Genealogy Chat

Top tip - using the Genes Reunited community

Welcome to the Genes Reunited community boards!

  • The Genes Reunited community is made up of millions of people with similar interests. Discover your family history and make life long friends along the way.
  • You will find a close knit but welcoming group of keen genealogists all prepared to offer advice and help to new members.
  • And it's not all serious business. The boards are often a place to relax and be entertained by all kinds of subjects.
  • The Genes community will go out of their way to help you, so don’t be shy about asking for help.

Boards

Quick Search

Single word search

Tools

Findmypast DNA Banner

Icons

  • New posts
  • No new posts
  • Thread closed
  • Stickied, new posts
  • Stickied, no new posts

Where to find out about a convict?

Login to Add Reply Watch This
ProfilePosted byOptionsPost Date

Sidami

Sidami Report 2 Sep 2004 14:00

How do you know if you have a convict or someone that has been in trouble in your tree? Sue

Researching:
Ringrose from Countesthorpe Lord and Burley from Countesthorpe...Dixon Dawson Wood and Wilkinson from Caistor ,Starkey and Wood from Edendam. Hare from Horncastle.

Sean

Sean Report 2 Sep 2004 11:22

Cath There is a great deal of information out there on convicts. A good place to start is http://www.catalogue.nationalarchives.gov.uk/RdLeaflet.asp?sLeafletID=120 There is also David Hawking's book 'Criminal Ancestors', which will really get you going. You should be able to get a full physical description of your ancestor, plus some 'character' info as well. Beyond the 1860s perhaps even a photograph Regards Sean

Catherine

Catherine Report 1 Sep 2004 20:13

Maz Thanks for the website. Unfortunately it doesn't have Portland prison records. Cath

Catherine

Catherine Report 1 Sep 2004 08:07

Thanks for your suggestions. He was definitely in the convict establishment, Portland, Dorset UK according to the 1871 census. I will go off and do some more looking. Cath

Unknown

Unknown Report 31 Aug 2004 00:23

If it is Dorset, England there will be info about the trial etc. in the local record office and/or The National Archives. There should be a gaol register which states when he was admited and for what. nell

Christine in Herts

Christine in Herts Report 30 Aug 2004 23:57

Hi Are you sure it's Portland, Dorset? I put "Portland" and "Convict Establishment" into Google and got the Portland Convict Establishment in Victoria Australia. If it is that one, you may be incredibly lucky and find yours in the sample record-image online at the Public Record Office of Victoria www.prov.vic(.)gov(.)au/archivesvictoria/ or you might have to find the contact e-mail on the site and go that route. It's also worth looking at the UK Documents Online. If you key in "convict" there are records of the Convict Transport Registers from early in the 19th C online (purchasable images). I suspect that if you fight your way through the online search for all the records you may well find what you're after - just not online yet. If it really is Dorset, then this might well be your best route. The actual link is in the Resources, here on GC, or on UKBMD. cheers Christine

Catherine

Catherine Report 30 Aug 2004 23:18

I have found out that my G G G Grandmother's brother was a convict in the Portland Convict Establishment, Dorset in 1871. Does anyone have any idea where I might get any more info about what he did? Thanks Cath