Thomas Beaghan

Level 72

Robin Sharkey on 8th February 2016

ROBBING a HOUSE - 1842. Perhaps Thomas felt the pressure of so many mouths to feed at home. Or he kept bad company. But robbing a house at Richmond with three other men in October 1842 got him sent to Tasmania as a convict for TEN YEARS. He had put his own children in the same position he was when a child - growing up fatherless. SMH 17 October 1842 ,, page 2 WINDSOR DARING ROBBERY.-On Monday last, the l0th [October], Mr. Faithful's house, at Upper Richmond, was entered by three armed men, who confined the inmates in a room while they ransacked the house. It is said, that the robbers expected to find a very large sum of money but in this they were disappointed. They, however, succeeded in carrying away between £4 and £5 in cash, as also some trinkets and wearing apparel. Hitherto the miscreants have not been detected, but the Police are on the ‘qui vice’, and in all probability the offenders will shortly be favoured with that condign punishment which their acts and deeds so justly merit." William Pitt Faithful, the victim, originally a soldier arriving NSW in 1892, was a prominent settler with over 2,000 acres at Richmond. (Australian Dictionary of Biography) SMH 20/12/1842, p 2: Thomas Beaghan, Daniel Divine, Edmund Saddler, and Patrick Perrick, were charged with having broken into Mr. Faithful’s house on the 10th of October last. Beaghan pleaded guilty. Saddler was found not guilty, the other three ten years’ transportation. It seems from court reports that Thomas may have admitted in court that he was involved in the robbery (otherwise it was the person acquitted, which is unlikely). From being originally detained at Windsor, the men were sent to Parramatta Jail. Then on 17 December 1842 they were sent from Parramatta Jail to Darlinghurst. On 20 December the Darlinghurst jail entry book recorded that they were to go to Cockatoo Island in Sydney Harbour. Next they were recorded in the Entrance books of the Phoenix hulk in Sydney Harbour. They may have lived there for a time while working on Cockatoo Island, which was in 1842 -43 overcrowded. The Windsor crime, from Phoenix Hulk records was, specifically, “stealing in a dwelling and putting in fear”. Thomas and Divine were guilty of this, and Perrick of receiving the stolen goods. The jail entrance books of the Phoenix Hulk and Darlinghurst recorded Thomas’ native place as being “Kildare” and not Dublin. Presumably this was on Thomas’ say-so. It is possible this is where the family originated from before his father Patrick got transported to NSW since Patrick had been tried at nearby Wicklow. CONVICT IN TASMANIA All three were sent to Tasmania in October 1843. Thomas Beahan went on ship “John Byng”. At this time the Probation System was in place in Tasmania. Thomas Beahan served eight years of his ten year sentence. He seemed to be at Port Arthur for quite a while even under the Probation System He received a conditional pardon in 1850. Archives Office of Tasmania: INDENTS OF CONVICTS LOCALLY CONVICTED OR TRANSPORTED FROM OTHER COLONIES. Indents 23 Sep 1843 20 Oct 1848: CON 16/1/5 p24, (image no 25-26 online) http://search.archives.tas.gov.au/ImageViewer/image_viewer.htm?CON16-1-5,56,29,C,150 "Beaghan, Thomas, Farm laborer and Silk dyer; Sentence: 10 yrs "Native pace: Dublin, Married. "Children: 8 Religion: RC Read or write: Yes "Relations - apprenticeships- where last residing: “Wife Esther in NSWales living on a farm belonging to Sir John Jamieson. 1 S [sister] Alicia” Offences: “Transported to Sydney in the Medina in 1823 for Hswe Breaking 7 years. Transported for stealing in a dwelling xx Mr Faithful, Richmond” CONDUCT RECORD - CON35/1/2 p.47 (image no 50 online) http://search.archives.tas.gov.au/ImageViewer/image_viewer.htm?CON35-1-2,406,50,C,80 "BEAGHAN Thomas Tried Windsor, 15 December 1842 - 10 years Sir John Byng “Tried for stealing in a dwelling house. Stated transported to Sydney in the Medina for House robbery, 7 years, now transported. Now transported for stealing in a dw house of Mr Faithful . Married. 8 children. Read and Write”. Embarked 14 October 1843 Arrived 28 October 1843 Trade - F. labourer (i.e. farm labourer) Native?? Dublin Height - 5’6 &1/2”. Aged 40 (i.e on arrival?) Fair complexion. Hair: grey Whiskers: Reddish Eyes - blue & eyebrows brown. Head & visage both “long”, forehead (high??0 Remarks: “JB” on Right arm. …. Period of probation - 2 & 1/2 year Station of Gang. Class 2 - 7/10/1845 1st Class - 17/5/1846 2nd Class - 15/6/1846 [this means he went back down a class] “Extract from Sydney Records: “Ship Medina arrived 29 Dec’r 1823. Was tried at Dublin City 31 May 1823. Sentenced 7 years. “Obtained a Certificate of Freedom no 30/359 dated 31 May 1830. Was again tried 15 Dec’r 1842 at Windsor QS for stealing in a dwelling house and sent 10 years to a penal settlement.” * “The Lt Governor has remitted the remainder of the period of probation ordered this man and directed his removal from Pt Arthur to the P. Barracks Hobart. [ie Prisoner Barracks] Vide (?) CS Memo 22/8/1845. T of Leave 7th March 1848" "Recommended for a Conditional Pardon 7/11/48 C. Pardon." 9 Feb 1850 Cornwall Chronicle (Launceston): " - Conditional pardons granted - … “Thomas BEAGHAN, Sir John Byng”; Patrick Perrick, “Louisa” " DEATHS * Wife Esther Beahan died in 1861, registered at Penrith, daughter of John and Ellen. (NSWBDM Index) * son Thomas, died 1867, son of Thomas and Esther registered at Penrith (NSWBDM Index) * Thomas BEAHAN died in 1883. NSWBDM - Son of Patrick “Died Sydney” (NSWBDM Index) SMH 29 Nov 1883 page 16 THE FRIENDS of the late Mr. THOMAS BEAHAN are respectfully invited to attend his Funeral ; to move from his late residence, No. 57, Little Belmore-street, Surry Hills, THIS (Thursday) AFTERNOON , at quarter to 2 o'clock, for Rook- wood Cemetery. H. MASON, Undertaker, 74, Oxford-street.

