Becoming free
A convict could gain freedom in several stages. A Ticket of Leave entitled a convict to certain privileges. A pardon (conditional or absolute) could be granted for good behaviour before the sentence had been fully served. A Certificate of Freedom was granted to those who had served out their sentence. Your convict may appear on more than one of these resources - search through them systematically.
| Resource | Type |
|---|---|
Convict arrivals, 1788-1842Lists of convicts arriving in New South Wales. Information includes name, date and place of trial and sentence. In some cases, the indents were amended and show the pardon that your convict received when they gained their freedom. Available at the State Library or State Records NSW Community Access Points | microform |
Index to convict exiles, 1846-50British prisoners exiled to New South Wales after the 'official' end of convict transportation. They generally had served part of their sentence in gaols in Britain and were given pardons on arrival in NSW. | website |
Tickets of leave, 1810–1875Records of convicts who were granted certain rights as long as they conformed to particular rules of behaviour. Information includes convict name, date and place of trial, date of birth, native place, ship and date of arrival. Available at the State Library or State Records NSW Community Access Points | website/ microform |
Index to ticket of leave passports, 1835–1869Records of convicts who were granted rights to travel between certain points or to visit markets. Information includes convict's name, ship and date of arrival, date and place of trial and information about the right they were granted. | website |
Index to tickets of leave, certificates and pardons, 1810-1819Records of convicts who were granted certain rights, eg the right to work for themselves. Information includes convict's name, ship and date of arrival. | website |
Index to certificates of freedom, 1823–1869Records providing proof that a convict had served their full sentence and were now free citizens. Information includes date and place of trial, native place, year of birth, trade and appearance. | website |
Register of conditional pardons, 1791–1825Records of convicts with longer sentences who were excused from serving the rest of their sentence on condition that they remain in the colony. Information includes convict name, sentence, ship of arrival, place and date of trial, native place, trade and physical details such as height, eye colour and hair colour. Registers after 1810 tend to be more detailed than earlier ones. Available at the State Library or State Records NSW Community Access Points | microform |
Registers of convicts recommended for conditional pardons, 1826-1856Records of convicts with longer sentences who were excused from serving the rest of their sentence on condition that they remain in the colony. Information usually includes details of the convict recommended and the name of the person who recommended them. Available at the State Library or State Records NSW Community Access Points | microform |
Absolute pardons, 1791–1846Records of convicts who were exempt from serving the remainder of the sentence allowing them the same rights as free people. Information includes details of the convict recommended and, sometimes, the name of the person who recommended them. Available at the State Library or State Records NSW Community Access Points | microform |
Musters and census records, 1788–1837Musters may provide information on the status of a convict, eg free, convict, ticket of leave, pardon. Available at the State Library or try your local public library | |
NSW ships' musters, 1816-1825A list of the population on board a ship departing New South Wales between 1816 and 1825. Only those convicts who held a Certificate of Freedom or an Absolute Pardon were eligible to leave the colony. Available at the State Library or State Records NSW Community Access Points | website/ microform |
Convict bank warrants, 1837–1870Banking records of individual convicts - the date on the warrant may indicate when a convict gained freedom. There is not a lot of personal information in the records, but if you are interested in 'fleshing out' your convict's life, the amount of money over which they had control may be of interest. | website |
Our cataloguesUse these catalogues to find a large variety of original materials, covering convicts and convict life in Australia. | database/ print |
Find your local