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...

Reading my December 2017 copy of Family Tree magazine;   www.family-tree.co.uk   and found an interesting article about British convicts.  Free new website traces British convicts, page 7 and thought that I would have a look and 'play' around on it. www.digitalpanopticon.org The opening paragraph of the article reads;  "A vast, new, free online resource is enabling researchers to trace the lives of transported and imprisoned convicts in Britain and Australia between 1780 and 1925."    I thought that this is great and went and had a look. It is a very well set out site, with clear tabs to take you to other areas. You can read about prison hulks, punishments, what London was like at the time and some of the convicts own stories. I searched for my Simon McKenzie and found that there were 11 records for Simon McKenzie, with around six belonging to my Simon. When you click on the entry, it pops-up another box and give details of what ...