Lilian's Tree

Simon was fifteen in 1843 when he first faced the court for stealing. Court records show that he was living with his mother, Margaret McKenzie in Friars Lane, Inverness, no father is mentioned. [1] On 9 January 1843, Simon along with one John McDonald were charged with three accounts of stealing; firstly from Mr Joseph Mitchell, Esquire, Inspector of Highland Roads and Bridges, on or about November or December 1842; A large jar or Greybeard, a small cask or keg, a pair of drab trousers, a pair of gaiters and a bagpipe chanter [2] , also a flute, a whip thong and a pair of gaiters belonging to John McLennan, servant to Mr Mitchell.   Secondly from Alexander Munro, spirit dealer on 24 December 1842; 25 common glass bottles, a pair of new shoes, a pair of boots and a pair of worsted stockings. Thirdly from Mr James Falconer, teacher on 7 January 1843; two legs of mutton, weighing in total 17 ¾ pounds [3] and a hare, by breaking the lock from the meat safe door. When apprehe...

Simon Grant. Other than Simon's arrival, at Port Phillip, as an exile, on 9 April 1846, these two notices are all that I have found (so far), about Simon. He was my Great-Great-Grandfather. Born in Scotland c1829, he was only 17 when he arrived here. His crime was theft. What he did between his arrival in 1846 and his marriage, to Ann Cameron, in 1850, remains a mystery. One I hope to solve. Bye for now, Lilian.