Level 72

Robin Sharkey on 8th February 2016

THOMAS’ FIRST FIVE YEARS IN NSW 1824 - 1829 In 1822 Muster his father had been recorded as a landholder at Windsor - he would have rented land. But by 1825 Patrick is in the district of Evan (Penrith area) and possibly has got a land grant. In any case he needs help on his farm: From father’s petition of 31 August 1824 Thomas had been assigned to his father Col Sec Records -1825 Transfers of Convicts in district of Evan - 8 Feb 1825 - “ Thomas Bahan FROM Patrick Bahan TO Edward Field Senior”. 3 May 1825 - “Thomas Bahan FROM Edward Field Senior TO Patrick Bahan." 1828 Census - Thomas BAHAN 23 years old, arrived 1823 (therefore only abt 18 y.o on arrival). Catholic. 7 yrs sentence. Employed with “Patrick BAHAN” residence at EVAN. Also living there are his mother Mary aged 40 and his sister Alicia aged 16. MARRIAGE & CHILDREN 1829 Thomas BEAHAN married widowed Mrs Esther Leavers, formerly Burn, mother of five Leavers children. Esther was the daughter of Eleanor Neil, convict on “Providence” ; who had set up with John Murphy on arrival in NSW. They never married but had three Murphy children together and in 1828 lived on a 5 acre farm at Evan. The Leavers family lived at Evan as well. In the 1828 Census, Esther Leavers was aged 24, and James Leavers her husband was a 50 year old carpenter; their eldest child was said to be 11 years old so Esther started having her children very young! Therefore Esther, so young and with so many children, married William Beahan on 30 October 1829 quick smart only FIVE months after her first husband was buried 11 May 1829 (NSWBDM). It was a double wedding the day that Esther married Thomas Beahan. He own mother Eleanor Neal married her long-term common law husband, John Murphy. Esther was one of the witnesses, and her half-brother John Murphy jnr was another other witness. John Murphy was then a witness to Esther and Thomas’ marriage the same day. Thomas & Esther had their own first child the next year, 1830 -Thomas Jnr - followed by a least six others until 1842: 1830 - Thomas “Beehan’ 1832 - John ‘Behan’ 1834 - Margaret (married 1853 George Rope/ Margaret “Bahan”) 1836 - Andrew ‘Behan’ 1838 - Patrick ‘Behan’ 1840 - Timothy “Behan’ 1842 - Michael ‘ Behan’ 1830 - CERTIFICATE of FREEDOM 29 July 1830 number 30/553 Thomas Beaghan. Trade Silk Dyer, trial - dublin City on 29 May 1823, seven years, Offence: Breaking into a warehouse born: 1805 Height: 5ft 8 &1/4 inches, Complexion: fair ruddy, Hair: Sandy flaxen; EYES: Blue * Scar of Right side of forehead, Dimple on chin “T.B J.B” on right arm; nose large, small scar at the outer corner of left eye, scar left roe? of tip of nose, 1835 - donated £1 toward Catholic church being built at Evan as did "Mrs Beahan" (his mother?)

