Mary Connor

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Maureen Withey on 13th May 2026

The undermentioned Prisoners of the Crown have absconded since last publication .—Connor Mary, alias Curry, alias Hyland, Palambam, 1831, 36, Dublin, laundress, &c., 5 feet 1 ¾ inches, ruddy freckled pockpitted comp , brown hair, brown eyes, small scar at outer part of right eyebrow, from husband, John Hyland, Sydney, since the 2nd Instant. NSW Govt Gazette, 6 Feb 1846.

341

Maureen Withey on 5th May 2026

Dublin Commission Court. Mary Connor, otherwise Curry, was capitally indicted for administering to John Proctor a quantity of a deadly poison, namely, corrosive sublimate, with intent to deprive him of life, John Proctor sworn—I am a watchman. On the night of the 19th of June last, when on my stand in Capel-street wad accosted by the prisoner who invited me to take a dandy of punch she said in return for some kindness I had shown her, I said I did not know her, and declined. She, however, pressed, and I at length consented. She got a dandy at Mr, Drake's and brought it to me. I supped at it, and handed it back to her to sup. I think she tasted it, but I am not sure. She held the glass in her hand for some time before she offered it to me a second time. She held it low down, and could have put anything into it without my noticing her. There was a good light from Drake’s  shop. I am sure the prisoner is the woman, When she handed me the glass the second time, she said You finish this,” and immediately ran away. I took a sup at it, and directly I felt a burning in my throat. It had not the same taste as when I tasted it first. It tasted very bitter. I could not understand the cause, and took a second sup, when I felt the same burning in my throat, but worse than before. I could hardly swallow any. I swallowed the two sups I took. John M‘Cabe, Mr. Drake’s boy, stood at the door, and I gave him the glass, and then ran round the corner, to try if I could make the woman out, but could not find her. I returned to Mr. Drake's, and got from him the glass, which I took to Surgeon Leslie’s. I gave it to him, and he tried it. I never gave the prisoner any provocation. I had a man of the name of Mosey or John Connor, to prosecute for a robbery, and his trial was to come on on the 23 June, before the Recorder. Connor had the name of being the prisoner’s fancy man.” He was tried on the 22nd, and transported. I was examined on his trial.  I made great search for the prisoner, I but could not find her until the day after Connor's trial, the 23d of June, when I took her into custody coming out of Newgate, after seeing Connor, who was in Newgate on the 23. The prisoner was undefended by Counsel; but Baron PENNEFATHER examined this witness at great length as to his certainty of  the prisoner being the individual who gave him the punch, and into the facts he had detailed. Nothing, however, was was elicited that at all impeached the testimony he had given. The prisoner, on being asked if she had any question to put to this witness, said, My Lord, how could I be the woman at all, for I was only three days out of Richmond Bridewell, serving two years there, the day he arrested me. The Learned Judge said, if proved, that fact was most material for her, and  directed the Governor of the Richmond bridewell to be sent for. This, however, was rendered not necessary by the prisoner afterwards admitting that she was out the 17th June, two days prior to the occurrence detailed  by last witness. John M‘Cabe proved that he got the glass at the door of his master’s shop from the watchman and This witness immediately handed it over the counter to his master. He observed at the time a white sediment at the bottom but thought it was sugar. John Drake proved that he received the glass from M'Cabe, and observed the sediment, ... London Courier, 12 July 1830.  Mary Connor, or Curry, was placed at the bar. charged with administering poison to Proctor, with intent to kill him. The Clerk of the Crown on asking her had she any thing to say why sentence of death should not be pronounced against her ? The prisoner, in a frantic manner, cried out, at the same time falling on her knees, Lord, I throw myself on the Court! do anything at all with me, but spare my life.” The unfortunate woman sobbed aloud, but soon composed herself Judge Vandeleur proceeded to pass sentence on her. He said that the crime for which she had been found guilty, was in no wise shan of murder. The intent and object was to deprive her victim of life, but the hand of a munificent God interposed and saved the man from falling a victim to her wicked purpose. The learned Judge said not the slightest hope  of mercy could be extended to her, and then passed the final sentence as in the former case. When her doom was pronounced  she screamed in the most frantic manner, and uttered some incoherent sounds, which we could not catch. Her mother, who was in the body of the Court, cried aloud for her “darling daughter,” and the unfortunate culprit was supported out of the Court by some of the assistant turnkeys, ... They stood for some minutes in the hall of the prison, she giving way to the most frantic expressions, and her mind almost totally abstracted from every thing around her. ... Saunders’s News-Letter, 8 July 1830. CAPITAL CONVICTIONS, His Excellency the Lord Lieutenant has been pleased to extend his clemency to the wretched female Mary Connor, alias Curry, convicted at the last Commission for attempting to poison a watchman. A respite staying the execution of the sentence (which had been fixed for Wednesday next, the 28th instant) until further orders  have been received by the proper authorities.  Freeman’s Journal, 26 July 1830.

