Summary
Personal Information
Transportation
William Dunshea was transported on the Martha, departing 18th Aug 1818 and arriving 30th Dec 1818 with 175 passengers.
410 Ton, Transported male convicts from Ireland. Register of persons on the ship are currently being listed - incomplete records to date.
Martha (generic)References
| Primary Source | State Records and Archives New South Wales |
Claims
"I am a distant great grandson of William Dunshea. In 2018 my wife and I retraced his 1818 journey from Lisburn, to Belfast, to the court in Carrick Fergus and then to the notorious Kilmainham gaol in Dublin"
Photos
No photos have been added for William Dunshea.
Convict Notes
Here is William Dunshea's transportation history. https://dunshea200.wordpress.com/
NEW SOUTH WALES. RETURN OF ALL CONVICTS ASSIGNED AND TRANSFERRED BETWEEN THE 1st AND 30th DAYS OF APRIL, INCLUSIVELY. 1491. KENT WILLIAM, Portland (4), errand boy, to William Dunshea, Sydney. NSW Govt. Gazette, 8 Aug 1832. SATURDAY, April. 4th.- Before the Police Magistrates. Mary Gibbons, assigned to William Dunshea, was placed at the bar on a charge of insolence and pilfering. It appeared from the evidence of Mr. Dunshea and the constable who apprehended the prisoner, that on the previous evening she had refused to do her work, and was extremely insolent to her mistress, who sent for a constable to take her to the watchhouse. Before the constable arrived, the prisoner went into the yard and was seen to take two aprons from a line which she secreted among her clothes. This case occupied consider able time owing to the prisoner's volubility, and her pretending not to understand any thing but Irish, with which she entertained the court. Six months to the third class. Upon hearing this sentence, Mary put on one of her best looks and curtseying very low exclaimed, "Musha good luck to y'r honors," but upon being informed that this was in addition to her original sentence she knelt down, and with great gesticulation poured forth a volley of Irish which Colonel Wilson informed the Bench was invoking seven thousand curses on their heads. Sydney Monitor, 8 April 1835.
Colonial Secretary Index. DUNSHEA, William. Per "Martha", 1818. 1819 Jan 4 On list of convicts disembarked from the "Martha" and forwarded to Windsor for distribution (Reel 6006; 4/3499 p.245) 1822 Jul 13 On lists of prisoners transported to Port Macquarie per "Lady Nelson" (Reel 6019; 4/3864 pp.1a, 364-5) 1824 Oct 16,30 On list of prisoners assigned (Fiche 3290; 4/4570D p.33) 1825 Feb 2 Appointed Constable, Windsor (Reel 6039; 4/424 p.307) 1825 Mar 23 Dismissed for allowing prisoners to escape (Reel 6039; 4/424 p.334) -------------------------------------------------- Convict Index. William Dunshea, per Martha 1818, Certificate of Freedom, 31 Mar 1825. No 253/3481. ------------------------------------------------------ Colonial Secretary's Office, Sydney, February25, 1831. HIS Excellency the Governor has been pleased to approve of the following alterations in the Police of the Colony, namely, SYDNEY. To be Constables. William Dunshea, per Martha, from the 28th Ultimo. Sydney Gazette, 3 Mar 1831. --------------------------------------------------- It seems that William was able to have convict servants, but they ran away . -------------------------------------------------- LIST OF RUNAWAYS APPREHENDED DURING THE PAST WEEK. Nichols Ellen, Grenada, from- William Dunshea. Sydney Gazette, 5 May 1831. --------------------------------------------------- Mary Amartin, No. 32-37, Pyramus, 21, All-work, Liverpool, 4 feet 9¾, brown eyes, dark brown hair, sallow freckled comp. scar on centre of forehead, scar on lower left arm, small scars on palm of left hand, from Mr. William Dunshea. Sydney. NSW Govt Gazette, 13 Feb 1833. -------------------------------------------------- COLONIAL SECRETARY’S OFFICE, SYDNEY, 5th NOVEMBER, 1833. HIS Excellency the GOVERNOR has been pleased to approve of the following alteration in the Police of the Colony, viz.— Sydney Patrolmen resigned — William Dunshea and James Jones. NSW Govt Gazette, 6 Nov 1833. -------------------------------------------------- DEATHS. On the 3rd instant, at the residence of her daughter, Mrs.Denham, King-street East, after a long and painful illness, Mrs. JANE BANKS, relict of the late Mr. William Dunshea, county Armagh, Ireland, in the 75th year of her age. "She died having faith in the Redeemer." Sydney Morning Herald, 8 Dec 1868.
Familysearch. Index to Bounty Immigrants. Jane Dunshea, arrived 7 Oct 1828, on Sir Joseph Banks, with 1 children,1 male under 12.
William was convicted in Lisbon Antrim Ireland for stealing 2 pigs and sentenced to 7 years in Van Demons Land. His wife and eldest child were later taken to be with him in Australia at the Governments expense.