John Freeth/Frith's records show he was tried under the name of Freeth in 1834 at Nottinghamshire for a stealing offence in Basford, UK. He was deported on the 'Lady Nugent', arriving in Sydney in 1835. The ship's indenture records him as 'Freeth' also. His Ticket of Leave issued on 4th January, 1847 in the District of Patricks Plains also shows his name as Freeth.

Through the usual documents we have no difficulty in establishing his line of descendency in Australia. He has clearly used the name Frith consistently in Australia and we have found no descendants born in Australia of the name Freeth.

Have not been able to establish whether 'Freeth' was a name change to protect family connections in UK from his slip with the law, or whether 'Frith' was the name change, therefore uncertain which is his birth name to research ancestors in UK.

The ship's indenture shows he was married with a family of 2 in the UK, came from Leceistershire and was a shoemaker. The problem is on all documentation parents are stated as 'unknown', which may suggest he was orphaned or again this may be further endeavour to protect the family name.

The other problem is although Family Tree researchers and chroniclers acknowledge a possible change of name from Freeth to Frith, they continue to research links with the name 'Frith' in the UK and document them as ancestors, yet I have seen no critical records to unequivocally determine which of Friths or Freeths belong to his ancestry in UK.

A line of Freeths from the Harborne, Handsworth area (now Birmingham) has been attributed as his ancestors in some trees, while a line of Friths from Wolsthorpe (spelling?) has also been attributed in other family trees. There is a discrepancy in the birth dates of almost 2 years.

His wife, Sarah Eather, is the connection with Tudor and Gee, through her second marriage to Henry Hugh Tudor in 1861. One of their children married a Gee. Has anyone researching these names had better results in researching her husband's ancestry?

Does anyone know whether research of the UK Nottinghamshire Court Assizes would necessarily show John Freeth/Frith's correct name, age, birthright, etc and whether a request for these to be researched is possible from Australia?

Any other suggestions or information would be greatly appreciated.