During the last two years or so in a number of places around the world there have been exhibitions of Female Convict Bonnets collected by “Roses From the Heart” organised by Christina Henri.

My wife made a bonnet for my convict GGG grandmother Sarah LYNCHEY. I understand that ladies on the IoM also made bonnets including one for Sarah.

This month a cousin here in Australia heard that there were living descendents of Sarah on the IoM anxious to find out what transpired after her transportation to Australia.

I wrote a story about Sarah of which I sent a copy to Hampton CREER who had helped me considerably and he sent it on to the Manx Family History Society; Hampton wrote an excellent book, "NEVER to RETURN", about the unfortunates who were transported from the IoM.

Some of you will know that I spent considerable time on this excellent list seeking any descendents, as the Indent of Convicts on the MARY iii in 1835 indicated that a son had either been left behind or was deceased.

Apparently the living relatives have encountered difficulties because of a
name change (apparently by Sarah) which made her difficult to trace.

I know that there are no LYNCHEYS listed in the IoM white Pages, this is not surprising as in Ireland the name LYNCHEY in its several spellings has morphed into LYNCH, I was advised of this by the prominent Down Genealogist Sean McCartan; this could have happened on the IoM and it did later in Sarah's life in Sydney and also from time to time with her daughter Mary Ann.

Hampton had Sarah listed as "Mary" but after I had forwarded to him and to the Manx Heritage copies of the details of the Trial, the Convict Indent, the Ticket of Leave and the Certificate of Freedom he agreed that he had taken the name from a newspaper report and not the Court Document.

In spite of seeking information and also paying a researcher to try to find more about Sarah and her family and although I came up with a number of leads I found no supporting documents linking to Sarah. In the story I have written about Sarah I have examined the possibilities of the son who did not accompany Sarah, Mary Ann and the other son and daughter on the MARY iii with no definite solution. Neither have I found anything definite about the other daughter or the son who came.

I still hope to solve this puzzle and if there is anyone on this list who can assist I will be most appreciative.

Peter