Old photos keep the present and
 the future in touch with the past

FAMILY
                       Like branches
                         on a tree
                       We all grow in
                         Different
                         Directions
                       But our roots 
                       Remain the same



STRANGERS IN THE BOX

Come, look with me inside this drawer,
   In this box I've often seen,
 At the pictures,black and white,
    Faces proud, still, serene.

I wish I knew the people,
  These strangers in the box,
 Their names and all their memories
   Are lost among my socks

I wonder what their lives were like, 
   How did they spend their days?
 What about their special times?
   I'll never know their ways.

If only someone had taken time
 To tell who,what,where,or when,
   These faces of my heritage
   Would come to life again

Could this become the fate
 Of the pictures we take today?
   The faces and the memories
   Someday to be passed away?

Make time to save your stories,
 Seize the opportunity when it knocks,
  Or someday you and yours could be
     The strangers in the box
         
         Anonymous



About LAING, AMELIA(EMMA)
 ASSIGNED 1841:
 After arrival assigned to W.G.Walker - John was assigned to Walker 1832 and this is where they  would have met thus child Emily being conceived





CONVICTION/DEPARTURE Edinburgh Scotland Tried for Theft and Sentenced to 7 years. Arrived  Tasmania per ship Rajah 24 July 1841



C of E. Witnesses -Wm.Fitzgerald & J.Peddington. John & Amelia signed with their mark. John  holding a Ticket of Leave had to make application to marry.



POLICE NUMBER 2291 LITERACY read only
 TRIAL DATE 22 July 1840 AGE ON EMBARKATION 23
 TRIAL PLACE Edinburgh Court of Justiciary AGE ON ARRIVAL 24
 OFFENCE stealing children’s clothes and former conviction HEIGHT 4′ 11½″ or 4′ 11¼″ SENTENCE 7 years COMPLEXION fair
 GAOL REPORT indifferent and imprisoned before, single HEAD oval PREVIOUS CONVICTIONS once 30 days for stealing a shawl, 60 days for stealing an apron
 HAIR brown
 VISAGE oval
 SURGEON’S REPORT quiet FOREHEAD round
 ON THE TOWN no EYEBROWS dark brown
 MARITAL STATUS single EYES brown
 CHILDREN 0 NOSE small, turned up
 FAMILY father John Laing, mother Catharine Wells, brother
 James, sister Barbara2
 MOUTH medium
 NATIVE PLACE Fife, Scotland CHIN medium
 TRADE ON EMBARKATION MARKS several small warts on face
 TRADE ON ARRIVAL house servant, plain laundress
 24 June 1809 Father John Laing married mother Catharine Wells at Cults, Fife, Scotland.3 13 May 1810 Sister Barbara Laing baptised at Cults, Fife, Scotland; father John Laing, mother Catharine Willes.2,4
 27 June 1812 Brother James Laing baptised at Cults, Fife, Scotland; father John Laing, mother Catharine Wells.2,5
 c1814 Born in Fife, Scotland; father John Laing; mother Catharine Wells.6 29 April 1814 Baptised at Cults, Fife, Scotland; father John Laing, mother Catharine Wells.7 29 May 1839 Charged at the Police Court, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland with stealing on 28 May 1839 1 peck of oatmeal and 1 checked apron, value not exceeding £10, from the house of William Erskine at Fountain Close, High Street, Edinburgh; warrant issued 29 May; plea not guilty; witnesses Jane Rots or Erskine, Fountain Close and Margaret Duff Broker, Leith Wynd; found guilty; sentence 30 days imprisonment at Edinburgh Gaol; vagrant.8
 11 July 1839 Charged at the Police Court, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland with stealing on 9  July
 1839 1 check apron and 1 small, blue worsted shawl, value not exceeding £10, from the green behind St Mary’s Church, Edinburgh, the property of Margaret Newton, 7 Scotland Street; plea not guilty; witnesses Catherine Owen, servant, London Street; Margaret Mewton, Scotland Street; and John Amos, day policeman; found guilty; sentence 60 days imprisonment at the Bridewell, Edinburgh; no fixed place of residence.9
 28 December 1839 Prisoner in the Tolbooth, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland.10

