This database contains indentures, court orders, and other
documents relating to convicts from the county of Dorset
sentenced to transportation. Transportation as a punishment for
convicted criminals in England came about in the seventeenth
century. Transportation meant criminals were essentially exiled
to one of England’s colonies for a set number of years or even
for life. Many of the convicts in these records are being sent
“across the seas” to America or Africa. Sentences tended to be
harsh, and convicts could be transported for what might be
considered minor offenses today. What You Can Find in the
Records This database features various documents from the county
of Dorset related to convicts who were to be transported. These
include indentures, court orders, bonds, and correspondence.
Records will typically include the convict’s name, crime, and
punishment. There may be more than one document associated with
your ancestor, so use the arrow keys to scroll forward and back
to make sure you find all the doc