I seem to have a few convicts and with my husbands ancestors we have quite a select group.
On my father's side I have a 6 x grandfather who was convicted of stealing 40 lbs of roofing lead and copped a 7 year transportation in 1801. of course he claimed he was not guilty! He married an older convict woman soon after he arrived here, I cant remember what she was transported for, but she died after a few years without producing any children. He then married another younger convict woman who arrived a few years after him and they had a family of seven children including a young daughter brought out by his convict wife who was convicted for stealing a coat.
The 5x grandfather on my mother's side was given a life sentence for stealing 6 sheep in Ireland and arrived here in 1825, three years after his elder brother who was transported for the same crime. His wife and family of seven children were brought out to join him a few years later. He was also tried and found guilty of murder some years after arriving here and had an additional penalty added .
My mother's grandfather who was born in Lisbon, Portugal was not charged with any crime but at 12 years old he was put on a ship in Lisbon as a "Cabin Boy' and left his country of birth never to return. he arrived in the Hunter River near Newcastle around 26 years of age and married the local Minister's 20 year old housemaid who had migrated from Sussex England, to the Hunter Valley a few years before with her father, mother and siblings.
The 5 time grandmother on husband's mother's line was found guilty of being a "Highwaywoman" and was transported for 7 years. She was recorded as being a thoroughly notorious woman when living in the Parramatta women's prison and her request to marry was granted as the minister considered that if he said NO, then the woman would run off and "live in sin" anyway.
That's all I can remember offhand but they made for good reading.
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