John SHOULDERS was born about 1815 at Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, England.

According to John's death certificate, he had been in the colony for 26 years, which would make his arrival to be around 1832. The only person with a surname of Shoulders that I have been able to find arriving in the colony around this time was Henry Shoulders, who had arrived on board the ship " Planter" with a life sentence, he was assigned to Mr Buchannon (ref: 4⁄4017).

When Henry arrived in 1832 he was listed as married with 1 male and 4 female children and aged 36. He was convicted of Stealing Straw and given a life sentence due to a former conviction. He was convicted at the Sussex Quarter Sessions on the 5th April 1832. He was 5 foot five, brown hair and hazel eyes. His nose was a little crooked, he had 2 scars under his right jaw. He also had scars on his left and right hand.

A Henry Shrouder married a Rose Harris at Port Stephens in 1857 (NSWBDM: 2528). The index also records this marriage as being between Hessey Shrouder & Rose Thomas. Henry Shoulders (recorded under 'Shoulder') died aged 79 at Muswellbrook in 1865 (NSWBDM: 4782).

With Henry dying in 1865 and John in 1856, it's confirmed that they are not the same person but were they related somehow?

Did Henry bring out his family? Or did John use an alias?