Charged at the Sheriff Court, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland with theft of a brap or other metal candlestick (2 candlesticks) and a pair of snuffers, by habit and repute a thief; found guilty; sentence 5 months imprisonment at the Bridewell, Edinburgh.10 22 July 1840 Prisoner in Edinburgh Gaol, Midlothian, Scotland.12 Tried at the Court of Justiciary, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland with Margaret Caldwell or Leitch11 indicted for the crime of theft, habit and repute in stealing children’s clothes at White Horse Close, Canongate, Edinburgh, property of William Mill, son of John Mill, Canongate, Edinburgh and at Low Calton, Edinburgh, the property of Elizabeth Torrance, widow, Ironside Close, Abbeyhill, Edinburgh; found guilty on 2nd charge, the Lord Advocate passing on the 1st charge; sentence 7 years transportation; no fixed abode.12
 Statement of witness Elizabeth Clayton or Torrance:
 Elizabeth Clayton or Torrance, widow, residing in Ironside Court Abbyehill, near Edinburgh, declared on Sunday, the 21st Current, about 2 o’clock PM my daughter Elizabeth, aged 4 years went out with Frances Copeland and Rebecca Robertson, children and neighbours, and she did not return, and I got her in the police office between 7 and 8 o’clock, and she then had not her mouslin de laine or printed ... coloured frock which she was wearing when she went out. Elizabeth said a woman took her frock from her in a stair but that is all  she
 can say about it and she cannot point out the stair. I saw the frock in the police office the  next
 day and I now see it. Elizabeth saw the prisoner in custody on the Monday and pointed out Laing as the woman who took her frock.12
 Statement of witness Frances Copeland:
 Frances Copeland (aged 6) daughter of Colonel Francis Copeland residing in Abbeyhill declared on the Sunday afternoon alluded to, about 2 o’clock, Rebecca Robertson, Elizabeth Torrance and I went to the Kings Park to amuse ourselves and a woman came to us on our way home and gave Elizabeth some sweeties and another woman came and lifted her and carried her away, but the first woman did not accompany her. I do not know where the woman took Elizabeth to. When the woman took her away Elizabeth was wearing the frock now shown me. The prisoner Laing is the woman who lifted Elizabeth and carried her away. The prisoner Mrs Leitch and the other woman, I never saw the other woman after that Sunday. I did not see Elizabeth again till after her frock had been taken. I cannot write.12 Statement of witness Rebecca Robertson:
 Rebecca Robertson (aged 6) declared I am daughter of Thomas Robertson a Tailor in Abbeyhill. Declared I went to Kings Park with Elizabeth Torrance and Frances Copeland and a lady gave some sweeties to Elizabeth Torrance. I left them to go home and afterwards I saw a woman taking Elizabeth’s frock off her in a stair, but I could not point out the stair. I saw  the
 woman in the police office a few days afterwards and now see her. She is the prisoner Laing. The frock now shown to me is the same. I cannot write.12
 Statement of witness James Bambery:
 James Bambery declared I am a broker in Blackfriars Wynd, High Street and between 4 and 5 o’clock of Sunday afternoon, the 21st current, the prisoner Laing brought the frock to my shop and pledged it with me for a 6d and she said her name was Isabella Stewart. She returned at 7 o’clock and relieved the frock by paying 6½d. She then had the child Mill in her arms. I now identify the frock.12
 Statement of witness Janet Cormack:
 Janet Cormack, his wife, corroborates her husband.12
 Statement of witness Agnes Gregor:
 Agnes Gregor, wife of John Mill, shoemaker, residing in Canongate, in or near Edinburgh, declared on Sunday the 21 current, at 5 o’clock P.M. my son William, aged 2¼ years, went out with Robina Glasgow to amuse themselves, and Robina came back without him. I went in search of William, and between 9 and 10 o’clock my sister, husband I found him in the arm the prisoner Laing in the Canongate and the prisoner Mrs Leitch was in her company and William then had not his Black Beaver hat, Flannel Petticoat, Cotton shift or shirt, Blue and white striped pinafore, Shoes, which he was wearing when he went out. Laing said she knew nothing of the articles and that she had found the child at the front of Canongate, and had taken it home and given it its tea and referred to the prisoner Mrs Leitch for the truth of  what
 she said, and Mrs Leitch said she could not say anything about it and that Laing had the child when she had fallen in with her between 5 and 6 o’clock and she denied all knowledge of the child’s clothes. Next day I saw the clothes in the watch house and I now see them. William, owing to his youth, cannot give any account of the matter. I cannot write.12 Statement of witness Robina Glasgow:
 Robina Glasgow declares I am daughter of William Glasgow, a Type founder, residing in ... Canongate. On the Sunday I went out with Mrs Mill and we went down the street, and a woman came forward and gave me a half a penny and sent me away for sweeties, and I left William with her, and on my return I found that she had gone away with William, and I did not see him again till after the theft. When I left him with the woman he was wearing the black beaver hat and pinafore and shoes which I now see. The prisoner Laing is the woman. I never saw Mrs Leitch till I saw her in custody. I cannot write.12
 Statement of witness Jacobrina Porter:
 Jacobrina Porter (aged 12 years) declared I am daughter of Henry Porter, a printer, residing in the Canongate. On the Sunday alluded to about 4 o’clock P.M. I saw the prisoner Laing speak to William Mill and Robina Glasgow and I saw her give a half a penny to Glasgow and send her away for sweeties, and when the girl went away Laing took up the boy and carried away down Shoemakers Close and I followed her and lost sight of her in Campbells Close. Mrs Leitch was not with her, and I did not see her till I saw her in custody. The boy was wearing a hat and a pinafore like that now shown to me. I cannot write.12 Statement of defendant Emilia Laing:
