Dear Jo, Hi. Can you provide the information source of where you found 'your' possible stray Joseph Saunders?

I suppose it is this one?

Western Australian Convicts - Palmerston 1861

Saunders Joseph 5780 10y 23 Aylesbury .. .. 1858 Arson


I've found Claim a Convict

Convict: Joseph SAUNDERS
Arrived: 1791
Ship: Active
Trial Place, Year, Sent. & Age: Middlesex, 1790, 7

(7 years sentenced).

You can verify your possible Joseph SAUNDERS by purchasing bdm certs via following link. It helps if you know which State of Australia he was in. At following site, States are written in bold text. Some bdm registry indexes are available to search for free.

Birth, Death and Marriage Records - Australia

Alison
QLD.

Hi Alison,
Thank you for your response, I orriginally found him on the Parish registers for St Peter and Pauls in Dinton, then again on the 1841 and 1851 census, then nothing. A distant cousin said he had heard through the family that one of the Saunders' ancestors had gone to Austrailia to jail, Then I found the same one you did at the Palmerston 1861 site. The same cousin had said that he thought Joseph remained in Australia and married and had a family, of course not knowing if this Joseoh was the same as my Joseph, and also not having a clue how to research in Australia, I didn't persue it further, just doing searches now and then. He was not my direct line but I still would like to know what happened to him. I would guess if he had a 10 year sentence, his marriage record would have to be after 1861, I don't know if Australia gives time off for good behavior like they do here in the states.
I need to do some reading at the site you sent to see what is contained on the marriage records because with out the parent's name or a birthdate
on the record I would have no way to prove he was my Joseph Saunders.
Jo

Hi Jo,

From what I've learned regarding a couple of my convict forbears is that even if they were transported to Australia for a term of 7 years (not necessarily life), they couldn't afford a return passage to the motherland.

And in my case, they either remarried in Australia after their wife and children likely starved in England (sad but true, this particular 3g grandfather of mine stole wheat in Norfolk), or their wife and children followed them upon the convict attaining their Certificate of Freedom/Ticket of Leave.

I couldn't find a likely death of a Joseph Saunders within the appropriate timeframe in the Western Australian bdm indexes online. Think your fellow may have gone to another State.

Maybe one day you will find out. Or maybe you will never know. Keep digging. Did you check out RootsChat? Register as a new user, free site, goto their Australia board. Site is frequented by more users.

Al.

Hi again,
I found a Joseph Saunders marriage in 1869 to a Mary Neal, they were married in Perth, now if he got off a little early for good behavior then this is a possibility. I need to read to find out what is includedon a marriage record before i send for one, especially as expensive as they are about 41.00 including postage, high for a 3-g uncle, I need to read about if the Australian records work the same as the UK where if the information doesn't match they just charge a nominal fee and inform you that it does not match.
Now to do more checking, I was just getting the hang of the UK records, my forte is Italian records, so this is all new to me.
Jo

Jo,
You can be fairly certain that if your Joseph Saunders came out as a convict he did go to Western Australia given his year of birth and the years that convict transportation ceased in the other Australian states. Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) ceased transportation of convicts in 1853 and they were the last outside Western Australia. He could have come as a boy to Tasmania which is possible but less likely.
Cheers,
David

Jo,
I have checked the convict records for Tasmania which are available online. There were several convicts named Joseph Saunders but only one who came out after the 1851 census and he was not from Dinton. I also checked Tasmanian BDM records and no Joseph Saunders could be found who matched.

I am actually interested in Dinton rather than the name Saunders as some Hitchcocks on my wife's line were from Dinton. If I come across anything on Joseph Saunders I will let you know.

Jo,
One last thing you may want to check are the Western Australian post Office Directories which have been digitised for 1893 onwards. I checked the 1893 directory for Perth and found a Joseph Saunders. It may not be him but worth looking at in case things tie in later. The url is http://www.slwa.wa.gov.au/find/guides/wa_history/post_office_directories

Cheers,
David

Jo,
My grandfathers uncle, James Saunders moved family there in late 1800's. I just happened on this site and will try to dig out the records this week.
Jean Suttle

google ellen kent saunders married to joseph saunders 1823
...both convicts one for sheep and ellen stole shirts. my grandfather was alan saunders, brothers, lionel and henry, sister eileen, My grandfather's mother was Maryjane...I think she was a Harper. My mother was Dorothy, sisters Mary (molly) shirley and audrey, they lived in Healesville Victoria, Australia...

I am also looking for a convict, James Saunders or Saunders/Loder. He came from England and ended up in New Zealand. I don't know what his crime was and can only approximate when he was send to Tasmania (1820-1834). I don't know who his parents were or when he was born. Any help would be most appreciated. Cheers

I am also looking for a convict, James Saunders or Saunders/Loder. He came from England and ended up in New Zealand. I don't know what his crime was and can only approximate when he was send to Tasmania (1820-1834). I don't know who his parents were or when he was born. Any help would be most appreciated. Cheers