I have a Catherine Kelly, born about 1798, convicted Dublin 1815 for passing a forged banknote, who arrived in Sydney on the fourth voyage of the 'Canada' in 1817. She married John Bruce in 1822 and I think died in 1826 before the expiry of her (fourteen-year sentence). I haven't succeeded in tracing her parents.

I'd appreciate others' views of the likelihood that two other Kellys who arrived on the same voyage were her sisters. These were Mary-Ann Kelly (born about 1799) and Christian (later sometimes known as Christina) Kelly (born about 1796), both also convicted in Dublin of passing forged notes within eight months of Catherine and both also sentenced to fourteen years' transportation. All three were described as servants.

The ship's list of convicts, written on arrival in Sydney, isn't alphabetical but grouped together these three Kellys on board though not together with other Kellys.

Both Mary Ann and Christian earned their Certificates of Freedom. Both were described as natives of Dublin, about 5' tall and with fair complexions and dark hair and eyes.

While, as indicated above, Mary-Ann married, Christian didn't. There is no record that either had any children.

There is one detail in particular which inclines me to believe the three were sisters. On the 1822 muster an Ann Bruce, born in the colony, was living with Mary Ann Kelly and John Boylan, a bookbinder and former convict whom she had married in 1819. An Ann Bruce who was almost certainly the same person appears on the 1825 muster described as 6 years old, born in the colony, and described as John Bruce's daughter. One of Catherine's daughters was christened Mary Ann.

I'd be most grateful for any views.