Summary
Personal Information
Crime
Voyage
Transportation
Matthew Carter was transported on the Bengal Merchant, departing 27th Sep 1834 and arriving 30th Jan 1835 with 270 passengers.
Bengal Merchant (generic)References
| Primary Source | Australian Joint Copying Project. Microfilm Roll 90, Class and Piece Number HO11/9, Page Number 433 (218) NSW BDM, Familysearch - record of bounty immigrants |
| Source Description | This record is one of the entries in the British convict transportation registers 1787-1867 database compiled by State Library of Queensland from British Home Office (HO) records which are available on microfilm as part of the Australian Joint Copying Pro |
| Original Source | Great Britain. Home Office |
| Compiled By | State Library of Queensland |
| Database Source | British convict transportation registers 1787-1867 database |
Claims
"I am a direct descendant of Matthew. He was my great, great Grandfather."
Photos
No photos have been added for Matthew Carter.
Convict Notes
Thorough checks with PRONI (Public Records Office Northern Ireland) have located several Landholder Registers under the Ulster Covenant for the period from 1760 to 1820 for William McCully as a farmer in five or six in different areas of County Down. There are no McCallums at all and only three McCullums - all living in Belfast with none of them having an occupation of farmer. So no one really knows who Margaret was, if her name really was Margaret.
Margarete (aka Margaret) Orr (aka Orr, Whoore, Whoor, Waugh, McCallum, McCullum, McCully or McCulley) was born abt 1818 in County Down, Ireland. On her son, Matthew's birth certificate, her surname was listed as "Whoore". On her marriage certificate when she married Robert Wainwright in Jul 1851, her surname was listed as "Orr" and on the birth certificate of her son to Robert Wainwright, her surname was listed as "McCulley" born in County Down, Ireland. On her death certificate, her father is listed as William McCullum, a Farmer, and her mother was Margaret. Her birthplace is listed as "Ireland". There is no actual evidence of when she arrived in Australia. Some family historians have located a passenger list from the ship "Duncan" which arrived in Australia 30 June 1838 from Glasgow, Scotland with Bounty immigrants aboard. Two people on that particular voyage were Margaret McCallum, age 20 and her sister Janet McCallum, age 18 years. (Is this the same person? No one can verify this) Both listed their occupations as servants, and both listed their residence as "Greenock Mid, Renfrewshire, Scotland". It is not known whether she actually married or lived with a gentleman named "Orr" prior to cohabiting with Matthew Carter or whether "Orr" was an alias. Margaret's death certificate states that she had resided in Australia for 47 years. Her death certificate also states that her first marriage was to Matthew Carter at the age of 23 years.
The woman to whom Matthew was shown as being married to, Margaret McCallum, also used various other surnames, and there is no definitive record of a marriage between her and Matthew. After his ticket of leavve, he became a settler/free farmer in the Lake George area of NSW and that is where he was living at the time of his death. There are no records of offspring to Matthew and the Aboriginal woman. At death, he was listed as Matthew Carthy, not Carter.
Thomas Garner and Matthew Curler, of Chatteris, were indicted for stealing three bushels of wheat from a lighter, on the ? ult.—John Owen said, he had some wheat in his lighters, which were lying near Aspland’s gang ; in consequence of information received from Aspland's boy, he went to his lighters, and found a hole where some wheat had been taken away. He and Aspland were directed by the boy where to go and they found about three bushels.—John Carrington (Aspland’s boy) said he slept in the lighter, and Garner came and asked him if he had a mind to earn Is. or 2s. for himself in getting some wheat out of the lighter; he said he knew nothing about it. Garner went away ; witness heard a noise in Owen’s lighter, and looked up and saw Garner putting some wheat in a sack. went to wake another boy, and when he went back he saw another man; he did not know his name, but Carter was the man. Garner took the sack, and Carter put the tarpauling right. Some men were coming out of the public-house, and Garner set down the sack by the side of the bank ; went and told his master, who came with Owen, and shewed them where it was.—Aspland spoke to the boy having called them, and directed them where to go ; and they took the wheat to the White Hart inn.—Robert Shaw, the landlord, kept it secure, it was delivered to the constable.—Guilty. 7 years' transportation ... Cambridge Chronicle, 3 Jan 1834.
Matthew was buried on the day of his death in the Goulburn Cemetery, New South Wales. During his imprisonment, he was indentured to George Leonard Cooper of Collector, where he also had a relationship with an Aboriginal woman (name unknown) from what is now known as Berriedale in NSW.
Matthew was sentenced in company with one Thomas Garner, who was possibly a relative, for stealing three bushels of wheat from a barge. He was married at the time of his conviction and was the father of three children.
Margaret & James Orr arrived on the 'Wilson'on 7 January,1842. They had a son James in April, who died and was buried on 10 January, 1943. Margaret's maiden name was Boyd.
Matthew was NOT married to Margaret. Like him, she was still legally married. She was possibly still married to James Orr when she married Robert Wainwright in 1851.
Matthew Carter was 35 years old when transported for "Stealing Grain". Matthew was married with children in England. 1839: TOL Goulburn 1/6/1841: COF C1844: Married Margaret McCullium (Mccallum, McCulley, Mcculluin). Margaret had been married to a Mr Orr and had 3 children 1841-43, she then married Matthew Carter and had 5 children, after Matthew died Margaret married Robert Wainwright (Maitland 1840) in 1851 and had 5 more children.