Finding my convicts family

[Lisa wells]

Hi all...hoping if you can help with newly discovered Liverpudlian ancestry.
My GG grandfather Michael Dodd was born in Liverpool circa 1829.
In 1848 he was convicted of larceny, 12 month sentence
1850 another felony, 14 days hard labour at Kirkdale prison.
Finally 6th December 1852- robbery with other persons, sentenced at Liverpool assizes 15 years transportation to Western Australia.
My main question...do any of you know if more detailed records are held in Liverpool that may contain his parents names, address etc ?
I'm trying to prove that his parents are Thomas & Bridget Dodd of Johnson street Liverpool in The 1841 census.
On a bright note Michael Dodd was pardoned after a year in WA and became a model citizen...he named his property ''Everton Valley" so, he must have had fond memories of 'the Mother country !!
Any advice or clues would be most appreciated.
Much cheer Lisa

[Bertieone]

Hi Lisa and welcome,

A couple of snippets from the newspapers,

Lloyds Weekly, 7 November 1852,


Liverpool Mercury, 10 December 1852.

[Lisa wells]

Thank you Bert... You're an absolute legend, for helping out with my search I'm loving those articles Re: my GG grandfather
I was adopted in Australia in 1966 & only recently found out my fathers name - who's name lead me to my convict Michael Dodd...I've done the ancestry.com au search... Your articles are new to me, wow and thank you again.
much cheer Lisa x

[Bertieone]

Another snippet, unfortunately no address for Michael,
William Holland was a pawnbroker.

[Blue70]

Have you looked at the Liverpool RC baptisms on Ancestry? The following is a possible match:-

Name: Michael Dodd
Birth: 25 Nov 1829
Baptism: 13 Dec 1829
Church: St Nicholas RC, Copperas Hill, Liverpool
Father: Thoma Dodd (Thomas Dodd)
Mother: Bigtta Gollagner (Bridget Gallagher)


This is the 1841 Census you mentioned that appears to be the same family:-

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MQ2R-NKQ


Blue

[Blue70]

Marriage: 19 Jan 1829 St John CE, Liverpool, Lancs.
Thomas Dodd - (X), Labourer, Liverpool
Bridget Gollagher - (X), Spinster, same parish
Witness: Lawrence Gollagher, (X); James Gibling, (X)
Married by Banns by: Thos. Stringer, Curate
Register: Marriages 1827 - 1835, Page 44, Entry 218
Source: LDS Film 1656197


Blue

[MaryA]

Hi and welcome to the forum, fascinating story, love that you have it mentioned in the newspapers.

We have a project within the Society that is working with a group in Tasmania, our people are trying to put together whatever they can of convicts transported to Tasmania. I will ask the Project Co-ordinator if she has any other sources she can suggest.

[PatsyB]

Hi Lisa, I am Pat, the Society Project Coordinator and I am leading our Society's researchers on a major project researching people transported to Australia in the 1800's. I have found the following information for you:

On this linc to convict records.com.au there is information about Michael Dodd....

https://convictrecords.com.au/convicts/ ... chael/3375

The following links are useful for researching convicts to Western Australia.
http://www.sro.wa.gov.au/archive-collec ... ct-records
http://www.friendsofbattyelibrary.org.a ... tralia.pdf

I do hope this helps. Best of luck finding your information. Pat

[MaryA]

Thanks Pat, I'm sure Lisa will find your links useful.

[Lisa wells]

Dear Bert, Blue, MaryA and Pat
I'm overwhelmed with all your help, thank you so much.
It's funny how many years ago Australians hid their convict heritage...now it's a badge of honour to claim a convict & I'm loving my newly found Michael Dodd, thank you for the convict search hints... I now know he suffered from constipation on his journey to Australia TMI
I am signed onto Ancestry.com.au... Can you perhaps recommend any other sites I ought to join ?
Really enjoying, reading Liverpools History... As its now mine too.
Thank you again Lisa
Ps I cannot get the song "ferry across the Mersey" ought of my head !!

[MaryA]

If we can usefully use free websites that's far preferable than spending money on a subscription site, so try some of these first.

We have a page of links for Australian research
https://www.liverpool-genealogy.org.uk/ ... 14&t=15307

and check some of these that were collected quite some time ago but are still relevant
https://www.liverpool-genealogy.org.uk/ ... =14&t=9947

[PatsyB]

There is loads of information out there about the transported convicts. I had to laugh about Michael Dodd being constipated on board the ship. Good job he didn't have anything worse and died or he would have been "buried at sea".

The convict site we are working with is http://www.femaleconvicts.org.au. Although they are working on the women who were transported, most of them married and if you know the woman you may well find some information on her husband.

You are right, years ago convict ancestors used to be hidden, now it is a badge of honour. Brilliant. Enjoy your research.

[Lisa wells]

Thank you all again for your advice. With all your help I have pretty much discovered Michael Dodd in Australia & sent on the search info to a friend who had a "Mary Ann Cranston" originally from Mayo Ireland, sentenced in Liverpool to 7 years in Tasmania @ the female factory in Hobart.
If I'm not 'pushing the friendship ? Do you clever + helpful minds think there would be more info re: my Michael Dodd in libraries, archives in Liverpool ?
Wish I could just pop over (have a 17+ year old dog at home, so no overseas trips atm)
Have a fab weekend all
Much cheer Lisa

[PatsyB]

Hello Lisa, well it is a Bank Holiday weekend here so we are chilling out and doing our family research. Its still quite cold but hopefully that will improve. You may find some information on your ancestor in the Liverpool Mercury paper which was the paper here at that time. When you do get over here you must let me know and we will look after you and get you on the Ferry Across the Mersey.

[MaryA]

As for searching the Liverpool Mercury, try registering with Lancashire Libraries, although it says you need to live in the UK I've known others from Australia who have managed to register successfully.

You will be sent your library number and you can use it to log on to the old newspapers via the Lancashire Library site. It has quite a good search for entries prior to 1900.

[Lisa wells]

Thank you, Patsy & Mary
I shall attempt to join the library. I'm looking forward to stepping back in time...reading the Liverpool Mercury. In Australia we have Trove NLA where the newspapers etc are freely available for anyone to view, have found articles with Michael Dodd + many snippets on my 130 year old house and it's history.
Have a great day
Much cheer Lisa