Hi David, It would be almost certain that your ancestor stayed in Australia. Most convicts were transported to Australia with the proviso that they NEVER returned to England. Those that did were exceptions, and probably were illegal returnees. Most convicts were eventually released or were granted Tickets-of-Leave before finishing their sentences. Any further crimes carried out by convicts in Australia were severely punished. Most convicts did very well in Australia, far better than they would have ever done if they had lived in England (if they had not been transported and assuming they avoided the hangman in the first place). I suggest you keep looking in Australian records. All the best Lyndon Arnold Melbourne Australia -----Original Message----- From: sfhg-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:sfhg-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of David Mills via Sent: Thursday, 27 August 2015 6:00 AM To: SFHG@rootsweb.com Subject: [SFHG] Convicts sent to Australia - how did they return? My 4th Great-grandfather, one Edmund GREENFIELD b 1790 in Fernhurst, was transported to Australia in 1828 for 7 years for stealing 3 geese (6 reported in one record). There are a number of documents evidencing his shipment, arrival, placement and eventual Freedom in Australia in 1836. I have not found a convincing record of his return and subsequent life in Sussex. I have also not found any record of him after 1837 (in Australia). How did convicts who served their term get back to England from Australia? Did they have to make their own way or did they get taken back in returning convict ships? Where might such return voyage records be found ( Ancestry and Find My Past don’t seem to have any)? I also can’t find any further record of him in Australia, if he stayed. Sadly, most of his family left behind in Pulborough also suffered by being removed in 1828 under “Removal Orders” per Poor Law Records from Pulborough (home of Edmund’s parents & siblings and birthplace of Edmund’s children) to Broadwater (with no family connection?). Given the family base, his wife’s Christening Place and her parent’s birthplace were all in Pulborough, this is another mystery. I also don’t know why, only 2 of his 5 children were given Removal Orders, although the eldest may have already have left home and not been included. Regards, David Mills Haywards Heath Mem. No. not known ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to SFHG-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message