Mary Jane Fitzgerald

338

Penny-Lyn Beale on 17th August 2024

Orphan Number: 1843 Orphan: Charlotte FITZGERALD Mother: FITZGERALD, Mary J Father: FITZGERALD, Robert Mother's ship: St Vincent Father's ship: Age when admitted: 4yrs Date admitted: 15 Apr 1850 Date discharged: 3 Apr 1851 Institution(s): Queens Orphan School Discharged to: mother, Ticket of Leave https://www.orphanschool.org.au/showorphan.php?orphan_ID=1843

342

Maureen Withey on 30th July 2021

Births of children. Hobart district Birth Registrations. Ann Tynan, date of birth, 8 May 1855, Father, Thomas Tynan, laborer, mother, Mary Jane Tynan, formerly Fitzgerald, Informant, Father, T. Tynan of 29 Barrack St, signed the form on 7 July 1855. Male Tynan, born 7 Nov 1856, Father, Thomas Tynan, laborer, mother, Mary Jane Tynan, formerly Fitzgerald, Informant, Father, Thomas Tynan of Barrack St, signed the form on 19 November 1856. -------------------------------------------------- There is a marriage registration for a Mary Jane Tynan at Hobart in 1883. March 20 1883, at Holy Trinity Church, Hobart, Thomas Douglas, aged 65, labourer, widower, and Mary Jane Tynan, age 57, widow. Both signed with their X.

