Convict Records
Need Help with your Convict Research? See Convict Records in Australia Click here for details. See also Criminal and Court Records
General
Ancestry.com.au. This
commercial site offers access to the Convict Transportation Registers
1788-1868
. These
are
arranged by First Fleet 1787-1788, Second Fleet 1789-1790, Third
Fleet 1791 and other fleets, and ships 1791-1868. Convict musters 1806-1849,
convict pardons 1834-1859, convict lists 1787-1834 and the 1828 census
are also available. The records are fully indexed with a
free surname search. A variety of subscription options
offer access to digitised copies of the original records.
State Library of Queensland - Convict Transportation Registers Database 1787-1867. This database, compiled from British Home Office (HO11) records, details over 123,000 of the estimated 160,000 convicts to Australia. It lists name, sentence details, ship, departure date, arrival date and place for those convicted in England, Wales and Scotland, not Ireland. Court-martialled soldiers from British colonies (West Indies, India, Pakistan and Canada.) sentenced to transportation are also included. It also offers the facility to post comments on the convict records as a way of sharing information. The dates of conviction are being added to each record as an ongoing project. New
Convicts to Australia A Guide to Researching your Convict Ancestors by the Perth DPS. This site contains information on many aspects of the convict system and includes a glossary, bibliography and extensive online convict databases.
Convicts Australia by Jenny Fawcett offers access to many useful online convict indexes. It is no longer being maintained as it was superseded by the Genseek Genealogy site which is currently not available.
Jill Chambers site with details of the Swing Riots (1830-1831) and detailed information on the Machine Breakers, Rioters and Protestors many of whom were transported to Australia.
John Owen Smith's site details some of the personalities associated with the Selborne & Headley (Hampshire) Workhouse Riots in 1830. Over 345 men were tried for disturbances in Hampshire before a Special Commission at Winchester 20th-30th December 1830. This site details the 22 who were committed for troubles in and around Selborne and Headley.To the Outskirts of Habitable Creation - 1837 Rebellion American and Canadian Transportees are listed on this page plus links to other useful information and databases.
Transportation and Trial Records
The Proceedings of the Old Bailey London 1674 to 1913. A free searchable digital collection of 197,745+ trials held at London's central criminal court. All names are indexed including victims, witnesses and jurors. Updated
Ancestry.com. This commercial site offers access to the England and Wales, Criminal Registers, 1791-1892. These registers list those charged with a crime and provide details of the charge, trial, and sentence (if convicted) and other outcomes such as transportation or execution. These records are fully indexed and the original images are available. There is a variety of subscription options available. New
Use the National Archives (UK) Catalogue to search the Judges' Reports on Criminals (1783-1830) which include original letters and reports from judges on cases and criminals plus petitions for commutation of sentence or free pardon. Enter a surname, place or crime committed plus HO47 for access. Detailed information on a case is available from the catalogue file description.
National Archives of Ireland Online Databases include access to the Ireland-Australia Transportation Database (1791-1868).
Access to Archives. Use this site for details of those who appeared before the Cornwall Court of Quarter Sessions 1736-1852. From the Homepage select the Search these Catalogues option and on the next page select Cornwall Record Office under the Location of Archives option and click on Search. The Cornwall Record Office records are listed including the Quarter Sessions Records [QS/1/1-QS/1/12]. Select the View button on the right hand side of the screen to go to the full transcript of the original volumes for the time period you require.
Index to The Last Farewell: Devon Convicts Transported to Australia 1782-1821 by Jack Walton. This list includes names of 574 Devon convicts.
Down
County Museum's online database of 400+ prisoners
held in Down gaol plus the details of 1300+ convicts from County Down
who were transported to New South Wales and Van Diemen's Land.
Inveraray Jail, Argyll, Scotland. The Prison Database provides extensive details on those who were transported.
Kent Genealogy by Maureen Rawson includes indexes to East Kent (1682-1701) and West Kent (1734-1746; 1758-1804) quarter sessions; Maidstone gaol records and prisoners transported from Kent (1851-1852), listed under Miscellaneous.
Lancaster Castle Convict Database lists those tried and sentenced at Lancaster Assizes including those transported to Australia. The database lists name, age, trial date, offence and sentence.
Lincolnshire Convicts to Australia, Gibraltar and Bermuda. This site has an online database which details all Lincolnshire convicts known to have been transported between 1788-1868. Updated
Transportation of Convicts from Nottingham by Philip Westwood. This site has an alphabetical list of convicts tried at Nottingham Borough Quarter Sessions Court and transported to Australia.
Warwickshire County Council. Select the letter R, then Record Office, then Online Catalogue and Databases for access to the Calendars of Prisoners Database. It lists prisoners held at Warwick, Birmingham and Coventry awaiting trial at the Courts of Assize and Quarter Sessions courts held in Warwick 1800-1900. Search by surname, crime, year of crime, location of crime and residence.
City of York & District Family History Society - York Assizes 1785-1851. An index to records held in York Reference library of prisoners brought to trial at York Assizes.
National Library of Wales - Crime and Punishment Database with data about crimes, criminals and punishments included in the gaol files of the Court of Great Sessions in Wales (1730-1830).
HulksA List of Known Hulks for Ireland, Australia and England by Jenny Fawcett. It details hulk name, year, situated at and period of time. Jenny's main site Genseek Genealogy is no longer available.
The Intolerable Hulks: British Shipboard Confinement, 1776-1857. This site offers detailed information and illustrations of the York, Discovery, Warrior, Success, Defense and Bellerophon hulks.
Society of Australian Genealogists online Research Guides includes Convict Hulks.
