Monthly Archives: July 2020

Breaking into Gaol Records.

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Whoever would have thought that the origins of a young servant girl arriving as a free passenger in 1823 would be revealed within the records of Sydney and Darlinghurst Gaol?  The quest for  Hannah Lee’s background commenced with John Daley, an Irish convict, who arrived in Port Jackson on the Brampton, 22 April 1823.  Originating in King’s County/Offaly, the 25-year-old was tried under the Insurrection Act for forcibly stealing arms from John Cooper’s farm, near the Grand Canal at Ballybritton, … Continue reading

Convict Stories – Life after Transportation

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For many years Australians regarded convict ancestors with distaste and did their utmost to distance themselves from this part of their ancestry. However, many convicts had a huge impact on the development of Australia; the punishment that was meted out to them, not only in England, but also in Australia, was often incredibly harsh. From my recent research into the lives of three convicts, I think we could argue that these were not all the ‘bad apples’ the English justice … Continue reading

Finding Answers After A Lifetime of Wondering.

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I can easily list a multitude of reasons, or rather joys, that my profession as a Genealogist brings; not only to me but a lot more often to my clients.  There are certainly times I will exclaim a loud “YES!” when I uncover information that I know will delight the client and their family.  There are also times when my hand goes to my mouth and I quietly say “Oh my gosh…” because of a newly found piece of information … Continue reading

Rose and the Frenchman.

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Among the many fascinating stories often repeated by my Great Grandmother Rose, was the one about our French ancestry. According to Rose, her mother, Elizabeth Foulger, descended from De Fouriers who had escaped the French Revolution. A mysterious Frenchman had once remarked on Rose’s similarity to someone he knew well, and she had a photograph to prove it! So, she must be French? Right? As a child, I accepted the story until I figured out that the French Revolution was … Continue reading