Irish convict - Henderson/Anderson - shipped to Australia 1820 Wellington

Hello

I am an Austrlian Descendent from an Irish Convict, in all the Australian records she appears as Susan/Susannah Anderson, however she arrived as Susan Henderson on the Lord Wellington in 1820, she was tried at Cavan, and accusted  for pickpocketing -and sentenced to  7 years f transport to the NSW Colony. 

 

Like so many though, she remained and made a new life for herself.

 

on the same ship at the same time was an Eliza Henderson, who was younger, but also sentenced at Cavan for picpocketing and to 7 years in NSW.

 

It certainly was very common for our Australian convicts to change or dervice their names, which certainly makes researching just that little more interesting.

What all descendent researchers over the years have come to the same conclusion that Susan Henderson/Susan Anderson are one and the same, as the literate population at the time was very low and wrote what they heard and that became their Australian name.  

We also know she married Edward Blanchfield (another convict, from Clare) soon after her arrival in the colony,  I am descended fromt one of their sons - Edward Blanchfield Jnr - who after his own brush with the NSW law, moved to Queensland and took on his mothers name - Anderson.  

He certainly broke free of the past history and came the 3rd Mayor of a small country town called Allora and had a strong sense of civic duty.

 

Records are difficult to trace here of exactly when the Susan Henderson / Susan Anderson scenerior, but I would love to be in contact with my Irish Blood cousins again. 

 

look forard to hearing back.