Genealogy Chat

I discovered that one of my ancestors was transported to Australia in 1848 and was wondering if any one knows how I can research this. Loz :-)

There are a bunch of links on this site that might help you http://www.cyndislist(.)com/austnz.htm - just remove the brackets.

Yes I can as I have one - its quite a status symbol these days and the Aussies invite you to claim them. Just type in Convicts to Australia where you will find a comprehensive database.

You can also purchase their freedom tickets on line and probably look for the trial in the local newspaper either through the Colindale Newspaper Library or through the Local newspaper at the CRO. Sometimes if you are very lucky you may find these papers on line but that is few and far between. Janet

thanks Chloe, Peter and Janet. Janet how do I find the local newspaper report. so far I have had a look at a lot of the Aussie convict sites but can't find him yet. loz

Lozie You have a year, 1848. You know the area? Then you can look at newspapers in that area for that year. If you live near London the Colindale Newspaper Library is the place to go or wherever he lived the County Record Office and libraries will have the local papers. If you do not live in the UK then it is more difficult as you may have to pay a researcher or have a holiday in the UK. Obviously you can cut the time down of looking by finding out the date he was transported. Appox 3 months pre transportation will be his trial, as they often waited on prison ships before eventually sailing under the term Government Servant! Try this website: http(://)www(.)convictcentral(.)com Remove brackets. Very interesting. I also have a convict and I found the ship he sailed on this site, his crime was poaching game, not once but twice, at least he was caught twice! Sentence 7 years in OZ. Janet

I have an ancestor who was transported, too. I stumbled across this whilst searching The Times on-line (trial was Old Bailey). You can access this through your local library web site. There is also http://www.oldbaileyonline.org/ Massively helpful was the rootsweb mailing list: AUS-CONVICTS-L - go to http://lists(.)rootsweb(.)com/index/intl/AUS/AUS-CONVICTS.htm Remove brackets Through this I was contacted by a wonderful lady who did a lot of leg work for me in NSW records offices, copying documents etc. The Aussies LOVE researching convicts. You should also visit the State website, to search for things like certificates of freedom etc, but you obviously need to know where they were sent - you could start with http://www.records.nsw.gov.au/ . Good luck

Here's a few more. Tony Oz. CONVICT SITES AND LINKS: CLAIM A CONVICT: http://users(.)bigpond(.)net(.)au/convicts/ CONVICTS: http://www(.)brandis(.)com(.)au/links/convicts(.)html CONVICTS, PLUS MANY LINKS: http://library(.)trinity(.)wa(.)edu(.)au/subjects/sose/history/genealogy(.)htm INDEX TO GAOL PHOTOGRAPHS N.S.W http://www(.)records(.)nsw(.)gov(.)au/indexes/gaols/introduction(.)htm N.S.W CONVICTS RECORDS: http://www(.)records(.)nsw(.)gov(.)au/indexes/convicts/convictrecords(.)htm

Thank you everyone for your tips and advice. I shall start searching using the advice given. Thanks all Loz :-)