> Date: Thu, 4 Mar 2010 18:53:09 +1030 > From: "jean and terry" > Subject: Re: [WRY] Australian convict records etc. > To: > Message-ID: <[email protected]> > Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1"; > reply-type=original > > Hi, Thank you I did follow the URL's I received from Teresa and discovered > that Thomas was 5'11" had brown hair, hazel eyes, a long face, a fresh > complexion slightly stout and no distinguishing marks he was about 25. The > boat took 125 days to get to Australia and half were convicts and the other > half passengers. 2 people died, the first one was a convict who died almost > immediately. On arrival (4 years after being sentenced mind you) he was > given a "ticket of leave" a month later which meant he was virtually free > (like someone on probation) and could work. He worked in Western Australia > and was given his freedom after 8 full years (not today's idea of an 8 year > term). > > I then tried other URL and I did find the Aus-convict site and I have joined > this but thank you for telling me as I had no idea where to look for > anything. > > I should have been doing some housework and I have spent hours on this. I > am not sure why or if he went to Australia for the 4 year sentence, (I doubt > it) he was given previously. He was sentenced because of his bad record > really not entirely for what he did which was only to steal 4 fish to eat. > Previously as a 15 year old he had stolen clothing to sell and for > housebreaking he got the first 4 years after having 3 spells in Wakefield > Prison as a 13 year old for stealing a cover off a market stall, then taking > 1s from an 8 year old and for stealing 3 grates. > > I now need to discover if he stayed - he certainly didn't have anything to > go back to England for. It has been quite an exciting trip. His > relationship is distant enough for us to choose if we want to claim him or > disown him. I think we will claim him. > > It is amazing how much information is out there if we know where to look. > Who knows what people will learn about us in the future. > > Jean Hi folks I have been reading the recent messages re convicts in Australia and knew that somewhere I had a reference to a book which John Spivey recommended to me during discussions re my Joseph Berry research. I have now found the reference: http://www.middlemiss.org/lit/australian/fatalshore.html It is a fascinating book which traces the story of British Justice, and life in the convict colonies, from the early 1700's through the transportation period and really brings home the harshness (by today's standards) of life in those times. I found it in my local library in Huddersfield and would recommend it to anyone interested in that phase of our history. Cheers Roger researching: GILL, BERRY, CHARLESWORTH and ROBINSON in the Holme Valley, south of Huddersfield