 I am 23 years of age and was born in Fife and I have no fixed place of residence and have been four times convicted of theft. I have known the prisoner Margaret Caldwell or Leitch about 3 years. On Sunday the 21st current about mid-day when Mrs Leitch and I were in company we met a children near the Canongate Church and we resolved to strip the child and sell the clothes and we led the child to the White Horse Close and at there we took off its  frock
 and we went away leaving the child the Close mouth and left the frock with a broker in Blackfriars Wynd in security of a sixpence which he advanced to me and we spent the money on drink. On after part of the same day Mrs Leitch advised me to get back the frock saying she would get more for it elsewhere and I therefore relieved it by paying seven pence and she pledged it for a shilling with a broker at the foot of Leith Wynd and spent the money on drinks. Declared on the same day we saw a Child near the Canongate Church and we resolved to strip the child and we led the chid to Low Calton and I there took the pinafore off the  child
 and she took off the petticoat shirt shoes and hat and she sold them or pledged them with the same broker in Leith Wynd but I cannot say for how much and we spent the money on drink and we were taken into custody at which time I was carrying the child, by two police officers and a woman who claimed the child as hers. I now see two children named Elizabeth Torrance and William Mill and I know them to be the same children and it was Torrance whom we first met. I now see the articles referred to and labels are attached to them as relative hereto. All  this
 I declare to be truth. I cannot write.12
 Statement of witness George Wood, Criminal Officer:
 Declared I saw the prisoners in the police office and William Mulholland and I questioned them, and both denied having taken any clothes from any children, but on the following day Laing admitted that Leitch and she had taken articles from two children and that they had pledged the articles and had spent the money on drink. Leitch admitted pledging the articles but denied all concern in stealing them, and said she did not know they had been stolen. We went with the prisoners and Laing pointed out the White Horse Close in Canongate as that in which the frock had been taken from Torrance, and the Entry or Common Stair No 5 Low Calton as the place where the articles had been taken from the Child Mill; and both prisoners point out Bambery’s Shop and Knight’s Shop as the places where Leitch had disposed of the articles, and Leitch has along protested her innocence to everything except pledging the  articles. I know the convictions dated 29th May 1839 and 11 July 1839 to apply to the prisoner Laing and that dated 3rd June 1837 applies to Leitch, and I have considered Laing habit and repute a thief for 2 years.12
 Statement of witnesses William Mulholland and James Anderson, Criminal Officers: Concur with George Wood in every particular. They state that Leitch said she saw Laing take the article from the child Mill in the entry in the Low Calton but that Laing said that  the
 child was her brother in law and then denied all concerns in the theft.12 5 April 1841 Departed Woolwich, England on the Rajah.
 13
 19 July 1841 Arrived at Hobart on the Rajah.13
 c24 July 1841 Upon arrival at Hobart, sent to Launceston for assignment.14 11 September 1841 Charged with being drunk in the service of Walker; reprimanded.15 26 October 1841 Charged with being absent without leave yesterday; sentence 6 weeks hard labour  at
 Launceston Female Factory.15
 31 December 1841 Mustered in the service of WG Walker Esquire, Launceston.16 6 May 1842 Application for permission to marry John Harris17 (York) sent to the Muster  Master.18
 17 May 1842 Application for permission to marry John Harris sent to the Secretary; not  approved,
 woman must give proof of better conduct.18
 319 July 1842 Daughter Emily Laing, illegitimate, born at Launceston Female Factory; mother Amelia Lang; father John Harris, convict; informant Robert Pearson, Superintendent, Female House of Correction.20
 20 July 1842 Daughter Emily Laing baptised in the Chapel at Launceston Female Factory; mother Emily Lang.21
 28 July 1842 Listed on the return of the Assistant Superintendent of Convicts, Launceston as having been delivered of an illegitimate child.15
 26 October 1842 Application for permission to marry John Harris (York) sent to the Muster  Master.22
 27 October 1842 Application for permission to marry John Harris sent to the Secretary; not  approved
 on account of the female’s misconduct.22
 4 April 1843 At Launceston.15
 19 April 1843 Application for permission to marry John Harris (York) sent to the Muster  Master.23
 3 May 1843 Application for permission to marry John Harris sent to the Secretary; not approved.23
 14 May 1843 Daughter Emily Laing died of diarrhoea at Dynnyrne Nursery, Hobart; aged 9 months; mother Amelia Laing, convict; informant Harriett Slee, Matron, Dynnyrne Nursery.24
 20 June 1843 At Launceston.15
 11 October 1843 Application for permission to marry John Harris (York) sent to the Muster  Master and
 the Secretary; approved.25

The Rajah quilt
 1841
 Place made: Australia
 Materials & Technique:	decorative arts and design, Textile, pieced medallion style unlined  coverlet: cotton sheeting and chintz appliqué, silk thread embroidery  Primary Insc: emboidered inscription panel at base of quilt: "TO THE LADIES/of the /Convict  ship Committee/This quilt worked by the convicts/of the the Ship Rajah during their voyage/to  van Diemans Land is presented as a/testimony of the gratitude with which/they remember their  exertions for their/welfare while in England and during/their passage and also as a proof  that/they have not neglected the Ladies/kind admonitions of being industrious/June 1841" CONVICTION/DEPARTURE Notes
 [CONVICTION/DEPARTURE Edinburgh Scotland Tried for Theft and Sentenced to 7 years. Arrived  Tasmania per ship Rajah 24 July 1841