The baskets of Isabella Hutchinson.

Isabella Hutchinson, a 44-year-old woman from County Tyrone was sentenced, along with her 14 year-old son, Thomas Ford, for receiving stolen goods. Isabella, a widow, took the journey on the Kinnear 1848 with three of her children: Jane aged about 15, Isabella aged 6 and James aged 4. The oral history is that the family were allowed to bring two baskets on board with their belongings. Only one basket has survived.

Isabella’s story was presented at the 2018 seminar A Great Blessing? Convict Women and Orphan School Children: Second Generation Orphans: Isabella Hutchinson’s children by her 3x great-granddaughter Caroline Haigh.

The surviving basket with lid