Convict ancestry?

[MarieC]

Poor sod indeed!!! 

As you say, at least with convicts you CAN trace them!  (Unlike some others I could mention in my ancestry!  )

You've got some nice conundrums there with your certificates!

MarieC

[trish251]

It is interesting that the poll count has the no vote slowly catching the yes vote. RootsChat members seem to have more convicts than the 22% mentioned by ancestry. I had thought it would be higher  so our vote is interesting.

Trish

[minnie222]

I may have more, but with names changing - who knows.

A distant rellie of mine has ancestors who changed their name in Australia after the marriage!! in early 1900's - figure that one?

Barb

[Lones]

One of my convicts also changed their name, but not until several years after the marraige.  Three of their children are listed on the Queens orphanage list in Hobart, they skipped to Victoria, not sure if the name change was to stop the children being taken or because she skipped the state without permission.  We never knew she was a convict, but once I found that out, I also found her sister, another convict, sentenced 2 years before her.  My GGgranny was only 16 when convicted for stealing clothes and silver plate.  She lived to a ripe old age, but never did learn to write, she signed her husbands death cert with a cross as her mark!!  Poor little thing...  we have no idea how hard it must have been, to be sent across the world at such young ages, or in some cases as mentioned above, leaving behind children never to see them again. 

I am very proud of my two ladies, they survived a great deal

Lones

[minnie222]

Just a tongue in cheek pondering

Should we be entitled to compensation for our ancestors being sent out to a foreign land to face the elements etc never to be able to go back to our homeland

Barb

[Lones]

Good thought Barb

BUT what if they said, "Okay come back!"  Do you have an umbrella and cough medicine?  Not this little black duck, I'd rather stay here!! 

Lones 

[MarieC]

Yep - I think they did us a favour, actually!  No compensation needed here! 

Lones, I too have a woman convict who had to leave children behind in England, and never saw them again.  She remarried here and had more children - but how she must have missed those little ones! 

MarieC

[minnie222]

I must say doing research, is in itself a huge history lesson.

My Nana had a difficult time in her lifetime, she never moaned about it, had a fantastic sense of humour and even though she's been gone now for over 23 years I feel her "presence" every day.

I thank them everyday for making our lives so comfortable and the ones who willingly put their lives on the line to fight for our country in the wars.

We are truly the lucky country.

Barb

[trish251]

Just a tongue in cheek pondering

Should we be entitled to compensation for our ancestors being sent out to a foreign land to face the elements etc never to be able to go back to our homeland

Barb

I'm not sure how much compensation prisoners are entitled to ? But if they were wrongly convicted 
Then again - mine were free settlers - all voluntary 

I would love them to say come back - the drama of getting a visa!

Trish