342

Maureen Withey on 30th July 2021

https://www.oldbaileyonline.org/print.jsp?div=t18481023-2357 A very long account of the trial. 2357. MARY JANE FITZGERALD and JAMES FRY , feloniously setting fire to a house in the possession of Emma Beaumont, with intent to injure and defraud the Westminster Fire-office, and EMMA BEAUMONT for feloniously inciting them to commit the said felony. Mary Jane’s Statement: HENRY O'BRIEN . I acted as clerk to the Magistrate, at Bow-street, when the examination of the witnesses in this case took place—after the examination, Fitzgerald was asked if she desired to say anything—it was explained to her that if she did it would be given in evidence against her—I took down what she said from her lips—this is it—(reads—"From the time I entered Miss Beaumont's service, Miss Beaumont kept me a prisoner. She told me that she was highly indebted, and that she was talking to Baxter about setting the house on fire. She would not let me speak to Mrs. Moore at all. I gave her warning to leave; she would not take my warning; she knew that I was very easily led, and she began to flatter and coax me to stay with her. She told me she was going to Australia with Baxter and her brother; that she would get a farm and land there with her insuring-money, and that if I wished it I should go with her. I refused to go. She used to go down and speak privately with Baxter; they talked very seriously together for about three weeks. Miss Beaumont has asked me to open the feather-beds, and two of them I opened for her, and filled bolsters and pillows with the feathers, and I pawned them two or three at a time by her direction. I pawned some of them at first in the name of Smith, and the others she told me to pawn in my own name, bat that I was to give a wrong address. I pawned a great many dresses, china, and other things, for Miss Beaumont. I took out a great many boxes and bundles for her. I showed Baxter the money and the duplicates for most of the things I pledged. She sent me up stairs to coax Baxter to set the house on fire, and to tell him that if he would go to Australia with her she would marry him when she got there. About two days before the fire I brought down two bedsteads by Miss Beaumont's direction, and I assisted her in chopping it up. She said she wanted to set fire to four places to destroy the whole house. On the Thursday before the fire happened, Miss Beaumont spoke seriously to him about it, and it was agreed that the house should be set on fire that night. He went away, and when he was gone Miss Beaumont sent me for a 3d. stamp. She told me to go for Baxter, and she said she wished me to be a witness that she gave him 3l. to set the house on fire that night. I went for Baxter, and I showed him. the stamp, and told him that he was to have 3l., and that he was to sign his name to that. He said he would not do it for 50l. When I cam back, the prisoner Fry was in the coffee-room, and when Miss Beaumont came in she said she was going to the Haymarket Theatre with Fry, and that Baxter was going to set fire to the house then. When Baxter told me he would not have anything to do with it, I made myself perfectly agreeable to him. When Fry came into the bar she blew out the candle, and lowered the gas. She then went out to the Haymarket, with Fry, and then Baxter told me he would not do it for 50l., and that he would go off into the country, and he did go. She returned home about half an hour after going away. Her brother was in the coffee-room. She told me that Fry had left her, and that she felt miserable; and that thinking the house was on fire she came out to see how the place was getting on. She staid looking out for Baxter till half-past twelve o'clock, and then told me he had acted very wise not to do it that night, because it was the Opera night. She then said she would do it herself if she could not get any one else to do it. The next morning she sent me to look for Baxter. I found Baxter's late master, Mr. Davis, and he came up, and saw Miss Beaumont, and told her that he (Baxter) had gone into the country with a young man "hopping." Miss Beaumont then told me that she would try and get the prisoner Fry to do it. He (Fry) came, and had break-fast that morning, and she told him how Baxter had served her, and then said she would give him (Fry) 20l., and me 20l., if we would do it, and we both refused. She then persuaded Fry to put his name to the stamp, and she put her own name to it, and she made put put my mark to keep the secret. She read it over. The words in that paper are the same I gave Mr. Storr. She wished Fry to sleep in the house. He refused. I heard Fry say to Miss Beaumont, 'If you get 3s. worth of gunpowder, and put it in a paper, that will blow the house up.' She said, 'Would not turpentine do better?' In the evening she told me she was going to Cremorne-gardens with Fry. In the evening Mrs. Robinson came, and she went up into the front room with Miss Beaumont and Fry; and after that Mrs. Robinson came downstairs, and took three books, and she said it was a pity they should be destroyed; and she said to me, 'Be sure to do it, and do it so that it will not be known that it was done with hands.' I told her not to be puzzling me. She said I was to be very careful how I did it. I did not answer her either way. She said she was frightened, Miss Beaumont had told it to too many, and that it would be found out. The night of the fire Miss Beaumont and Fry went to Cremorne-gardens. That night after they were gone, Baxter came to the private door, and he asked me what Miss Beaumont had said about his not setting fire to the house. I told him she said he had done very right, as it was the Opera night. He said he would not do it for 50l. I said if he did not do it somebody else would, and that perhaps I would; and I told him it was to take place either that night, or the night after. He said he never intended to do it, and he went away. I fastened up the doors. I washed a coarse apron, and then hung it up before the fire in the bar, on the back of a chair, near enough to catch fire. There were files of bills hanging round by the fire. I went up stairs to bed, and was in bed about an hour, I suppose, when the ringing and the knocking came, and I was almost smothered with the smoke. I got up, and went up the steps that Baxter had taken up stairs, and I got out through the sky-light on to the roof, and then began to cry. I was taken down, and I was afterwards taken to Beaumont's, in King-street, and there Beaumont and Fry came to me, and asked me how it took place, and I said I did not know; and Fry asked me how it took place, I said I did not know. Miss Beaumont gave me three books and a writing-desk, and told me that if Baxter said anything I was to join her, and swear that he had stolen them. I went away from her, and saw nothing of her till the next day. She told me to say that the dresses I had pledged for her, and the china I had pledged for her, were burnt in the fire; and she also told me to say that the pictures she had given to me to take care of were burnt in the fire. She said as soon as she got the insuring-money she would go into the country, and take me with her. She told me to say at the Fire-office that there were two 10l.-notes, two 5l.-notes, and some gold and silver in the little box that she gave me, which there were not; for there were no 10l.-notes; there was no money at all, except a few halfpence that I had put in. She told me to say that the satin dresses were also burnt. After I came from the Fire-office we went to 53, Long Acre, and Mrs. Matthews was with us; and Beaumont said that I should come over the water with her, and Mrs. Matthews said, 'Would it not be better to have 6l. or 7l. than to be raking about.' On the Monday following I went with Beaumont to the Fire-office, and from there to her brother's, and then she told me that if I saw Baxter I was to snap my fingers at him, and that if he said anything she would charge him with stealing bird-cages, books, a desk, and carpenters' tools, and that I was to do the same; and I did not see her again until I was in custody. I met Baxter, and he told me that he would give information, and that I had better come forward and speak the truth, whatever I might suffer; for he was sure to give information. I have nothing further to say; my mistress has led me astray.—MARY JANE FITZGERALD, + her mark.—Taken before me this 13th Sept., 1848. Emma Beaumont was sentenced to 15 years transportation, and Mary Jane to 7 years. James Fry was found not guilty. Mary Jane was employed as a servant to Emma Beaumont. --------------------------------------------------- Tasmanian Convict Conduct record. https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON41-1-25$init=CON41-1-25p64 438 Mary Jane Fitzgerald, Tried Cen. Crim Court, 23 Oct. 7 years. Embarked 1848, arrived 4 April 1850. Transported for maliciously setting fire to a house. Gaol report , before convicted. Widow, 1 child. Stated this offence, Arson. Widow, 1 child on board. Surg. Report, Good. Trade, Laundress and Cook. Height 5 ft. age 26, native of Wales. Dec 9 1850 married to Thomas Tinan. Offences and punishments. May 8 1850, Absent , 1 month hard labor. T. of L. 17/2/52. Feb 14 1853, Disturbing the peace, fined 5/-. July 5 1853, Recommd. For a C.P. Nov 2 1853, Disturbing the peace, fined 5/-. March 17 1854, Using indecent language, 3 months hard labor. Feb 13 1855 Cond. Pardon approved. -------------------------------------------------- Indent https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON15-1-6$init=CON15-1-6p68 and https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON15-1-6$init=CON15-1-6p69 Mary Jane Fitzgerald. Widow, 1 child, on board, Charlotte, 3 years old. Protestant, can read. B(brother) John, ?, Andrew S (sisters) Martha, Sarah, Ann in London. Ship character, Good. Arson, tried with Emma Beaumont. -------------------------------------------------- Mary Jane married Thomas Tinan, originally from Galway Co, Ireland, who was convicted at LAncashire Special Assizes, Oct 1842, and was sent to VDL on the John Renwick, arriving in April 1843. --------------------------------------------------- NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that on and after this date I will not be responsible for any debts contracted by my Wife, MARY JANE TYNAN. THOMAS TYNAN. Melville-street, March 16, 1854. The Courier, 16 Mar 1854.