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Tag Archives: Convict
The thief up the chimney: Old Bailey Online 10th anniversary post
This is a tale of larceny and pubs – and a certain amount of naivety. The combination was disastrous for James Thomas Richards, a 20-year-old Thames waterman, and lucky for me, since he’s my great-great grandfather and met my 2x … Continue reading
Posted in Australia, Convicts, London, Trial
Tagged #OBO10, Central Criminal Court, Convict, Deptford, James Thomas Richards, London, New South Wales, Old Bailey, Old Bailey Online, Transportation, trial
7 Comments
Back to Blog – death and renewal
I’ve been away from this blog for several weeks because my mother has died. With the funeral to arrange, relatives from the UK, Australia and New Zealand to contact, and our grief to cope with as well as the usual … Continue reading
Posted in Blogging, Genealogy, Nicholas Delaney
Tagged A Rebel Hand, Australia, Blogging, Convict, family history, genealogy, mother, Nicholas Delaney
16 Comments
Transports of delight – researching the book about Nicholas
I’m feeling thrilled and very honoured. The Irish genealogy online magazine, Irish Lives Remembered, has just (July 10th) published a two-page article about Nicholas Delaney, the great-great-great grandfather and transported convict whose life inspired this blog and its sister website. … Continue reading
Posted in 1798, A Rebel Hand, Convicts, Ireland, Nicholas Delaney
Tagged 1798, A Rebel Hand, Australia, Blogging, Convict, genealogy, Ireland, Irish Lives Remembered
4 Comments
My ancestor was from London – where do I start?
I’ve concentrated mainly on Nicholas Delaney, Sarah Marshall and John Simpson in this blog so far. They are three of my earliest Australians, all convicts. And because convicts tend to be well-documented, they are easier to trace. And I’ve been … Continue reading
Posted in Convicts, Genealogy
Tagged Convict, family history, genealogy, James Thomas Richards, London, Londoner, waterman
23 Comments
Some happy finds
Sometimes I come across a batch of lucky A Rebel Hand-related discoveries on the net and it’s good to share them, so here’s a round-up. The Convict Maid Following on from my last one, about women convicts and the early … Continue reading
Posted in 1798, A Rebel Hand, Australia, Convicts
Tagged A Rebel Hand, Australia, Billy Byrne, Convict, Ireland, Irish Rebellion of 1798, Secret River
5 Comments
The Factory above the Gaol – women convicts in 1818
When my great-great-great grandmother Sarah Marshall stumbled off the convict transport Friendship on January 14, 1818, she emerged from a traumatic journey of confinement and scurvy which became notorious for ‘indecent and licentious intercourse’ to find herself in an … Continue reading
Posted in Australia, Convicts, Transportation
Tagged Australia, Convict, Female Factory, John Simpson, Macquarie, Sarah Marshall, Sarah Simpson, Sarah's grave, Transportation, women convicts
7 Comments
Family myths, cover-ups – what did Nicholas Delaney really do?
I’m researching my blog post for Twigs of Yore‘s Australia Day challenge. This year it’s about work. Shelley says: Choose someone who lived in Australia (preferably one of your ancestors) and tell us how they toiled. Your post should include: … Continue reading
Posted in Australia, Blogging
Tagged A Rebel Hand, Australia Day, Convict, Macquarie, Nicholas Delaney, trial
10 Comments
Did Nicholas build the oldest bridge in Australia?
If you visit the Royal Botanic Garden in Sydney, take a few minutes to look for a small bridge over a stream near the Wollemi Pine, ‘Australia’s homegrown Christmas tree’, close to the information booth. This is Macquarie Culvert. The … Continue reading
Posted in Macquarie, Nicholas Delaney
Tagged A Rebel Hand, Australia, Convict, Macquarie, NSW, Oldest bridge in Australia, Roadbuilder, Royal Botanic Garden
3 Comments
1798 – the television programme
Here at last! A link to the episode of BBC TV’s Story of Ireland which deals with the Rebellion of 1798 and the United Irishmen. Earlier this year, this four-part series presented by Fergal Keane took us at some speed … Continue reading
Posted in 1798, Ireland
Tagged A Rebel Hand, BBC, Convict, history, Story of Ireland
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Tombstone Tuesday: Sarah’s haunted grave
At last I’m posting a photograph of the grave of my great-great-great grandmother, Sarah Simpson, who arrived in New South Wales as a convict on the Friendship in 1818. Sarah Marshall, as she was then, was lucky to be sentenced … Continue reading
Posted in Convicts, Nicholas Delaney
Tagged Australia, Convict, convict ship, Friendship, genealogy, Sarah Marshall, Sarah Simpson, Sarah's grave
6 Comments
The day we met the President
The Irish presidential election is in the news these days – it takes place on Thursday, 27 October 2011. There are seven hopefuls in the race, some more controversial than others. It reminds me of the day, 13 years ago, … Continue reading
Posted in 1798, Ireland
Tagged 1798, A Rebel Hand, Convict, Heritage, Ireland, Nicholas Delaney, Wicklow, Wicklow Gaol
1 Comment
At the heart of Sydney
‘One of the most historically significant urban spaces in Sydney and Australia’. That’s how another of Nicholas Delaney’s building projects has been described by New South Wales’s Office of Environment and Heritage. It’s Macquarie Place. Just over a fortnight after … Continue reading
Posted in Macquarie, Roadbuilder
Tagged Australia, Convict, Greenway, Macquarie, Macquarie Place, Nicholas Delaney, Roadbuilder
7 Comments
Making roads for Macquarie
Staying in New South Wales for this post, I’ll be looking at Nicholas Delaney’s road building for Governor Lachlan Macquarie. There are no records to show exactly when Nicholas began working on the roads of the new colony. He had … Continue reading
Posted in Macquarie, Roadbuilder
Tagged Convict, Domain, Free pardon, Macquarie, Mrs Macquarie, Nicholas Delaney, Roadbuilder, Western Highway
9 Comments
National Heritage Week in Ireland
This week (August 20 – 28) Ireland celebrates its national heritage. And 1798 is a major part of that history. So here are some events related to Nicholas Delaney’s life and the men he fought with. There’s a walk in … Continue reading
Posted in Ireland
Tagged 1798, Convict, Heppenstall, Heritage, Ireland, Twamley, Wicklow
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On board the convict ship (for Australian National Family History Week)
It’s National Family History Week in Australia (until August 10). So I’m going to leave the Irish history theme for now and pick up some of Nicholas Delaney’s story in New South Wales. Starting with his arrival. Human cargo On … Continue reading
Posted in Convicts, Transportation
Tagged Atlas II, Australia, Bridget Dolan, Convict, convict ship, family, genealogy, Major George Johnston, Nicholas Delaney, Thomas Musgrave, Transportation
3 Comments
