Thomas Armstrong is my Great Great Grandfather.

Nine year old Thomas arrived in Hobart Town on September 21 1843 as one of 49 children accompanying their convict mothers aboard the convict ship East London. It had been a gruelling 4 ½ month voyage, in which 19 women and 12 children died. An inquiry was held due to the high number of deaths on this voyage.
He and his mother, Rose McQuade, were from County Fermanagh Ireland where she had been tried and convicted for stealing a cow. She was sentenced to 10 years transportation to Van Diemen’s Land.

Thomas was in the Orphan School from October 1843 to January 1846. He was then discharged to his mother when she obtained her Ticket of Leave.
When he was older Thomas made his way to the Victorian Goldfields before settling in Warrnambool where he worked as a shoemaker, a trade he was probably introduced to at the Orphan School.
On January 1st 1859 25 year old Thomas married Anne Daly at the Roman Catholic Presbytery in Warrnambool. From 1860 to 1873 Thomas and Ann produced 10 children, most of whom went on to become prominent members of the communities of Warrnambool and Camperdown, including one son who became a Justice of the Peace.

Thomas died on 22nd May 1891 at his home in Lava St Warrnambool from Enteritis Tuberculosa. His descendants have contributed greatly to his new country and are now spread far and wide across the land.