John Downing

81

Gail Robyn Newman on 14th July 2025

CONVICT JOHN DOWNING/DOWNEY John Downing/ey was born abt 1810 in Co Kerry Ireland to Bartholomew and Bridget (Burns) Downing. His occupation was described on convict indents as ploughman, reaper, milkman. At the age of 18 John was convicted in Tralee Assizes on 18th Mar 1830 together with his brother Robert 17, of stealing money. They were both given sentences of 7 years transportation. After sailing for nearly 4 months on the “Andromeda II” 1830, a ship of 408tonnes built in Sunderland England in 1819, together with 180 male convicts, he arrived in Sydney NSW on 18th Dec, 1830 John was assigned to Cornelius O’Brien of “Adjunbilly” near Gundagai to work as a labourer/shepherd on his large property on the banks of the Murrumbidgee River. John was described on his conviction as 18years old 5foot 7’ tall, dark hair, hazel eyes, sallow complexion. On the Convict Indents 1788 – 1842 he was described as 5foot 7’ tall, Ruddy freckled and pockpitted, brown hair, hazel eyes. Later on he was described as 5foot 81/2’ Ruddy freckled and pockpitted, brown hair, hazel eyes, small scar on outer part of L eye convict no 2702 assigned to C. O’Brien of Illawarra. John received his TofL35/522 to remain in the Goulburn District. He received his C of Freedom on 23rd May 1843. He met and married Irish Famine Orphan Bridget Reynolds, who had come from the Ennistymon Workhouse in Ireland on the “Thomas Arbuthnot” in 1850 (and was employed by Mr Peter Ross “Jamballa” Sandy falls near Gundagai NSW for 1 year from 26th Mar 1850 for 8pounds as a houseservant). John and Bridget were married 1 Nov 1850 at Sandy Falls by Father Patrick Magennis.of the Yass Roman Catholic Church. John and Bridget both noted their abode as “Adjenbilly” with witnesses John Downey of “Darbalara” and Anne Stacey of Tumut. None could read or write. John and Bridget used the surname Downey and worked together on many large properties around the Murrumbidgee area including “Kimo”, Sandy Falls, Yass, “Wantabadgery”, “Mittagang”,”Pomingalarna” Wagga Wagga, and together produced a family of 11 children. John was 39years old when he married 16year old Bridget and therefore when the twins were born in 1872 he was 62 years old. He had fallen on hard times (most likely from being a “Happy” drinking Irishman, and in 1875 found himself unemployed. John travelled to Tumut to visit his brother Robert (more than likely for a helping hand ) whom by that time had become a successful businessman and substantial land owner owning the property "Rosebank" . John contracted dysentery and within the week passed away aged 65years. Brother Robert had him buried in the Roman Catholic section of the Old Tumut Cemetery in the Downing family plot the next day. Bridget by this time was in dire straits and became a charwoman in Wagga Wagga to earn an income. She never remarried and eventually died at her twin daughter Emma Ball’s place in Wagga Wagga on 11 Feb 1915 of heart problems. She was 80 years old. Apparently her family didn’t know of John’s origins or where his grave was as the newspaper article about Bridget’s funeral stated that she was buried alongside her long predeceased husband in the Roman Catholic sect. of Wagga Wagga Cemetery. Church burial records didn’t exist until after Bridget’s death. John left no estate. Robert Downing (John’s brother) “Kerry Bob” left an estate worth 5725pounds when he died on 13 Oct 1891 aged 80years old at “Gadara” Tumut. One of his male descendants Robert “Reginald” Downing became a QC, Leader of the NSW Govt in the Legislative Council and Vice-President of the Executive Council for 24years, Minister for Justice for 15years, Attorney-General for 9 years, and Leader of the Opposition of NSW in the Legislative Council for 7 years before he retired to his sheep property in Goulburn where he died 9 Sept 1994 aged 88years old. The Downing District Court Centre in Sydney is named after him.