Australians get the chance to see what animals their parents molested

[dirtydog]

New records of UK convicts sent to Australia go online

More than 160,000 convicts were deported to Australia by Britain

New records of more than 55,000 convicts transported to Australia in the 18th and 19th centuries have gone online for the first time.

They contain details of people who were shipped to Australia and were subsequently pardoned or served out their sentences.

Family history website Ancestry.co.uk said the records could be accessed for free for seven days from 24 January.

The company estimates more than two million Britons have convict ancestors.

The convict registers of conditional and absolute pardons 1791 to 1846, and the New South Wales certificates of freedom 1827 to 1867 have been launched online.

Ancestry.co.uk said the publication marked the end of a four-year project and the launch was to coincide with Australia Day on Tuesday.

'Full journey'

Company spokesman Dan Jones said: "While Australia's convict history itself has been well documented, there are thousands of individual stories in the collection just waiting to be told."

All 15 registers, which comprise the Australian Convicts Collection, can be read for free for a week. They contain various details including personal information, place of conviction, name of ship and departure date.

After 30 January, people will have to pay to search the records.

Australia became a penal colony in the late 18th century to alleviate the chronic overcrowding in British jails, with the first 780 convicts arriving in 1788.

When the last shipment of convicts disembarked in Western Australia in 1868, more than 160,000 convicts had been transported to the continent.

'Prince of pickpockets'

The journey to Australia by boat took eight months and the majority of the convicts were men. Although a small number had been found guilty of serious crimes such as murder and assault, most had committed minor offences.

Among the thousands of convicts detailed in the collection are a number of infamous criminals including Israel Chapman, a highwayman who later became one of New South Wales's first police detectives.

The journey of George Barrington - the so-called 'prince of pickpockets' - is also there. He was a gentleman thief who received an absolute pardon in 1796 after helping to quell a mutiny during the voyage.

BBC News - New records of UK convicts sent to Australia go online

[Jet Gorgon]

I heard it's now fashionable in Oz to have a convict as an ancestor. Really rather amusing.

[nedwalk]

Australians get the chance to see what animals their parents molested

so by the title i presume that you infer that my POMMIE ancestors were animal fuckers? after seeing some of the pommie sheila's in my travels i can't help but think thank ferk i was one of the chosen few to be born on this great island..

no worries, thanks for the heads up DD, about you pommies rooting your live stock, i,ll try not to take the piss, you old sheep fucker ewe

[Bung]

Shouldn't the title read "descendants of British convicts get the chance to see what animals their ancestors molested"?

Shame on you DD for talking about your countrymen like that. You should have a bit more respect for your history.

I, like millions of other lucky Aussies don't have anything to do with convicts.

The thing that makes me laugh is the convicts got to go there for stealing a loaf of bread but nowadays Poms grovel and beg to get a chance to live in the lucky country and most don't meet the criteria.

Thankfully.

[Mid]

never mind , it's just DDs poorly disguised desire to be a citizen of the lucky country showing through .

[Gallowspole]

Mind you, it's true what they say about criminals returning to the scene of the crime. Have you seen how many of the buggers are around Earl's Court?

[Eliminator]

Piss poor title but considering the source, it's to be expected.