Level 72

Robin Sharkey on 8th February 2016

his Thomas Beahan was the son of Patrick Beahan who had been tried at Wicklow and transported to NSW leaving 1812 on the “Archduke Charles”. Patrick Beahan left behind his wife in Ireland, Mrs Mary Beahan, with a baby girl named Alicia and this 7 year old son Thomas. Thomas, whose trade was silk dyer, reunited with his father by being transported to NSW for a crime at the age of 18. This was house breaking and he was tried at Dublin on 29 May 1823 and given 7 years transportation, arriving 29 December 1823 on ‘Medina’. The crime was not recorded on the ship indents, but on his Cert of Freedom (where Thomas himself must have reported he’d broken into a warehouse), and as ‘housebreaking’ or ‘house robbery’ on the 1842 records of ‘Phoenix’ hulk and later Tasmanian convict records. ANOTHER THOMAS BEAHAN transported on “MEDINA” On board “Medina” was another person of almost similar details - a slightly older 19 year old Thomas Beahan who was a weaver, also tried 1823 in Dublin, but on 31 May not 29 May. That other Thomas Beahan was 2 inches shorter than Patrick’s son, with brown hair and grey eyes, whereas Pat’s son Thomas the silk dyer was 5ft 6&3/4 inches tall with blue eyes and ‘flaxen’ hair. The other Thomas Beahan hardly appeared again in the record except for obtaining a Certificate of Freedom in the same year as this Thomas, but a few months earlier on 31 May. FAMILY REUNION The father Patrick Beahan then applied to bring out his wife Mary and daughter Alicia to NSW. He wrote in a petition on 31 August 1824 for a grant of land, saying that he had been free by Servitude “these five years past” and occupies a rented farm in Evan District, is a married man and has one son with him “and is in daily expectation of his wife and the rest of his children joining him, through the clemency of government affording them a passage to this Colony”. He was anxious to make some provision for them before their arrival and bettering his situation. Mary and Alicia they left Ireland in November 1825, arriving on the first immigrant ship “Thames” in April 1826. Whether there were other children who did not come has not been researched here. Since Alicia was reported as being 16 in the 1828 Census, then when her father left Ireland she was either a small baby or her mother was still pregnant with her. Sydney Gazette, 19 April 1826: “The women and children landed from the ‘Thames’ on Saturday last, and were conducted to the Old Orphan School, where they continued until called for by their several relatives and friends. The women, generally, looked hearty enough. As for the boys and girls, they were prefect models of the Hibernian race; they seemed quite at home on their way up George-street, and were as dignified in their step as any immigrant.” Now Thomas was able to live with his whole family again for the first time since he was a 7 year old boy.

Level 221

D Wong on 7th February 2016

Two Thomas Beaghan’s on this voyage. Thomas was 18 years old on arrival, no crime listed. 31/5/1830: COF No.30/0359 20/12/1842 Sydney Morning Herald: Thomas Beaghan, Daniel Divine, Edmund Saddler, and Patrick Perrick, were charged with having broken into Mr. Faithful's house on the 10th of October last. Beaghan pleaded guilty. Saddler was found not guilty, the other three ten years' transportation. 28/10/1843: Arrived in VDL per ‘Sir John Byng’. Thomas was now listed as a Farm Labourer, 40 years old, 5’ 6 ¾” tall, fair complexion, grey hair, riddish whiskers, blue eyes, native place: Dublin. 7/3/1848: TOL 19/10/1848: Recommended for a CP 7/11/1848: CP Last reference to Thomas was 1850 when his COF was advertised in the newspapers of the day.