIRE] Transportation > Dear Listers > > Although not strictly a Perthshire question, I'm hoping someone might be > able to answer or point me in the right direction, as this group seems to > be a fount of all sorts of knowledge! > > I have a family member who was transported to Australia in 1835 for 7 > years (details from the Australian Convict papers on Ancestry). He > completed his term in 1842 and received his pardon, but I have no idea > what happened to him then. He had married in England in 1830 and had > two children, but by the 1851 census his wife was declaring herself a > widow. I can't find any death records for him in either the English > parish records or the Australian records (or any other mention of him, in > fact), so have no idea whether he ever actually returned to England, or > whether being a widow was a polite fiction for a husband that never > returned.... > > I assume that, having completed their service, convicts were free to > return to England but how did they get back? Did the government provide a > berth on a ship back, or were they just cut loose to find their own way? > In which case, how did they afford the fare... > > Any pointers would be gratefully received! > Ursula > >

Rhoda, I seem to recall that a researcher in Melbourne was collecting all those sad letters to the police and to newspapers asking for information on the whereabouts of various men who had left wives and families behind in England, Scotland and Ireland. They made heartbreaking -- and informative -- reading. Do you know if these are available online now? Sheila