07-01-2007, 05:51 AM
Hi Guys
I'm sitting here reading an Irish history book and its talking about the penal times when many Irish were transported from here (Ireland) over to Australia. Then I suddenly thought of Melbourne Chat. I know it is not a particularly big board at the moment but I wonder if any of you are desended from former felons?
Twenty or thirty years back it was quite unpopular to have someone in the family who was transported but that seems to have changed over the years and now it is not unusual to hear of people tracing thier ancestors hopeing to find a transported felon among their them. But then again if you are going back to the late 1700's there is nothing to much to be ashamed of <img src='http://www.melbournechat.org/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/rolleyes.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />
Don't know much about your geography except that it's MIGHTY MIGHT BIG country, I do now that transportation to Australia started around 1786 - In 1788 and that most of the felons went o New South Wales. I suppose it was a cheap way of getting the land populated!
I know that right up to the late 1970 early 1980's quite a few people from my own locality travelled to Australia courtsey of assisted fares - if my memory serves me correctly it was 10 GBP, but then again that was at a time when you almost had to take out a second mortage to travel anywhere by aeroplane.
So have you guys any storiesabout how you got to Australia that you'd like to share. Any felons anywhere in the blood line, any of you with an Irish background. I suppose as a country you are not that old and are still writing your early history so go on share a bit of it.
Glen how did your people get to Australia?
Kevin
I'm sitting here reading an Irish history book and its talking about the penal times when many Irish were transported from here (Ireland) over to Australia. Then I suddenly thought of Melbourne Chat. I know it is not a particularly big board at the moment but I wonder if any of you are desended from former felons?
Twenty or thirty years back it was quite unpopular to have someone in the family who was transported but that seems to have changed over the years and now it is not unusual to hear of people tracing thier ancestors hopeing to find a transported felon among their them. But then again if you are going back to the late 1700's there is nothing to much to be ashamed of <img src='http://www.melbournechat.org/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/rolleyes.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />
Don't know much about your geography except that it's MIGHTY MIGHT BIG country, I do now that transportation to Australia started around 1786 - In 1788 and that most of the felons went o New South Wales. I suppose it was a cheap way of getting the land populated!
I know that right up to the late 1970 early 1980's quite a few people from my own locality travelled to Australia courtsey of assisted fares - if my memory serves me correctly it was 10 GBP, but then again that was at a time when you almost had to take out a second mortage to travel anywhere by aeroplane.
So have you guys any storiesabout how you got to Australia that you'd like to share. Any felons anywhere in the blood line, any of you with an Irish background. I suppose as a country you are not that old and are still writing your early history so go on share a bit of it.
Glen how did your people get to Australia?
Kevin