The Glen Innes Guardian (forerunner to the Glen Innes Examiner) we think was first published about August 1872, at least two years before the Examiner hit the streets
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The Armidale Express, and Maitland Mercury were two important sources of local news in earlier days and Glen Innes news can also be found in many other publications.
www.trove.nla.gov.au.newspapers is where to go searching - it is free, with downloadable articles.
In 1929 it was reported in the Richmond River Express and Casino Kyogle Express that a Mr Allan Ballard living in Church Street Glen Innes when working in his garden had dug up a badly rusted leg iron the same as those used in Convict days.
It was noted that the Ballard garden was ...'in the locality of one of the very first settlements in the district.' Originally there was felt to be a stigma, and many did not want to acknowledge the fact that there was this 'stain' of a convict in their ancestry.
The Armidale Family History Group afhgarm@gmail.com is calling information about convicts in New England. To start with they are asking for Convict names, ship they were transported on and where they settled.
The Beardies Heritage states that 'old documents and diaries throw interesting sidelights on the conditions obtaining in the late 'forties and 'fifties ...in 1849 in the Petty Sessions District of Wellingrove [our first official town before Glen Innes] one Clerk to the Bench, one chief and three ordinary constables, two schools and three water flour mills.
The 'Town' consisted of four small bark huts being the lock-up and residences of the clerk and constables.
'Ticket-of-leave holders were mustered at intervals, there being a large number in the district working on the roads and as assigned servants to land holders.
At the expiration of their term, they were granted their freedom on payment of the customary charge of 5/6...'
Land Records copied from original documents at the State Library show that were numerous convicts here, however they only record the numbers, not names of convicts, along with number of sheep, horses and cattle.
