Yesterday I received an email from Aoife O'Connor, a PhD student with Sheffield University based in Dublin. Aoife is hoping to contact genealogists and family historians with criminal ancestors to fill in a survey or take part in an interview to assist with her research. Aoife's message is printed below with her permission. A Criminal Ancestor Are you descended from convict ancestors transported far from home or did great, great, great uncle John end up in court for squabbling with the neighbours? If your ancestor was a hardened criminal, a victim of a miscarriage of justice, a political prisoner, or in court for not paying their dog licence a new study is looking to hear from you. Criminals in the family have always fascinated family historians and it seems more of us are discovering more of them all of the time. The digitisation of the records of the criminal justice system and newspapers are bringing to light a side of our an...