tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63941960263486018152024-03-12T20:45:07.421-07:00Convicts Australialonggreengrasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09576093513729988988noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6394196026348601815.post-49187382511350884292012-05-04T19:20:00.000-07:002012-05-11T01:27:17.085-07:00Tips for convict research<br />
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<b>Apologies first: </b> this is the second and unfortunately the final blog for now. Due to unforeseen circumstances I cannot continue but I want to post this as I think it will be a very useful base weather you are a newbie to convict research or have some experience.</div>
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Weather you want to do a brief précis of your convict’s life or a detailed study,</div>
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<span lang="EN-US">following these tips will bring better results and actually make it easier, not to mention enrich your convict research experience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt;">Take your research seriously:</span><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span lang="EN-US">Doing convict research can involve some<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>high-level research using a variety of records – old documents, microfilm, websites, maps even.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The notes you take, the copies of records you keep, could be the basis for your eventual book or for further research for the next generation of family historians that you have inspired!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt;">Be systematic:</span></b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Successful research requires a system.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s easy to get excited about a trail – but just take your time and be thorough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those old documents are not going to run away!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you see an exciting lead that is distracting you from your current one, write it down and follow it up in due course. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have a note book where you keep things to follow up, queries, ideas, lists of useful websites and books and guides and issues to consider such as misspellings etc </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Also, try and be consistent in the way you sort and keep records and photocopies. Depending on the level of detail you want to go to, you might have a notebook divided into subject headings or a folder for each subject such as trial, prison, convict ship, work as a convict, pardon, spouses and children.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt;">Always, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">always </i>write down where you found your information:</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> Assume you will need to refer back to it (you often will!). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Write the reference on the back of the photocopy or in your notes or some people prefer to keep a separate book for their references.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whatever system you prefer – <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">just do it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b>!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your diligence will be rewarded at some future point!</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">It’s also smart to keep a list of sources that were <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> useful.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">When you write down your reference be as specific as possible. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t just note ‘State Library of NSW’ for example – it’s a big place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For example:</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Published books</span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Write down:</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Author</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Title</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Year of publication</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Publisher and where published </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Page number</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Private records (eg family papers) </span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Write down:</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Library or archive that holds it</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Author if known</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Title and date (eg X family correspondence or X’s journal)</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Location or ‘call’ number of the original item</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">The microfilm or microfiche number</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">The page number</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Government records </span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Write down:</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Library or archive that holds it</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Government department that produced it (eg Colonial Secretary)</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">The series and series number (eg Main series of letters received, 1788-1825)</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">The item (location number, title and page)</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">The microfilm or fiche number<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">If you are thinking of publishing or even just producing something for a few family members, it’s worth getting the references right:</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">Citation guides:</span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">The University of Queensland has a very good <a href="http://www.usq.edu.au/library/help/referencing/harvard">guide</a> for citing all sorts of formats </span>- books, websites, original materials.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">NSW State Records has an excellent citation <a href="http://www.records.nsw.gov.au/state-archives/guides-and-finding-aids/archives-in-brief/archives-in-brief-10">guide</a> (you may be using lots of their records in the course of your convict research)</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Other help for citing information:</span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Look at the catalogue record on the website of the institution </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">If you are in a library or archive, ask the staff member on the desk</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt;">Read some colonial and convict history:</span><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span lang="EN-US">Apart from being very interesting, it can provide you with some clues as to where to search next, or perhaps explain a mystery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some knowledge of colonial Australia and convict history can only enrich your research experience and your research results. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"></b></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Two, but by no means the only excellent books on convict history are:</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Hughes, Robert (1987): <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The fatal shore : a history of the transportation of convicts to Australia, 1787-1868</i>, Collins Harvill, London.