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Maureen Withey on 2nd March 2026

NSW Convict Index Convict Applications to Marry. John Hyland, per Ann and Amelia, age 26, 7 years, Free; and Mary Connor; alias Mary Curry, per Palambam, age 22, Life, Bond. Sydney. 4 May 1832. A woman named Mary Hyland, under sentence of transportation for life, and assigned to her husband, is in custody of the Police, charged with forgery. It appeared upon investigation of the facts before Colonel Wilson, that the accused had on several occasions gone for butcher's meat to a person named Bayles, who resides in Clarence street, representing that it was for a neighbour of her's, named Bridged Bryan, who was just put to bed. On the faith of this representation, the meat was supplied, and on Thursday last, Mrs. Hyland again made her appearance at Bayles's shop, and requested him to lend Bryan seven shillings, which he agreed to do, provided she would bring the woman's written order for its. An order for the seven shillings, signed ' Bridget Bryan' was accordingly presented a short time after, by Mrs. Hyland, and Bayles advanced that sum upon the faith of it. From some subsequent suspicion however, Bayles sent his clerk, an old man named Riley, to make enquiries as to the genuineness of of the order, when he was informed by the woman Bryan, that she had neither authorised Hyland to go to Bayles for meat nor money, and that the order was consequently a forgery. Upon receiving this information, Mrs. Hyland was given into custody. In answer to a question put to the witness Riley by Colonel Wilson, the former stated that his suspicions were first excited by the quantity of meat demanded, it considerably exceeding that which Mrs. Bryan usually purchased; when the Colonel remarked, that he supposed the witness must have thought young Bryan was born with a good set of teeth in his head. The prisoner is remanded until Bryan shall be able to give her attendance before the Bench. The Australian, 25 July 1837. Mary Hyland, alias O'Connor, was indicted for forging an order for the payment of seven shillings, with intent to defraud Mary Bryant. Guilty, transportation for life, with a recommendation that the sentence be commuted to one year in the factory. Sydney Monitor, 6 Nov 1837. https://content.archives.nsw.gov.au/delivery/StreamGate?dps_pid=FL11938337&dps_dvs=1772447466290~214 Follow Link to see letter dated 24 Sept 1845, recommending Mary Connor, now Hyland per Palambam, who has a young family, be allowed to join her husband, and be released from the Female Factory at Parramatta.

218

Dianne Jones on 23rd June 2020

Mary Connor (alias Curry) had previously been sentenced to 2 years' jail for an unspecified offence (see NSW Convict Indents, 1788-1842, Annotated Printed Indentures 1831).

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Dianne Jones on 23rd June 2020

Crime: She was sentenced to Life for "Attempt[ing] to poison"; convicted 3 July 1830 (see NSW Convict Indents, 1788-1842, Annotated Printed Indentures 1831).