What happened to your ancestor in the early years of his arrival? What ‘indulgences’ were granted; what trouble did he get into; was she assigned to the Female Factory; could he sign his name?

The Colonial Secretary's Correspondence includes correspondence to, from, and about many people in the Colony - convicts, soldiers, immigrants and others - on any number of topics.

The State Records NSW website has an online index of the Colonial Secretary's Correspondence from 1788 to 1825. A further index from 1826 to 1877 on microfiche is available at State Records NSW and many libraries (Index to Convicts and Others Extracted from the Colonial Secretary's In Letters, and Colonial Secretary's Correspondence Letters Sent re Convicts, indexed by Joan Reese). These indexes can lead to documents, usually handwritten, concerning a huge variety of topics - permission to marry, requests to bring family over, lists of convicts to be moved or assigned, requests for ticket of leaves and pardons, reports of stolen property; the list is almost endless.

Price includes a search of this index if references not supplied and photocopies of any documents found for up to three (3) references. If there are more references than this there will be an extra charge - please indicate if you are NOT prepared to pay this.

There is no guarantee that any records will be found for your ancestor.

All available records for assisted immigrants to NSW supplied at once.When did your immigrant ancestor arrive in the country? Who came with him/her? What did he say about himself?

Assisted immigrants were subsidised or paid for by one of the many assisted immigration schemes operating in the UK and other countries.

There are very good records for NSW for the years 1828-1896, with those between 1842-1896 being particularly good, including names of parents and relatives in the colony as well as the more usual birthplace, age, occupation and other details. Information from immigration records is usually fairly reliable because it has come directly from the person concerned.

Records will be obtained from NSW passenger and immigrant lists. All available records for assisted immigrants to NSW supplied at once.

No guarantee can be given that your ancestor will be found. The fee will cover an exhaustive search and a report of what was searched.

What happened to your ancestor in the early years of his residence? What 'indulgences' were granted; what trouble did he get into; was she assigned to the Female Factory; could he sign his name?

The Colonial Secretary's Correspondence includes correspondence to, from, and about many people in the Colony - convicts, soldiers, immigrants and others - on any number of topics.

The State Records NSW website has an online index of the Colonial Secretary's Correspondence from 1788 to 1825. A further index from 1826 to 1877 on microfiche is available at State Records NSW and many libraries (Index to Convicts and Others Extracted from the Colonial Secretary's In Letters, and Colonial Secretary's Correspondence Letters Sent re Convicts, indexed by Joan Reese). These indexes can lead to documents, usually handwritten, concerning a huge variety of topics - permission to marry, requests to bring family over, lists of convicts to be moved or assigned, requests for ticket of leaves and pardons, reports of stolen property; the list is almost endless.

Price includes a search of this index and photocopies of any documents found up to 20 pages. If there are more documents than this there will be an extra charge - please indicate if you are NOT prepared to pay this.

There is no guarantee that any records will be found for your ancestor

A copy of correspondence to or from the NSW Colonial Secretary for a convict or other resident of NSW. Requests for land, convict movements and indulgences, disciplinary action; there are all sorts of reasons for correspondence.

The Colonial Secretary's Correspondence includes correspondence to, from, and about many people in the Colony - convicts, soldiers, immigrants and others - on any number of topics.

These indexes can lead to documents, usually handwritten, concerning a huge variety of topics - permission to marry, requests to bring family over, lists of convicts to be moved or assigned, requests for ticket of leaves and pardons, reports of stolen property; the list is almost endless.

Price is per document found on the SRNSW online index. References must be given or the first document found on the index will be supplied.

A photocopy of the certificate of freedom stub, containing descriptive information about the convict, and may include subsequent notations.

When the 7-, 10- or 14-year sentence of a convict had expired he or she was eligible to apply for a Certificate of Freedom, a document that proved he had served his sentence and was now was free and eligible to travel wherever he liked.

The certificate itself was given to the convict, and the stub was retained by the office of the Principal Superintendant of Convicts (or, later, the Convict Branch of the Police Department).

A photocopy of the certificate of freedom stub will be supplied.

Price is reduced if the reference number is supplied.

The convict indent was the official list of convicts being delivered to the authorities in New South Wales, containing details of crime, sentence, marital status and physical appearance of all convicts.

The indent may later have been annotated with information such as Ticket of Leave and Pardon numbers, or whether the convict left the Colony.

In the early years of transportation only name, ship, and length of sentence were shown. In later years progressively more information was added so that, by the 1830s, information such as native place, occupation, crime, date and place of trial, year of birth, height, complexion, colour of hair and eyes, and distinguishing features such as scars and birth marks were included.

A photocopy of the page on which the convict appears in the indent for the ship of arrival will be supplied. The first page of the indent giving the name and Master of the ship will also be included.

Price is reduced if the reference number is supplied.

A photocopy of the Conditional or Absolute Pardon granting freedom to a convict. The original pardon was issued to the convict to prove he/she was no longer a convict.

Since convicts with a life sentence were not eligible for a Certificate of Freedom they could instead be granted a Conditional or Absolute Pardon if their behaviour deserved it.

The condition for a Conditional Pardon was that the convict "not return to the country from which he had been transported", whereas an Absolute Pardon did not have this restriction. Imperial and Colonial Pardons were also occasionally granted.

A photocopy of the official copy of the pardon will be supplied.

Price is reduced if the reference number is supplied.

A photocopy of the Indent, Ticket of Leave and Certificate of Freedom OR Pardon for a NSW convict supplied at once. Much better value than buying individually and a great start to understanding the life of your convict.

Arrival - The convict indent was the official list of convicts being delivered to the authorities in New South Wales, containing details of crime, sentence, marital status and physical appearance of all convicts. Updated with later history of the convict such as Ticket of leave numbers or date of departure from colony.

Partial freedom - The ticket of leave contained details such as crime, sentence and physical characteristics and had to be shown on demand. The stub is the duplicate that remained with the authorities and was often updated if the ticket was rescinded.

Freedom - Convicts with life sentences could earn a Conditional Pardon, although other types of pardons were sometimes given. Convicts with a shorter sentence could apply for a Certificate of Freedom. Both documents gave proof that the ex-convict was now free.

A quick and easy start to understanding how your convict lived.

Photocopies will be supplied of all documents found. Price reduced if all three references can be supplied.

A photocopy of the Ticket of Leave stub for your convict, showing name, sentence and ship and often marital status, physical characteristics and other details.

After a convict had been in the Colony for a few years he/she could apply for a ticket of leave. This enabled him to work for himself rather than for the government or an assigned employer as long as he stayed within the prescribed district.

The ticket of leave contained details such as crime, sentence and physical characteristics and had to be shown on demand. The stub is the duplicate that remained with the authorities and was often updated if the ticket was rescinded. Rare before 1810.

A photocopy of the ticket of leave stub for your convict will be supplied.

Price is reduced if the reference number is supplied.

What was it like for your convict ancestor on the voyage to New South Wales or Tasmania? Did he/she get ill? What was the treatment? What was the voyage like? The Surgeon Superintendent/'s Journal has all this information and more.

The Surgeon Superintendent on a convict transport ship was required to keep a journal of all health-related occurrences on the voyage. The journals mention the names and treatment of all persons seen by the Surgeon, whether convict, crew, soldier or passenger. A general report of the voyage and behaviour of the convicts is often included.

Price includes a search for your convict in the list of sick, with a copy if he/she appears, plus a full copy of the general report of the voyage.

Name and date of ship must be supplied.