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Hirst, John (1983)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Convict society and it’s enemies : a history of early New South Wales</i>, Allen and Unwin, Sydney.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt;">A word about websites and secondary sources:</span><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span lang="EN-US">There is a great deal out there on the web and in secondary sources (eg written histories).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These can be fantastic for assisting your research, vital even, however do not rely on them for all your research and do not take them as gospel. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"></b></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">For example:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes a misspelling has meant that the name is not correctly indexed, or not indexed at all on the databases available on the web.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Remember that names are transcribed from 19<sup>th</sup> century hand writing and mistakes can and are made.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Sometimes online database indexes cover only a portion of what is available eg in a given date range.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Look at the fine print to see where they have got their information from.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There might well be other indexes available as well, either on the same database or often there are paper or microfiche guides and indexes to the same resources in a library or archive so if you think a name should be there, try checking these alternatives.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt;">Go to the original ‘primary’ sources wherever possible:</span></b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is nothing like looking at original ‘primary’ sources – that is - the actual document or ‘manuscript’. In many cases this just isn’t possible (it’s too frail or valuable or on the other side of the world) but you might be able to see an exact copy on a microfilm in a library for example and sometimes, original documents have been digitized on databases or on websites of major research institutions that hold convict records.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By viewing the original or exact copy, you can often glean clues.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For example, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>sometimes the context of the information is very helpful in getting a sense of the event that is being listed or described. </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt;">Libraries and archives – Convict research Heaven:</span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">More and more information is on the web, especially many indexes can be freely searched and if you want to exercise the credit card you can find quite a bit in terms of the original records.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>it’s the tip of the iceberg.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The rest of the iceberg is in libraries and archives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These wonderful places are all working hard to get their stuff up on the web but this takes money and time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the meantime a visit to these fine research institutions will pay dividends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Can’t visit?</span></b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t despair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is usually an online inquiry form or give them a ring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They can often send you copies of documents (for a fee) and some will even do a little research for you or at least advise you how to proceed on your topic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Librarians and archivists are fantastic guides to their collections.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They deal with hundreds of inquiries every week and develop a lot of knowledge about where you might find the information you are after. State Libraries and State Archives in Australia as well as some university libraries are the keepers of the main records such as those produced by government departments that managed convicts and personal papers such as convict letters or papers of wealthy landowners that employed lots of convicts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also some overseas institutions are very important repositories of convict information such as the UK National Archives. (mini tip:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Copies of many of the UK National Archives convict records are held in major libraries and archives in Australia – accessible for free and a few of those records are available online as well).</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Local libraries are excellent sources of local historic information as well and if they have a local studies librarian, their knowledge of their collections and the local area will be an invaluable help.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Libraries and archives have developed lots of online guides to convict research and their websites are also alive with information if you look carefully – especially in the catalogue!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Catalogues:</span></b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is a strange contradiction about many family historians that I have never quite solved:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>they are by far the most enthusiastic and dogged of researchers and yet they are also the ones most reluctant to use the catalogues of libraries and archives. But it is the catalogues that will guide you to the bulk of convict resources.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you have trouble searching the catalogues (and I agree it is not always easy), speak to a staff member: catalogues and guides, indexes and lists are their stock in trade. </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Before you visit:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span lang="EN-US">Check their websites – they may be closed on certain days or for renovations or you may need to bring particular forms of identification to join up or in the case of some university libraries, they may have restricted access if you are not a student. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"></b></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">When you visit:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span lang="EN-US">Allow plenty of time when you visit. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, do not be afraid to approach the desk!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Staff are there to help!<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"></b></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">These wonderful professionals can’t know everything though and sometimes it can be useful to ask the same question of different staff in the big institutions or at different institutions to glean different hints. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">If you are looking at original documents handle them with care and do keep them in the order you found them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt;">Other tips:</span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Be mindful of spelling.