With Lu's lot - and she must be totally overwhelmed by now - anything seems possible!
It is looking not all that unlikely that Charles is the convict chappie - but who knows.
Ah well, stealing a waistcoat does sound like a nice gentlemanly and non-violent crime (assuming it wasn't being worn at the time)

As you say, who knows where truth lies ... And, of course, it was all back in a time when being a convict was a source of shame rather the very desirable social cachet it is nowadays. I do remember my late mother desperately insisting on producing the passage certificates of her (unassisted) ancestors from 1850. I'm still trying really really hard to find a convict but no luck - even the 1841 Irish lot (my earliest known lot so far) were assisted immigrants. Nowadays the shame arises from
not having a convict ancestor

The only convict (though he was pardoned before sailing and subsequently came to Oz and became a respected? - not quite - businessman) that I can find is one on my children's paternal side; and it was for forgery & uttering (another 'gentlemanly' crime) and all the worthies and gentry in his area back in the UK spoke in support of him. Nothing changes, eh!
We've rather taken over Lu's family, haven't we - I do hope she doesn't mind

JAP