The Family Detective

William Hanscombe (1802–1873): A Life of Resilience and Legacy Early Life William Hanscombe was born in 1802 in Great Shelford, Cambridgeshire, England, to Samuel Hanscombe and Constance Hatley . He was baptised on 12 September 1802 in his hometown. The details of his early years are scarce, but by 1822, William became embroiled in a crime that would alter the course of his life. Trial and Conviction On 22 July 1822 , William stood trial at the Cambridge Assizes , accused of burglary alongside Edward Smith. The pair had broken into the home of James King of Melbourn and stolen silver table spoons, tea spoons, and other valuables. Convicted of the crime, William was initially sentenced to death. This severe sentence was later commuted to transportation for life . After his trial, William was sent to the hulks at Portsmouth Harbour on 20 August 1822 , awaiting transportation to New South Wales. In 1823 , he boarded the convict ship Oceans (3) , beginning his journey to the othe...

  Meet my next project. Her name is Sarah Ann Hanscombe. I know zero about her other than a quick look at an ancestry tree that had this photo. Let the journey begin.

***This was written after a lot of extensive research. Please reference myself if you share this in anyway. I have a full reference list if you are interested. Also, return to my blog from time to time as things are often being updated when new information arises.*** The Life of James Edmund Scott in Colonial Melbourne: A Historical Reconstruction Introduction James Edmund Scott, a surgeon born in Devonshire, England, arrived in colonial Melbourne during a transformative period in Victoria’s history. His journey aboard the Hebe in 1857 marked the beginning of a short but complex chapter in his life. By examining the available records, historical context, and inferred details, we aim to piece together the narrative of his life in Melbourne, connecting his story to broader events shaping the colony during the mid-19th century. The Voyage of the Hebe James Edmund Scott and his family arrived in Melbourne on 16 April 1857, aboard the Dutch ship Hebe . Departing from London on 1 January 18...

Researching the Coffee family has been an enlightening and emotional journey, filled with unexpected discoveries, challenging roadblocks, and moments of deep reflection. This recount captures the process, my evolving thoughts, and the insights I’ve gained while exploring the lives of George and Edmund Coffee and their connections to Joseph and Catherine Coffee. Starting Point: A Simple Curiosity My research began with a simple curiosity about my ancestors and how their lives unfolded in the early days of South Australia and Victoria. George Robert Coffee’s baptism record became my first significant clue. It established his parents, Joseph Coffee and Catherine Roberts, and placed the family in Port Adelaide in 1851. From there, I started piecing together the broader narrative of their lives. Tracing Family Connections The journey quickly expanded as I unearthed the lives of George’s siblings, especially Edmund Cornelius Coffee. His life provided a more sombre angle to the family story. ...

In the mid-19th century, South Australia was a burgeoning colony, a destination for hopeful emigrants seeking a fresh start. Among them was Catherine Roberts, a 19-year-old woman who embarked on the voyage aboard the Stebonheath . The reasons for her journey are unknown, but it is clear that she was travelling alone to an unfamiliar land. Her journey would eventually intertwine with that of Joseph Coffee, a ship crew member, leading to a significant chapter in her life. Catherine Roberts set sail from London and Plymouth on 31 January 1849 aboard the Stebonheath , a 926-ton ship that carried 373 emigrants to Port Adelaide. The voyage lasted an arduous 100 days, marked by cramped conditions and the challenges of life at sea. The ship finally arrived on 11 May 1849, delivering Catherine to her new home in South Australia. Joseph Coffee, born in 1822, was a crew member aboard the Stebonheath . Shortly after arriving in Port Adelaide, he made a decision to desert the ship. On 9 July 1849...

