Mary Ann Bailey

110

Ron Garbutt on 19th March 2020

From The Rex Sinnott site (with thanks) There are 2 possible baptisms for Mary Ann - at Bitton, Gloucester on 12 Jun 1808 or 12 Jun 1809, her parents being George Bailey and Ann. It is doubtful if this is the right person, due to Mary Ann's convict records which say that she was from Cheddar, Somerset (although family sources say Gloucestershire) and that her proper name was Storr, not Bailey. Mary Ann's early life is not known. The only evidence is from convict records following her trial and conviction at the Bristol City Quarter Sessions on 14 Apr 1828, along with 2 other convicts, Eliza and Mary Morgan. The prosecutor was William Carter, the offence highway robbery. She was sentenced to be transported for ‘stealing from the person’. Her complexion was florid, her hair very dark brown, her eyes dark blue and she had a scar on the back of her left thumb. She was a Protestant and could read but not write. She was single, a dress and stay maker, had a prior conviction of 1 month in Bristol for stealing money, and her gaol report noted ‘Has been convicted in Bristol; character and disposition bad; a prostitute’. The question ‘On the town’ was answered ‘Yes (last on the town)’. In this case ‘on the town’ probably took the old meaning of ‘supported by the public charity of the state or community; on relief’. She made a statement, presumably at the trial: ‘I worked last for Jno Lanage, Bristol, last on the Town, F & M Gardener Storr. Storr is my proper name, a small farm Bror & S. with my F.’ It seems she came from a small farm worked by her father, Gardener Storr, that her brother and sister lived with the father, and that her real name may have been Mary Ann Storr. The ship Harmony, with Mary Ann on board, departed from Downs on 13 Sep 1828. The ship’s master was Bennett Ireland and the ship surgeon William Clifford. The Harmony arrived in Van Dieman’s Land (Tasmania) on 14 Jan 1829 with its human cargo of 100 convicts. Mary Ann was 20 when the ship arrived. On 4 Feb 1838 Mary Ann applied to marry James Gilligan. The marriage took place at Launceston on 25 May 1830. She was recorded in musters of 1832, 1833 and 1835 as married to James Gilligan, and in 1835 as being assigned to him. Mary Ann was recommended for a conditional pardon in 1838. Their daughters were born in the Campbell Town District - Rosa in 1832 and Sophia in 1839. Their son was born in the Avoca District in 1845. https://www.sinnottnz.com/getperson.php?personID=I3164&tree=tree5