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A Rebel Hand: Nicholas Delaney of 1798 - the book
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Category Archives: Convicts
Sarah Marshall 200: a floating brothel
Sarah Marshall – a prostitute? On board the convict ship Friendship II Continue reading
Posted in Convicts, Transportation
Tagged convict ship, Convicts, Friendship, prostitution, Sarah Marshall, Sarah Simpson, Transportation
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Sarah Marshall 200: convict ship Friendship II
200 years ago Sarah Marshall arrived in New South Wales on the convict transport ship Friendship II. What happened? Continue reading
Posted in Australia, Convicts, Macquarie, Transportation
Tagged #Sarah200, 1818, Convict, convict ship, convict women, Friendship, Sarah Marshall, Sarah Simpson, Transportation
3 Comments
John Simpson 200: convict ship Ocean II
200th anniversary of convict John Simpson arriving in NWS from the Ocean II on 16 January 1818 Continue reading
Posted in Convicts, Macquarie, Transportation
Tagged 1818, convict ship, Convicts, hulk, John Simpson, Ocean II, Transportation
9 Comments
Criminal Lives, 1780-1925
Exhibition – Criminal Lives, 1780-1925: punishing Old Bailey convicts Continue reading
Posted in Convicts, Transportation
Tagged Australia, Convicts, crime, London, Newgate, Old Bailey
3 Comments
Celestina’s life in Millbank Prison: a Christmas tale pt 22
In the previous post in this series, Celestina Sommer arrived at Millbank Prison on 6 September, 1856, to begin her sentence for murdering her daughter, Celestina Christmas. Her hair was cut off, she was given prison clothes and put in … Continue reading
Posted in Celestina, Convicts
Tagged #victorianmurder, Celestina, Celestina Sommer, Christmas, crime, Murder, prison, women, women convicts
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Findmypast freebies this weekend
Good news from Findmypast UK and Findmypast Ireland for this weekend, 6-9 March. Not only is FMP Ireland free on Saturday and Sunday, but there’s a UK records bonanza lasting from Friday to Monday. Their press release says: … between … Continue reading
Posted in Convicts, Genealogy, Ireland
Tagged Australia, Banished, Convict, findmypast, FMP, free, genealogy, Ireland, Offer, shoestring genealogist, Transportation
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Australia Day Challenge 2014: C’mon Aussie
I do love the genealogy online community. People help one another, collaborate, chat and set up memes and challenges. Here’s the latest geneachallenge – it’s for Australia Day, from that bonza blogger Pauleen Cass of Family history across the seas. … Continue reading
Posted in Australia, Blogging, Convicts
Tagged 1798, Atlas II, Australia, Blogging, Convict, family history, Friendship, genealogy, James Thomas Richards, John Simpson, Nicholas Delaney, Sarah Marshall, Transportation
9 Comments
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
18 Comments
My first Australian ancestor (Australia Day Challenge 2013)
This year’s challenge comes from Helen at From Helen V Smith’s Keyboard. She writes: “Your challenge… is to tell the story of your first Australian ancestor.” Now that does make it a challenge! Because the first-ever Australian in my family … Continue reading
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
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Deep down in Deptford (and thumbs up for archives)
Deep into Deptford’s history, that is, looking for secrets in the streets. And possibly finding my great-great-great-great grandparents – how exciting! Today, June 9th, is International Archives Day and I’m hugely grateful to all the archivists and the archives, small … Continue reading
When John met Sarah – convict courtship
How did my 3x great grandparents, John and Sarah Simpson, meet? They were quick workers, we know that. John Simpson disembarked at Sydney Cove on January 16, 1818 and Sarah Marshall a week or so after. About a month later, … Continue reading
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
24 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 alien … 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
13 Comments
A Rebel Hand 