 This is a controversial statement. After many years of reasearch and a lot of unpublished research this year, I feel that John Ross the Shoemaker is not related to us. I can find no connection to any Ross families in our DNA other than those that connect to John Lees Ross. John Ross the shoemaker is in and out of the records, gaol records, newspaper articles, convict records. There is a lot connecting him to Sarah Bird, but nothing ever mentions Ellen Ross. John Ross the shoemaker had one record that gave a link to Ellen. He was buried in the same church as John Lees was christened. It is probably too long a bow. Ellen Ross claims to be a spinster, this would seem that Ross is then her maiden name.  If John Ross was John Lees' father then she could have probably named him.  I like to keep thinking that the naughty Ellen Ross might be our great x grandmother. >ut there are marriage records that don't necessarily align with what we do know about Ellen.  If John Ros...

These are my 4th Great Grandparents.* For me they've always been a name on the tree. Parents of Henry but not really having a story of their own. But through Henry Laing's records we can learn a little about them. John Laing was a farmer and a cowfeeder. (Source: Henry's court records, Scotland Postal Directory) From maps and etchings of the time Henry was born we could see the older parts of the city were still surrounded by large parcels of ground and farming was done close to the city. John Laing possibly had his own small parcel of land but was a cowfeeder for a weathy landowner or company. Edinburgh at the time of Henry Laing's birth *Note: all dates are estimates and only once source has been found to reference an Elizabeth Annan mother of Henry and wife of John so please keep this in mind if using this for research.

 I've pinned down James Hardy & his wife Jane as having arrived per the London, a convict ship which departed from Kingston, Northern Ireland, 20 December, 1850 and arrived Hobart Town, 20 March, 1851. The reasons I have come to this conclusion are: James & Jane's daughter Isabella was born at sea (BDM records) and registered April 1851. Ship's surgeon James Booth's medical journal records one child surviving birth on the ship. Military records record James being sent with 4 others to Newry to board a convict ship to Australia as a convict guard.  James Hardy Serial Number 155. Shipping Intelligence for the month shows convict ship London arrived 20 March (close to estimated date in above image). It was the only convict ship arriving from Kingstown and onboard were 30 pensioners guards.  James Hardy is named in the medical records of the Cornwall that arrived in 1851. Isabell Hardy was listed as being born at sea April 1851 and this would mean it could not hav...

Ten years ago, I began untangling the life of Janet Scott (née Craigie). While some answers have surfaced, others remain just out of reach. Here’s what I’ve pieced together about her journey. Janet, also known as Jessie, was married in 1868 in Victoria, Australia, but details about her life before then have been elusive. Recently, I uncovered records suggesting she may have been cared for by Reverend John D. Robertson and his wife, Amelia. The couple married in Canada in 1857 and later settled in Victoria, where Reverend Robertson became a well-known figure in the Presbyterian Church. Janet’s connection to the Robertsons has strengthened my hypothesis that she was likely the Jessie Craigie listed as living with John and Margaret Robertson in Scotland. By the 1860s, the Robertsons were in Australia, and it seems plausible Janet traveled there to reunite with them. This move might have been orchestrated by Margaret Robertson, who appears to have been an aunt or other close relative, like...

 I've popped all the research I've done so far on John Ross Snr, Ellen Ross and John Lees Ross in an attempt to find a fresh perspective.  I've asked it to identify my research areas that seem improbable. This is what I've got so far. List of Improbable or Questionable Facts John Ross (Convict) as John Lees Ross’s Father : Despite being a common assumption, there is no direct evidence connecting John Ross (convict) to Ellen Ross or John Lees Ross. The convict John Ross’s reputation (criminal activities, brothel involvement) contrasts sharply with Ellen Ross’s apparent lawful lifestyle. Joseph Ross Being Referred to as John Ross : Multiple records and articles refer to Joseph Ross as "John Ross" in court proceedings and newspapers. It seems improbable that two brothers would intentionally share or interchange such a significant name without clear explanation. Ellen Ross Marrying John Ross (Convict) : Ellen Ross is consistently listed as a spinster in records, i...

