Elizabeth Callaghan

Eliza Callaghan an Irish girl, was 17 years old when sentenced to death for forgery, the sentence was commuted to 14 transportation. She arrived in NSW aboard the Providence and later she was in Hobart Town. She was assigned to John Petchy. While in his service, Eliza had three offences recorded against her; drunk and disorderly and absconding twice. John Petchy left for England and about June 1824, Eliza was re-assigned to P.A. Mulgrave, Superintendent of Police at Launceston. In 1825, John Batman who was famous at the time as the man who had captured Matthew Brady, was visited by an absconder; named Eliza Callaghan they would eventually marry at St John’s Launceston on 29th March 1828. Her name is recorded on the marriage register as both: Eliza Thompson alias Elizabeth Gallagher

April 1836, the couple moved to the colony of Port Phillip Victoria. On the 6th May 1839 Batman died. Eliza later married William Willoughby, her former husband's clerk in 1841. Eliza gained her freedom certificate in 1842 and after the death of her son John Batman Jnr in 1845, she left her second husband and was living in Geelong as Sarah Willoughby. She was murdered in 1852 in Geelong, being beaten and kicked to death in a bar-room brawl.she was described as "of somewhat abandoned character".

Hobart Town Gazette, 4 Mar 1825 Absconded prisoners Elizabeth Callaghan, 41, 5 ft. 2½ in. brown hair, brown eyes, 19 years of age, a servant, tried at London Sept. 1820, sentence 14 years, arrived per Providence 1821, native place county of Clare, absconded from the service of P. A. Mulgrave, Esq. —£2 Reward.

