I grew up in Sydney and vividly recall the celebration for the bi-centenary of the discovery of Sydney (Botany Bay) by Captain Cook and at that time I recall asking my grandparents if they thought we may have convict ancestors. The answer was “Absolutely not”.

But when I started researching my family history, I found out that we did indeed have convicts in the family. My paternal gr gr gr grandparents were both convicts. Mathew Dalton was convicted in Dublin, Ireland on 5 Oct 1827 of stealing some sugar. You can see his Convict Indent below.

He was transported on the vessel Mangles which arrived at Port Jackson on 2 June 1828. He was assigned to John Blaxland of Newington and then went to Blaxland’s property Luddenham. 

He married convict woman Jane Greer in 1840 at St Thomas Church at Mulgoa. You can see their Application to Marry below. Jane Greer was convicted in Armagh, Ireland on 24 June 1837 for stealing a sheet. She, like Mathew, was sentenced to transportation for 7 years.

I have just about traced their whole life in Australia and am researching the lives of the children of Jane and Mathew for a book I intend to write - they were the first Australian born generation of my Dalton family.  

In my research I came across an interesting story about another convict woman, Mary Connor - well that was the name she used when she was arrested and tired for larceny.  Mary was one of the Irish women convicts who were transported on board the convict ship Elizabeth 1828. The women who were on the Elizabeth rioted in the gaol in Cork and all in all it makes very interesting reading. 

Mary Connor married the convict George Gray. One of their daughters, Mary Gray, married John Dalton, one of the sons of my convicts Mathew and Jane! So here we have son of convict marrying daughter of convict. 

My greatest desire and wish in life is to find the details of the parents of Mathew Dalton and Jane Greer…….I will keep searching!

Gerry Dalton, NSW