Trove Newspaper articles have lead me to believe that Joseph Ross was sometimes referred to as John Ross. They had a connection with Sarah Bird and John Ross was noted as his brother in law. Could Ellen Ross have been related to Sarah? I have several posts that cover the relationship between Bird and the Rosses and also theories about Ellen Ross. FREE ACCESS: I am happy to share access to my research for those who request via comment below. Unfortunately I have had a large amount of my research from this blog taken without acknowledgment. It is with sadness I am making my research available "by request".  Also, feel free to use the comments as a place to share with others. I have a private  Facebook Group  where files and research will be posted. Feel free to join to join the conversations. _______________________________________________ It is widely believed that John Ross who was a convict and shoemaker was my fourth Great-Grandfather. I started this post with the inten...

All researchers know we cannot all rely on what we find on Ancestry.com.  A number of trees have recorded William Littlewood Snr as the step father of William Littlewood Jnr (father of Rose Littlewood). William Littlewood Jnr it seems was the son of Bridget Kelly. To date I have not found the records that connect William Jnr to Bridget Kelly other than her marriage to William Snr.  Oddly none of the trees seem to have picked up the information that William Littlewood Snr was a convict on Charles Sturt's Second Exhibition. Also, many other vitals seem to be missing.  It seems nice to think William Littlewood Snr is indeed connected to our tree, and there are some interesting factors that I will explore (ironic). For the purpose of this I will continue to call them William Snr and Jnr. ... ____________________________________________________ FREE ACCESS: I am happy to share access to my research on William Littlewood Senior & Junior, for those who request via comment be...

In 2021, I completed a convict case study on Patrick Dodd for my UTAS Family History course. For some reason the word document has disappeared, but I have a PDF with full intext referencing for those who might be interested. My research looks at Patrick from the time of his crime, his time as a convict, and details of his life after that until his death. A full bibliography is included.  FREE ACCESS: I am happy to share access to my full research for those who request via comment below. Unfortunately I have had a large amount of my research from this blog taken without acknowledgment. It is with sadness I am making my research available "by request".  Also, feel free to use the comments as a place to share with others. I have a private Facebook Group  where files and research will be posted. Feel free to join to join the conversations. __________________________________________________________________________ On 30 August 1828, Patrick Dodd sat down to a meal of roast ha...

I have already written of the Michael Cotter manslaughter of John Carroll, but I often wonder who John Carroll was and how he may have been connected to Michael, other than as a friend. Carroll is my brother-in-law's family so it's often intrigued me if he might be related to John Carroll. Also in delving into Richard Kelly's family trying to make a connection to Mary Ann Kelly, I've noticed his grandmother is noted as Catherine Carroll.  Who was John Carroll and who mourned his loss when he was gone? John's death was not registered (via BDM) and little information is gathered from the coroner's report of his inquest. A search of Trove, 1850, relays accounts of a John Carroll in the Bathurst area who was a trouble maker of sorts. He was described as a "Port Phillip vagabound" having recently arrived in Australia and a number of accounts of trying to get alcohol under false prentences. He claimed to be a thrasher from Dunn's Plains (near Rockley, an...

 Do you have titbits of knowledge that you feel must connect somehow but don't know how? I  never know where to place them or keep track of them, but I'm going to try here. I shall try and keep them in family names. PHILLIPS - KELLY - EACRET In 1842 Richard KELLY & his wife Mary (nee EACRET) migrated with two of their children aboard Duke of Roxburgh and had in their care Anne PHILLIPS (20 year old from Leahy, Laois Queens County, Ireland) (Records show an Anne Phillips married Joseph Goodwin and settled at  Tangmangaroo) PHILLIPS - CONNOLLY - DODD Michael PHILIPS wife was Mary CONNOLLY. Ann CONNOLLY married Patrick DODD who was involved in stealing meat with her brother Michael CONNOLLY. Could there be a relationship? KELLY - DODD - COTTER Catherine KELLY married Michael DODD, son of Patrick DODD (she became Catherine DODD), her sister-in-law Catherine DODD married Michael COTTER (becoming Catherine COTTER). A number of Catherine KELLY's relatives are named Mary Ann...