Old Bailey Online 956. ELIZA CALLAGHAN , JOHN NEWNAM , and JOHN MADDEN were indicted for that they, on the 10th of June , at St. James, Clerkenwell , feloniously did dispose of and put away a certain forged and counterfeit Bank note, (setting it forth, No. 18007, 1 l., dated May 6, 1820, signed S. Draper,) with intent to defraud the Governor and Company of the Bank of England , they well knowing it to be forged and counterfeited . SECOND COUNT, the same, only calling it a promissory note for payment of money instead of a Bank note. TWO OTHER COUNTS, the same, only stating the prisoners' intent to be defraud Samuel Cordell . SAMUEL CORDELL . I keep the Lord Hood, public-house, in Wych-street, Limehouse . On the 10th of June, sometime after four o'clock, the female prisoner came in with a bottle and had some liquor, which came to 10 d. or 1 s., she gave me a 1 l. note and I gave her the change. I kept the note in my hand, and immediately she left, my brother-in-law, Bird, came in and said something, I then wrote "Mrs. Murphy" on it, as she appeared to be an Irishwoman - (looks at one) - this is it. I do not remember whether any men were in the house when she came in, I was too busy. On Saturday, the 17th, the prisoner, Newnam, came about four o'clock - a number of people were there. He asked for change, he gave the note to my wife, I took it out of her hand, and she said to him, "That is a bad note, you shan't have change. I shall keep the note, and you had better be gone." My brother-in-law was in the passage, Newman was stopped. I marked the note "Saturday, 17th" - (looks at one) - this is it. ANN CORDELL . I am the wife of the last witness. On the 17th of June Newnam came for change of a 1 l. note, which he gave me; I looked at it, and perceived it to be like some bad ones we had taken - I said it was bad, and would not give him change, and told him to go about his business. I kept it, and gave it to my husband, who imdiately marked it - (looks at one) - this is it. SAMUEL BIRD . I am the prosecutor's brother-in-law. On Saturday, the 10th of June, I was at his house, and saw Madden in the passage, nearly opposite the bar, alone - I saw him outside a minute or two after, in company with the other prisoners and another man, coming towards the house, and were about sixteen doors off. The three men came into the house - Callaghan stopped behind, and the men went into the taproom, I still stood at the door. Callaghan walked to and fro, then came in, stood in the same place where I first saw them together. I went into the taproom, and observed the men had got some beer and change. In about two minutes Callaghan came in and went to the bar. I went and observed her give the prosecutrix a note and pull a bottle out of her pocket - she was served and had her change given to her, and as she was taking up her change Madden came and stood at the taproom door, which is on a line with the bar - he could see what passed in the bar. When Madden observed her taking up her change, he said to the other two men, "Come, I am not going to wait any longer," and all went out in company together, the three men and Callaghan. Q. On the next Saturday was you there - A. Yes, I saw Madden in the yard; it had just turned four o'clock. I was going in to tell my sister, and just as I was going to speak to her I saw Newnam present a 1 l. note (I had discovered the first note to be a bad one) - Madden at that time stood on the back-door step, and could see what Newnam did at the bar. My sister said "This is a bad note, I shan't give you change or the note either." He was going to turn from the bar and I seized him - Madden was then on the step; I do not know what became of him. I gave Newnam in charge of one Wood, while I fetched Penfold. I went with him and Newnam, and as we went along, at the back of the house, I saw Madden and Callaghan in Gun-lane, looking at us on the opposite side of the way - Wood secured them in consequence of what I said. Madden said he was no thief, and where I wished him to go he would. He took a few halfpence out of his pocket, and began playing with them; he then fumbled in his fob, and took out a piece of paper, rumpled it up, and put it into his mouth. I could only see that it was paper. I immediately told Penfold I suspected he had swallowed a note - he throttled him, but he resisted, Callaghan struck Penfold, and he swallowed it. He said it was tobacco, but there was no appearance in his mouth of his chewing tobacco, for we made him open his mouth. I told him it was a note, he said I was a liar. I told Newnam he was at the shop on the Saturday before, he said he was not. JOSEPH PENFOLD . I am a headborough of Limehouse. I was sent for, took Newnam in charge, and afterwards apprehended the other prisoners. As I was taking them to the watch-house Madden put his hand into his fob, took something out, rumpled it up, and put it into his mouth - they said he had swallowed a note. I opened his mouth, but he had got it in his throat. He made a blow at me, and said he should like to give me a thrashing. I collared and struck him, and told him not to offer to strike me. He said "D - n you, I should like to thrash you." He said he had swallowed tobacco, but there was no appearance of that. I took him to my house, and sent for Vince. STEPHEN VINCE . I am a constable of Limehouse. I assisted in taking the prisoners to the watch-house, and searched them there. I found a pint bottle on Callaghan; on Madden I found a good note and about 3 s. I partially searched them then, and secured them in the lock-up room. About nine o'clock I went to the watch-house, brought them from the lock-up room, and searched them again, but found nothing on them; but on searching a See originalClick to see original cast-iron privy in the lock-up room, it has a pipe leading to the drain, and on looking in there I discovered a parcel of particles of Bank notes in the bason of the privy, torn up and scattered. I collected them, with another officer, and pasted them together on a paper - they made three notes. I marked some, and Lines marked the others - (looks at them) - here are some which I marked. Prisoner MADDEN. Q. Did you not search every pocket I had - A. I believe I did. Nobody but the prisoners had had access to the privy. I only partially searched them, being a young officer I had not experience. JOHN LINES. I am beadle of Limehouse. I saw the iron privy at the watch-house cleared out on the 17th of June - nothing was left in the bason or tube. Nobody had access to it afterwards but the two male prisoners. When they were put in I informed them there was a privy. I returned and asked Madden where he resided? he said at his father's, in White Lion-court, Bermondsey-street. I went there and found his father, but Madden did not live there. About nine o'clock in the evening of the 17th I searched the privy, and found several pieces of Bank notes - they appeared quite new. I marked some and Vinee the rest - (looking at them) - here are some which I marked. The privy was cleaned about three hours before the prisoners were put there. JOHN COMMENDINE . I am the watch-house keeper. I washed out the cast-iron privy in the afternoon of the 17th of June - nothing was left in it. I locked it up, and nobody went there before the prisoners were put in - nobody was put in but them. JAMES ROGERS . I saw the privy cleaned - nothing was left in. I afterwards saw the pieces of notes found. THOMAS GLOVER . I am an inspector of Bank notes. The notes uttered by Callaghan and Newnam are forged in every respect, are off the same plate, and are not the signatures of Draper and Watts, which they purport to bear. The pieces of notes produced are parts of three forged notes. There is not sufficient of the pieces to ascertain whether they are off the same plate, but they are forged. SAMUEL DRAPER . I am a signing clerk. The signature to the note is not my writing - (read.) SAMUEL BIRD re-examined. I saw the three prisoners at the house both on the 10th and 17th, but on the 10th there were three men. I am sure the male prisoners are the same that were there on the 10th. MADDEN'S Defence. I was unfortunately walking in the Commercial-road, and happened to meet this woman; she was apprehended, and the officers took me. * CALLAGHAN - GUILTY . - DEATH . Aged 17. * NEWNAM - GUILTY . - DEATH . Aged 22. * The prisoners Callaghan and Newnam had pleaded guilty to knowingly having possession of the said notes, MADDEN - GUILTY . - DEATH . Aged 20. Second Middlesex Jury, before Mr. Justice Best.

