John Devlin

71

Robin Sharkey on 30th July 2020

Devlin was aged 22 according to the Canada indent on arrival in August 1815. He said his native place was Dublin. He was 5ft 6 inches, with dark brown hair, blue eyes and a ruddy complexion. TASMANIA Devlin was sent to Port Dalrymple in Tasmania only two months after arriving in NSW, with a boatload of other convicts who were tradespeople. One other convict from the "Canada" was also sent on "Emu" to Tasmania - Patrick McGann or Magan who was a carpenter. In March 1821, Devlin would have become free as his seven years expired. He stayed in the northern Tasmania area since in 1825 he was said to be of the parish of Launceston when he married, on 13 May 1825, Mary Doyle who was still a prisoner. They married in the Anglican St John's Church, Launceston. Witnesses were John Magennis and William Betteridge who all signed their names - Mary made her mark. Maginnis was per 'Guildford' and was at Port Dalrymple in May 1824 when he got a Cert of Freedom (Hobart Gazette 14/5/1824 p.1); and Betteridge was per "Caledonia" and had a Cert of Freedom granted in October 1824 (Hobart Gazette 8/10/1824 p.1) In 1826, John Devlin was farming land that he was renting from surveyor Thomas Scott. He warned the public from trespassing on this land which was on the "left hand side" of the New Road from Launceston to the South Esk punt. He gave his address as " 'Springs' near Launceston". (Advertisement, Hobart Gazette, 23/12/1826 p.4) AT DELORAINE In 1831, John Devlin took up the first town allotment in the new town of Deloraine. The surveyor, Thomas Scott — from whom Devlin rented land — had recommended a new bridge over the Meander ford, and suggested 500 acres on either side be reserved for a town. (information taken from "Deloraine's Industrial Heritage - a Survey" p. 2, by Jill Cassidy 1986, funded by the Austr. Heritage Commission and the Queen Victoria Museum [Launceston]). It appears that Devlin may have had stayed close to Scott enabling him to use this information to apply immediately the town land became available. Devlin's may have been the first house built in Deloraine. It was on the corner of West Parade and Barrack St. Built by 1832, he used it for the first licensed premises in Deloraine. ("Deloraine's Industrial Heritage - a Survey" p.49) By September 1832, a license had been granted by the Bench of Magistrates at Launceston for Devlin's public house, called "St Patrick's Head" at Deloraine (Hobart Town Courier, 28/9/1832 p.4). However, Devlin lost his land (bad debts somewhere?) in a Sheriff's sale to one Mungo Somerville, who was then on-selling to John Bonney. The town block is described in detail here: Hobart Town Courier, 23 August 1839 p.2.

71

Robin Sharkey on 30th July 2020

IRISH CRIME John Devlin was recorded on the Canada's indent as having the trade of "house painter and plaister". He had been convicted of stealing items from the home at Navan, Co Meath, of the man who was employing him. Freemans Journal, Sat 5 March 1814, p.9: "Drogheda Assizes "Wednesday 9 March “ On Monday, [7 March] our Assizes commenced. At three o’clock the Commission opened before the Hon Judge Mayne, and His Worship the Mayor. … Several prisoners were arraigned but, none being ready for trial, the Court adjourned to next day. The Court sat at 10 o’clock yesterday morning [i.e. Tuesday 8 March 1814] when Philip Mathews was put to the bar charged with two indictments. …. Not guilty. “ John Devlin was put to the bar, charged with having, in December last, stolen one silver watch, seven tea, and one silver, tablespoon, the property of John Brady. John Brady stated that he had lost the above articles, along with many others, out of his house in Navan, in the county of Meath, that at the time they were taken, the prisoner was working with him as a plasterer, and quit him without notice, leaving the work unfinished. He swore the watch and spoons produced to him to be the same he had lost; knew the watch, chain and seals, which he had worn for two years, and had no doubt but the spoons were also his. A man named Welsh proved the watch and spoons to have been pawned with him, by a man, but could not say positively the prisoner, but believed it was. The mayor swore that he had received two duplicates from a person whose name he had promised to conceal, that he then went to the pawnbroker’s and got the articles above mentione, which the prisoner acknowledged her had stolen from Brady — and that he [i.e. the Mayor] had not held out any hope or threat to induce him [prisoner] to make such acknowledgement. The Jury, without hesitation, found a verdict of Guilty, and sentence of Transportation for seven years was passed.”

343

Maureen Withey on 17th December 2019

Tasmanian Record: https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON13-1-1$init=CON13-1-1p46 John Devlin arrived in New South Wales per Canada (3). He arrived in VDL on the Emu. His name is on a List of 31 Mechanics and Labourers to be embarked on H,M C. Brig Emu for the Service of the Government at Port Dalrymple in Van Diemen’s Land, 30 October 1815. No 12. John Devlin, plaisterer, Canada (3ed), convicted at Drogheda, March 1814, sentence, seven years. Irish Convict Database: age 22, native of Dublin, trade, Plaisterer and painter.