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Convict Queenslanders

Queensland's history contains many well-respected settlers from all walks of life. They are members of government, doctors, landowners, newspaper editors and more. Discover some of Queensland's pioneers who first came to Australia as convicts.

Portrait of Thomas Dowse, a caucasian man with a large whispy beard and cropped hair with a cowlick at the front. He is wearing an 1800's suit.
Thomas Dowse 1809-1885
Convicted on 16 September 1824 in Middlesex, and sentenced to transportation for life.
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Portrait of William Groom
William Henry Groom 1833-1901
Convicted on 26 October 1846 in Devon, and sentenced to seven years transportation.
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Portrait of James Josey
James Josey 1821-1903
Convicted on 22 February 1840 in Berkshire, and sentenced to fifteen years transportation.
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Portrait of James Davis
James Davis "Durramboi" 1808-1889
Convicted on 19 July 1824 in Surrey, and sentenced to transportation for life.
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Portrait of Kevin Izod O'Doherty
Kevin Izod O'Doherty 1823-1905
Convicted in August 1848 in Ireland, and sentenced to ten years transportation.
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Portrait of John Flood
John Flood 1832-1909
Convicted on 21 May 1867 in Ireland, and sentenced to fifteen years transportation.
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Portrait of man sitting at table wearing top hat and suit with long coat
Patrick O'Sullivan 1818-1904
Convicted on 2 January 1838 in Kent, and sentenced to fifteen years transportation.
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Side head silhouette of Victorian female
Hannah Rigby c.1794-1853
Convicted on 2 October 1821 in Lancashire, and sentenced to seven years transportation.
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Portrait of elderly man in a suit wearing a knitted hat, sitting on a chair in the garden
Edward Mott 1807-1900
Convicted on 18 January 1828 in Gloucestershire, and sentenced to seven years transportation.
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Head and shoulders portrait of a man with a moustache wearing a suit
William Charles Wilkes c.1816-1873
Convicted on 14 February 1833 in Middlesex, and sentenced to transportation for life.
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Further information

The information relating to these famous Queenslanders' convictions comes, in part, from the British convict transportation registers 1787-1879. Compiled from the British Home Office (HO) records. You can search for over 123 000 of the estimated 160 000 convicts transported to Australia in the 18th and 19th centuries - names, term of years, transport ships and more.