Alfred Windle - In 1821 Alfred Windle was sentenced to at York Assizes for the crime of stealing 48 rolls of ribbon along with his relative Joseph. Joseph was sentenced to 7 years transportation to Australia but Alfred was sentenced to death. Alfred had previously been sentenced at York in 1820 for the crime of larceny and maybe this was the reason for the harsher judgement upon him. Alfred was 18 years old at this time. Thankfully the death sentence was reduced to one of life imprisonment by transportation to Australia and he was duly transported 4th April 1822 on the ship Guildford along with 190 other convicts. He arrived in New South Wales 15th July 1822. He was granted a ticket of leave about 1834 and this allowed him to work in the area he was confined to by the rules of the ticket; it also allowed him to marry and settle down. He was further granted a conditional pardon on 20th July 1837 and this allowed him far more freedom and he used this and the money he saved through working to buy a plot of land of around 40 acres at Coogee Beach which is around 8 km. to the south of Sydney. It is at this site that he lived with his wife Caroline and between them they raised 13 children there. When he was living in Sheffield, England his occupation was that of Cutler but when he was given his ticket of leave in Australia he had turned his hand to that of Wheelwright and it appears that he made a good living from that. He died at Coogee Bay 30th November 1876 and his funeral was attended by his many friends and family. He was laid to rest in the Long Bay (Randwick) Cemetery at 3.00pm on 2nd December 1876 after a most full and adventurous life. He was my great great grandfather.

The tragic death of May Windle - My grandmother's sister died painfully and needlessly at the age of 18 in 1899. This story was covered up in our family for 115 years. Coroners inquest here.

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