From Bondage To Freedom (1)

 Many of our ancestors immigrated to escape bondage, some of those were the Irish during the potato famine of 1845-1861, about a million people died and a million fled the country. Some of those million came to Australia, among the number in my family was an Irish orphan lass on an Irish Orphan ship the "Thomas Arbuthnot". Among the Irish tenant farmers who immigrated were John English and his family. Many immigrated for the gold rushes in different countries including Australia at Hill End, New South Wales. In 1857 several ancestors were mining, including Johann Krohmann, who had one the largest veins, Michael Ackermann and his wife Anna Maria Krohmann, Johann's sister, who arrived  about 1870 from the Hunter Valley, and Joseph Golding, the latter another story of success rising out adversity. Some came just for the ability to own land which was unavailable in their home countries, among those was wealthy Peter Arthur Willmott. Another strong religious family was George White whose wife Alice Burden, died en route.  George was left a widower with 9 of the 12 children unmarried, 2 remained in England, his married son Isaiah, was on the same ship. George's sister Patience and husband Thomas Harris sponsored them. Edward Murphy was a ship's carpenter from New Brunswick, Canada, he was shipwrecked in the islands but made his way to Sydney and married one of the English daughters, his skills passed through the family to my father who was builder.
                                                         
England sent convicts to America and twice as many to Australia, "Many of the convicts were transported for petty crimes, such as stealing a handkerchief or a pair of buckles and some were as young as 11 or 12. After their prison terms were spent most stayed in Australia and joined the other settlers, with some rising to respected positions in Australian society". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convicts_in_Australia

One such convict was an ancestor William Johnson:

"OLD BAILEY COURT RECORD FOR WILLIAM JOHNSON, WILLIAM TURNER
Theft > simple larceny, 29th February 1836.
Reference Number: t18360229-750
Offence: Theft > simple larceny
Verdict: Guilty > other; Guilty > other
Punishment: Transportation
750. WILLIAM JOHNSON and WILLIAM TURNER were indicted for stealing, on the 17th of February, 72 yards of printed cotton, value 2l. 7s., the goods of George Mead.
PHINEAS BUTLER (police-constable K 222"On the 17th February, about five o'clock in the morning, I was between Bow-bridge and Bow-church, I saw the two prisoners a short distance apart-perhaps twenty yards, walking the same way. I stopped Johnson with these two pieces of cotton tied up in a blue handkerchief, I asked him what he had got there, he said he had got some prints, and he had brought them from Messrs. Lane's, at Harlow, as the patterns did not suit, he was going to take them to Bethnal-Green, to have them exchanged. I thought it was an unlikely story, and took him to the station-house. I called my brother-officer, who went after Turner, and he brought him with another bundle. He said he got them near the Horse-shoes, at Potters-street, which is about three miles below Epping that he took them out of a bale he found in the road, and thought they had dropped from Mr. Mead, the Harlow wagoner. I went to the King's Arms, in Leadenhall Street, and saw Mr. Mead, and found he had lost a small bale of goods of this description.
WILLIAM HOTHER (police-constable K 23.)" I was on duty, and apprehended Turner, in Bow Town-I took this parcel out of his possession I asked him what he had got in his hand he said clothes, I said what clothes,he said it was a gown-piece,I asked where he got it, and where he was going to take it,he could give me no satisfactory account.I took him to the station-house, he there confessed he picked it up on the road, supposing it had dropped from Mr. Mead's wagon." (Other testimony from Mr Mead's son who said, Johnson had worked for his father about 6 weeks prior and had driven the wagon and knew the road).
JOHNSON'S DEFENSE: I am a farmer's labourer, and have worked at Little Canfield Hall, at Essex, twelve years, and had an excellent character the whole time.I had been on a visit to my friends in London, and was returning with William Turner,we found a bundle on the road near Potter-street,we took the pieces out of it, three in number, and proposed to return to London, to see if we could find the owners. On arriving at Bow, we were taken to the station-house,I am innocent of taking them with a felonious intent; I therefore hope, by your just judgement, I shall he acquitted there are twelve in my family,not one was ever accused of dishonesty." ( Turner gave the same testimony).             

"Mangles"

William Johnson arrived in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, on the ship, "Mangles" in !841 so he may have been confined on one of the hulk ships on the Thames River. The prisoners were treated brutally, mostly whippings. Port Arthur in Tasmania was particularly hard as I toured the remains of the buildings on holiday tour of Tasmania. One form of punishment was isolated confinement in a small dark room, when the door closed no one could see their hand in front of their face. When the prisoners were released they became blind from the light.

William Johnson went on to be  a stockman at Gostwyck sheep station, and later a coach driver who ran the line between Armidale, Maitland and Singleton in New South Wales. He received his Ticket of Leave (or Certificate of Freedom), usually given to those with good behavior, before he married Ann Betts in 1845, so he did not have to be confined for his 7 year sentence. He and Ann  had 13 children and many descendents.