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...