Convicted 13th Sept, 1820 Middlesex Gaol Place of origin - Ennis, Clare, Ireland Single or Married not stated Frequently absconded from her Master's service Punishment - in the stocks, bread & water Free Certificate - 23rd September 1842

Family connections for Elizabeth (Callaghan) are: CALLAGHAN CCONVICT done Eliza/beth (Thompson/Callaghan) was born in Ennis Clare co. Ireland & became a servant. She was tried at age about16 w/2others for passing a forged note, on 10 6 1820, intending to defraud Bank of England & Samuel (Cordell) at probably Old Bailey on 13 9 1820, sentenced to death reprieved to 14years, held at Middlesex Gaol Delivery & arrived at NSW on 7 1 1822 after a voyage of 7months on PROVIDECE. She was sent to Van Diemens Land (Tasmania) about 1821 & was assigned to John (Petchy). She was found drunk & disorderly & absconded twice from John (Petchy); she was sentenced at some time to placement in stocks & bread & water. She is described in 1825 as 5'2.5" brown hair brown eyes. In June 1824 she was assigned to P A (Mulgrave) Superintendent of Police at Launeston, from whom she absconded & commenced a first relationship with John (Batman). She married John (Batman) on 29 3 1828 at St Johns CofE Launceston. She moved to Victoria with her children in April 1836 to Batmans Hill Collins St west. She became estranged from her husband during his illness or, more descriptively, sailed for England in their joint interests as cabin passenger in February 1839; she first heard of his death at Adelaide on her return in March 1840. In 1841 she married secondly William (Willoughby)-clerk for John (Batman). She was issued her Certificate of Freedom on 23 9 1842. After 1845 she left her husband & moved to Geelong. She died on 31 3 1852 age52 mother of 8known children-murdered by being kicked & beaton in a barroom brawl. In 1853 she was described posthumously as Elizabeth (Callan) governess. [Some details taken from this Website] EXPLORER John (Batman) was born on 21 1 1801 at Parramatta & baptised on 10 6 1810 age9 w/Henry, William, Charles at St Johns CofE Parramatta. He was trained as Anglican-Methodist & apprenticed to blacksmith James (Flavell) in Sydney in 1816 & was witness against his employer in that year for stealing. In December 1821 he went to Van Diemens Land (Tasmania) with brother Henry to land near Ben Lomond in the northeast which he named 'Kingston' & eventually comprised 7,000acres. He hunted bushrangers (capturing Matthew (Brady), led massacres of Aboriginal people & was involved in the 'Black War'. He was diagnosed in 1833 with nasal syphilis. He was a prominent member of the Port Phillip Association & moved to Victoria in 1835 on schooner REBECCA, where he explored the country around Port Phillip, signed a treaty with aboriginals in 1835 & settled at Port Phillip in April 1836; becoming founding father of Melbourne. He was a grazier at Batmans Hill Collins St west, entrepreneur and explorer. He became estranged from his wife & employed carers for his daughters. He died on 6 5 1839 age38 of syphilis after much disability & was buried at Old Melbourne cemetery & later moved to Fawkner cemetery-not much of his assets passed to his family (including his heir-at-law son John. Many landmarks bear his name. Details of John (Batman)s family are given in entry for William (Bateman GANGES 1797) on this Website. Reference: Craig James Smee 'Births and Baptisms Marriages and Defacto Relationships Deaths and Burials New South Wales 1788-1830' ..a complete listing from church & other records in the early colony.