Australian Capital
Territory
The Canberra History Group - List of Convicts Canberra and
District . This list
includes those known to have been assigned to the Canbera district while
either serving their sentence, or after gaining their ticket-of-leave. This
developing site has individual convict profiles online where available and
contributions are welcome. New
New South
Wales
State Records New South Wales -
Indexes Online Convicts include certificates of
freedom (1823-1869); convict bank accounts (1837-1870); convict exiles
(1846-1850); pardons (1791-1825, 1837-1841); tickets of exemption from
government labor (1827-1832); tickets of leave, certificates of emancipation and
pardons (1810-1819) and ticket of leave passports (1835-1869). Other indexes
that may relate to convicts include Bench of Magistrates (1788-1820) and the
Colonial Secretary Index (1788-1825). Updated
Society of Australian Genealogist's online databases include an Index to NSW Convict Tickets of Leave, 1810-1875. This index can be searched on last name, first name, ship, year, trade or calling, or district.
The Mayberry Homepage by Peter Mayberry. This site features an Irish Convicts to NSW (1791-1834) Database which provides full details from the convict indents held by SRNSW. There is also information on Irish rebel convicts.
Claim-a-Convict by Lesley Uebel details over 21,000 convicts arriving at Port Jackson from 1788. This site enables descendants of convicts to make contact and share information. The FAQs page has a lot of useful information for researching a convict. Updated
Free Settler or Felon is a searchable database of 115,000+ references to convicts, settlers, townsfolk, bushrangers, innkeepers, soldiers and land owners. Areas covered include Newcastle, Maitland, Paterson, Muswellbrook, Singleton, Raymond Terrace, Dungog, Morpeth, Wollombi, Central Coast, Murrurundi and Scone and more. New
State Library of New South Wales - From Terra Australis to Australia. This online collection of the library's First Fleet archive includes access to over 450 original documents and illustrations. New
First Fleet Online has a searchable database of 780 First Fleet convicts plus many other resources. Updated
Patricia Downes' Australian Pioneers site lists Arrivals in Sydney on the First, Second and Third Fleets.
Women Convicts Featured in Governor Hunter's Assignment Report 1798 by Cathy Dunn.
Royal Admiral 1792 by Cathy Dunn includes background information and a complete list of all those aboard this ship.
Convict Trail Caring for the Great North Road includes a detailed history of the road built (1826-1836) to connect Sydney with Newcastle and the Upper Hunter Valley. There is a database of convicts who worked on the road plus a location list of the road gangs and details of the overseers.
South AustraliaGraham Jaunay's South Australian Transported Convicts, (1837-1851). Lists convict's name, crime, date and sentence.
Family History South Australia's Persons Lost and Found by M Leadbeater. This database (1838-1880), compiled from South Australian Police Gazettes and early SA Government Gazettes, lists (amongst others) Convict Expirees arriving from other colonies.
TasmaniaArchives Office of Tasmania - Index to Tasmanian Convicts lists all convicts (76,000+) transported to Tasmania and those convicted locally through the convict system. There is also an Index to Convict Applications for Permission to Marry (1829-1857).
Archives Office of Tasmania Convict Records Online. Most of the convict records for Tasmania have now been digitised and are available online (free). This ongoing project will place any remaining records online as they become available. Further information about these records and how to view them online is available at this site.
New
Female Factory Research Group Female Family Founders Database aims to record all female convicts who spent time in Van Diemen's Land. This site also offers access to an extensive collection of lists relating to female convicts.
Tasmanian Convict Record Abbreviations by Maree Ring includes names, occupations and place names plus other useful information.
Convict Ships List by M Yost. An alphabetical list (incomplete) of ships to Tasmania with departure and arrival details convict numbers, remarks and sources. Convicts listed by researchers on the Tasmanian Convict Index are also listed with their ship's voyage in this index, plus contact details.
Sue Wyatt's site details the Convicts who Settled in the Sorell Area of Van Diemen's Land.
Indexes of Tasmanian Convicts includes a Tasmanian Convict Index, permission to marry; conditional pardons; free males who became prisoners and assignment lists.
Port Arthur Historic Site details the convict research project to identify the Port Arthur convicts.
The Cascades Female Factory Historic Site. The Cascades Female Factory was officially opened in 1828. It was the female equivalent of Port Arthur housing female convicts and children.
Parks & Wildlife Service Tasmania - Guide to Tasmania's Historic Places - Ross Female Factory.
VictoriaPublic Record Office Victoria Online Digitised Records include the Register of Convicts, 1838-1852, with details of convicts in the Port Phillip District. The Register, Police Magistrate, Portland, 1840-1853 includes, amongst other things, particulars of Ticket of Leave holders and a list of convicts who had obtained their freedom.
The Westernport Settlement 1826-1828 (Corinella VIC). John Graham's list of military personnel, convicts and civilians involved in this experimental settlement. Includes biographical information.
Western AustraliaConvicts to Australia by Perth DPS for detailed information on transportation to Western Australia. Full Convict Lists for all the convict transports to WA are available online. These include physical descriptions and trial details for the convicts.
Fremantle Prison. This site has an online convict database which is searchable by surname or ship. A search returns detailed information on the convict including ship and arrival date, alias, birth date, marital status, occupation, literacy, religion, sentence details, crime and ticket of leave date.
State Records
Office of Western Australia online Collection Guides
include Convict Records
which details the downloadable indexes, by Anne and Bruce Buchanan, to
a series of convict related letters in the correspondence of the
Governor of Western Australia 1851-1868.
© Cora Num 1997-2009. Last updated 1 December 2009