</span></b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many convicts were illiterate or semi-literate and wrote their names phonetically and may have used more than one spelling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In many cases their names were entered into documents by clerks who would write what they heard pronounced.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, convicts might have used aliases.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes the records will identify aliases.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">The separation of the Australian colonies:</span></b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Originally New South Wales - the first Australian colony – was much bigger and included areas that eventually became separate colonies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These were:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Moreton Bay (now Queensland), Port Phillip (now Victoria), Van Diemen’s Land (now Tasmania).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Norfolk Island was also administered mostly by New South Wales, though Tasmania administered it from 1844-1853.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Therefore it may be worth checking with State Records of New South Wales and the State Library of New South Wales, for records of convicts sent to these states, as well as in sections for NSW convicts on databases.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Some colonies received convicts direct from Britain, and some were places for secondary offenders and as all colonies had the same British statutes, they also participated in the transportation of locally convicted people</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Dates when convicts were received/transported:</span></b></div>
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<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US">New South Wales:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>1788-1842; 1846-1850 – exiles* only</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US">Tasmania<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Van Diemen’s Land): 1804-1853</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US">Norfolk Island: 1788-1814; 1825-1855</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US">Queensland (Moreton Bay): 1824-1839; 1849-1850</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US">Victoria (Port Phillip):<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>1803-1804; 1836-1851 (roughly) from other colonies and 1844-1849 – exiles* only from UK</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US">South Australia (offenders transported from here): 1837-1851</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US">Western Australia: 1850-1868</span> </li>
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<span lang="EN-US">*Exiles were given Tickets of Leave on arrival</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Pictures</span></b><span lang="EN-US">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sadly there are very few early drawings of convicts but with the advent of photography in the 1840s, there are a number of portraits of ex- convicts and there are gaol portraits in the latter part of the 19th century.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Very few pictures of convict ships exist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">A ticket of leave to all those who got through this. I hope you find it helpful. </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 18pt;">I’ve barely begun but must take my own ticket of leave</span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Unfortunately, due to circumstances out of my control, I am no longer able to continue this blog but I know at least this post will be of some use.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are many good guides on the internet and a wealth of knowledge amongst staff in libraries and archives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hope to get back to this blog one day.</span></div>
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<br />longgreengrasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09576093513729988988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6394196026348601815.post-68216641483439334112012-04-09T00:29:00.000-07:002012-04-09T06:46:59.556-07:00A blog for researching Australian convicts<br />
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A blog for researching Australian convicts</h2>
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<a href="http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/images/discover/history_nation/justice/a928881u.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/images/discover/history_nation/justice/a928881u.jpg" width="320" /></a> </div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Convicts letter writing at Cockatoo Island, N.S.W., 'Canary</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i> Birds', </i>by Philip Doyne Vigors, 1849</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> Image courtesy Mitchell Library, State Library of New South </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Wales (Location number: SSV/39)</span></div>
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The aim of this blog is to help researchers, in particular, family historians, find their way through the maze of original sources and other research material about Australian convicts. <br />
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Convicts were the most administered group of people in Colonial Australia, and this has left us with a rich historical record. For this reason, convict research can be extremely rewarding, but it can also be confusing. This blog aims to help you to find your way through the records in a systematic way that will also save you time and help to place your ancestor within the context of their times.<br />
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This blog is <i>not</i> an attempt to write a history of convicts in Australia, although in some cases the historical background may be discussed if it will be useful to the research process. <br />
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This blog is also not about specific convicts and their details. <br />
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The aim is to give some order to researching a complex variety of sources, whilst keeping in mind that people discover their convicts through a myriad of different means.<br />
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Sources will be both Australian and overseas (mostly UK) and will include:<br />
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<li style="text-align: left;">Websites</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Other blogs</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Databases (some of which you can only access either at a public library or by purchasing a subscription)</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Books</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Magazine articles</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Original manuscripts (unpublished material)</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Microfilm</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Newspapers</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Government publications</li>
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I will also be directing you to some wonderful archives and libraries that hold information and records about convicts, because not everything is available on the web. <br />
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<br />longgreengrasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09576093513729988988noreply@blogger.com5