Catherine Crowley

53

Barbara Lister on 27th September 2024

The story of an elopement of Jane Austen with Darcy Wentworth has been edited out of Wikipedia. She would have been 15 when he sailed on the Neptune, so although her work is littered with the names Darcy, Fitzwilliam, Wentworth and Woodhouse, the evidence for more than a crush may be lacking. The revised entry has more about Darcy Wentworth's role in Australia, which Catherine would have shared up until her death.

75

iain Frazier on 21st April 2024

Family connections for Catherine (Crowley) are: CROWLEY Catherine (Crowley) was born about 1768/72. She was tried for theft of clothing etc from her employer at Staffordshire Assizes in July 1788, sentenced to 7years & arrived in NSW as a convict on 26 6 1790 after a voyage of 6months on Fleet ship NEPTUNE; a voyage noted for extreme brutality of prisoners with a high death rate. She was sent to Norfolk Island on SURPRISE on 7 8 1790 taking her son William Charles. She left Norfolk Island with her family on HMS RELIANCE on 19 2 1796, to Port Jackson. She later moved to Parramatta where she died as an emancipist on 6 1 1800 age28/32 & was buried at St Johns CofE Parramatta; she was moved later to her partner D'Arcy (Wentworth)s burial site (at Home Bush?). [Some details taken from this Website] D'Arcy (Wentworth) was born about 1763 maybe in Ireland; & lived in 'high society'. He was romantically associated with future author Jane (Austen) whom he married firstly (1of3) about September 1789. He was rejected by the (Austen) family & became the inspiration for 'Darcy' in 'Pride & Prejudice'. He was tried on suspicion of highway robbery, in October 1789, at London, held in Newgate & released on 9 December 1789. On 12 12 1789 he arranged passage to New South Wales on the NEPTUNE. He arrived in NSW as an official on 26 6 1790 after a voyage of 6months on NEPTUNEalso, with a questionable background; he was sent to Norfolk Island as assistant surgeon on SURPRISE arriving on 7 8 1790. [A D'Arcy (Wentworth), born in Ireland) is recorded with NSW Corps as assistant surgeon & superintendent of convicts from NEPTUNE 1790] He had a second (2of3) relationship with Catherine (Crowley). In December 1791 he was assistant at Queenborough where he was granted 60acres. He had 60acres, plot no.88 on west coast, when he left Norfolk Island with his family on HMS RELIANCE on 19 2 1796, to Port Jackson. However, he is recorded as assistant surgeon on Norfolk Island in February 1805. He had a third relationship with Mary Ann (Lawes) her second relationship). In 1816 he was charged with writing & distributing verses critical of officers (actually written by his son) & much discusion ensued as to whether this important man would be tried. He died as D'Arcy (Wentworth) Esq on 7 7 1827 age64 father of 11children at Home Bush. Details of D'Arcy (Wentworth)s family are given in entry for James (Macknell HILSBOROUGH 1799) 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.

343

Maureen Withey on 14th July 2020

From Wikipedia: The circumstances leading to his relationship with Catherine on the ship Neptune. D'Arcy Wentworth's Private life In September 1789, D’Arcy Wentworth and Jane Austen, invited by Earl Fitzwilliam, attended a huge garden party at Wentworth Woodhouse in honour of the Prince of Wales. After the event, the couple left for Scotland, where they married under Scottish law, that unlike England, did not require parental consent or the posting of marriage banns. After their return to London, at the end of October, Wentworth was arrested and held in Newgate on suspicion of highway robbery. He was tried and released on 9 December 1789. Three days later he went to Portsmouth to arrange their passage to New South Wales on the Neptune.[54] At Christmas, the couple visited the Austen family in Hampshire, where Reverend Austen agreed to legalise their Scottish marriage, to marry them under English law, by special license. When James Austen, his eldest son, arrived from Oxford, and reported what he had read in the London papers about Wentworth’s trial, Reverend Austen changed his mind. He convinced Jane her relationship with Wentworth would damage her family’s reputation and the future prospects of her five brothers. He persuaded her to remain at home, her family closed ranks around her, she remained confined within their orbit.[55]. Neither Jane Austen nor D’Arcy Wentworth ever remarried. He remained the fixed star in her firmament and the inspiration for much of her writing. She named him Fitzwilliam Darcy, Mr Darcy, in Pride and Prejudice, the story of their meeting and romance; and Captain Wentworth in Persuasion, her imagined story of his return to her.[56]. D’Arcy Wentworth sailed from Portsmouth on 17 January 1790. The day before, her brother Henry reflected his family’s anger in a piece he wrote for The Loiterer, at Oxford. He applauded the world for getting rid of its superfluous inhabitants, both Poets & Pickpockets Prudes & Prostitutes, in short all those who have too much cunning or too little money…shipped off with the very first cargo of Convicts to Botany Bay[57] Following Jane's rejection, on board the convict transport Neptune, Wentworth entered a relationship with a convict girl, Catherine Crowley. She remained his partner in the Colony until her death at Parramatta in January 1800. Their son William Charles was born at sea on the Surprize, standing off Norfolk Island in a violent storm on 13 August 1790; a daughter, Martha, died at four months, during an outbreak of fever carried by the Third Fleet; two more sons followed, D’Arcy, born in 1793, and John in 1795.

221

D Wong on 7th October 2015

Catherine was 18 years old on arrival in NSW, she had stolen a considerable amount of clothing and sheets from her employer valued at 1.11 pound and was tried at the Staffordshire Assizes in July 1788. Catherine spent a short time in Sydney and then traveled to Norfolk Island per ‘Surprise’ with son, William Charles. 1796: Back to Sydney with son and Darcy Wentworth, then to Parramatta where Catherine died in 1800. She was buried at St John’s Cemetery, Parramatta. From the Australian Royalty Webpage: Text: Here lie the mortal Remains of DARCY WENTWORTH ESQUIRE Late of Home-Bush in this Country who departed this Life the 7th Day of July A.D.1827 in the 64 Year of his Age Also of CATHERINE his wife removed at the time of his interment to this vault from a contiguous grave who departed this life A.D. 1800 in the 28 year of her age Also MARTHA REDDALL his daughter by another mother She departed this life the 1st of January 1847 in the 54 year of her age Also his second son MAJOR D'ARCY WENTWORTH late of Her Majesty's 65th Regiment who departed this life the 27th day of July 1861 aged 65 years In my Father's house are many mansions John 14.2 Burial register Martha Reddall Homebush 3-1-1847 34 years Darcy Wentworth. Major, Tasmania. 21-7-1861. 6.8.1861. R.L. King NB: When this altar was refurbished the stonemason cut 63rd Regt as 65th Regt. and Martha Redall's age as 54 years instead of 34 years. In Jul 1969, V. de V. Voss informed the Mitchell library that the headstone of Catherine Crowley [probably the 1800 original] formed part of a well in the grounds of a cottage in Campbell Street Parramatta, noting that the number of the cottage had been altered from 44 to 54.

17

Carla Jacobs on 6th October 2015

reputed mother of William Charles Wentworth, editor & publisher of the Australian.