I am looking for some local and family history information about my Winch ancestors. Samuel Winch was apparently born in Preston on 27 December 1809 and baptised at the Independent Chapel or the Bethel Chapel in Hitchin in April 1810.

Samuel Winch was tried at the Hertford Assizes - together with Daniel Worboys and James Ward - on 3 March 1830. I have copies of Samuel’s Tasmanian convict records but wonder whether anyone can point me to records or newspaper reports of the trial that I can access from Australia.

Samuel and his companions were initially sentenced to death but this was commuted to transportation for life. They sailed aboard the Southworth from Sheerness on 26 June 1830. Could anyone advise please where they were likely to have been held in the interim? and whether records might be available?

I would of course love to hear from anyone else who is researching the Winch family. To date I have mainly focused on Samuel’s life and family after his arrival in Van Diemen’s Land but I would certainly like to learn more about his early life and earlier generations in England. Other researchers have indicated that his parents were Thomas Winch and Mary Brown and that his siblings included William, Daniel, Martha, George and Hannah (and for some of these I have accessed Census records on Ancestry.com.au).

Thanks in anticipation,

Lynne