Time served convicts return to UK

[msr]

Hello All

Is there anywhere I would be able to find out when, and how, a person transported in 1838, having served his sentence and received a certificate of freedom in 1846, might have returned to England? 

Susan

[Dyingout]

Unless he had a very wealthy family back in the UK. I would doubt he would have. As the cost of return was extortionately high.
Many felt that they may have more of a chance in this new colony and made good lives for themselves. One of my ancestors was pardoned in Tasmania and finished up a well respected farmer.
The biggest answer is a very small percentage ever made it back to the UK.

[matthewj64]

Hi - it was more often the case that did not return to the UK, there were good opportunities in the new colony and many ended up married, earning income, owning property etc. So, the first step would be to check newspapers, marriage records etc in Australia to see if they stayed. If they seem to disappear from the records here then check the UK records (also consider New Zealand). I can only recall a couple of convicts returning, and they did so as working as crew on ships. Who are you looking for?

M

[Valsgirl]

I agree with the above suggestions that most convicts didn't return to UK. Why do you doubt your convict left Australia?
Presume you have searched for various spelling of your ancestor's christian & surname, and checked the convict record for a possible alias.
I've found the early Aus newspapers, (online Trove) very useful in hunting for those old bones.
Cheers,
Valsgirl

[Wiggy]

Agree with above observations . also take into consideration  - some pardonned convicts did not refer to their convict past much once free.  Many convicts tried to lose their origins once they'd become freemen/women.

My GGGgrandfather's family knew him as a 'patriarch of the colony' - (and so he was!!) He arrived in Hobart a free man, having spent 20 years as a convict elsewhere. . . . BUT he arrived free in Hobart.

The only way of finding if they might have returned would be the shipping records I believe - and from experience, I think they are not wonderful.




Wiggy

[guest189040]

I have a xGreat Uncle who was tried, convicted, sentenced to death (3 counts of burglary and highway robbery), commuted to transportation.

He then served out his time and received the Freedom Cert but it was Conditional that he never returned to the UK or indeed any Colonial Country except Australia.

Maybe your ancestor also had a Conditional Cert.

[Jang]

One of my husband's ancestors served his time and returned to his home in Norfolk to find his wife had died. He remarried and had more children. He appears in the 1841 census.

[msr]

Thanks for the replies ( and hello again Wiggy!).

I understand what you are all saying, but workhouse records found from 1861 onwards, and a further court appearance in 1865 with a 3 month sentence, all point to him having returned at some point.

If anyone can find Obadiah Bann (sometimes Tunnicliffe), born 1807 in Macclesfield, Cheshire, anywhere that I have not found him, I would appreciate the advice.

[Valsgirl]

Have you seen UKbmd 1870 death, reg Birmingham, for an Obediah Bann, aged 65yr?
Valsgirl