James Hennessey

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JD Stubbs on 17th July 2022

James Hennessy Birth: 1796 at Kilmurry, County Clare, Ireland Death: Dec. 13, 1846 at Maitland City, New South Wales, Australia James was an educated Irishman from Kilmurry, County Clare who was in the English army serving as a clerk (likely not voluntarily) in maybe 1816. I found him shipped off to India at 26 in 1822 (on "The Thames" ) where he swapped sides in 1826 and took shots at the English from the ramparts of the Bhurtpore citadel. He was lucky in that he received the sentence of 14years transportation to Australia as his friend and co-deserter was hanged. When he first arrived in Maitland, NSW 1827, James was given the office of Clerk to the Magistrate of Maitland and in later years embarked on a career as a Constable and Watch House Keeper in the Gaol system of Maitland and Newcastle. Within a year of her arrival James met convict dairy maid Mary Cremin and they had a child and then another. In 1834 they finally married after numerous attempts at gaining permission as the records showed that Mary was still married so they may have paid off, or found some witnesses, to her first husband’s death back in Ireland. The couple had eight children in total in 12 years. Their seven surviving children; James, Ellen, Frances, Mary, Ann, William and Thomas, were educated with their sons going on to start businesses and farms. His eldest, James (Jnr), seemed to be some sort of an Irish activist, William; a prominent farmer in Braidwood and his youngest Thomas owning two Sawmills in Kempsey. Their daughters married carriers and ‘postmen’ mostly. Their 3rd child Frances' husband Harry went overland towards Narrabri but the other daughters seemed to have had a taste for the sea. Their husbands were sea captains and daughter Mary eventually becoming the great grandmother to Errol Flynn. In 1846 at the age of 43 Mary found herself a widow with 6 children under the age of 14 when James died at age 50. He is buried Roman Catholic Section, East Maitland Cemetery. Not surprisingly Mary remarried Charles Kennedy (her 3rd husband) and settled in Sydney to be a support to her daughters over the years. Charles eventually died in an asylum in 1864. Five years later Mary was one of the first to be buried at Rookwood cemetery and some of her children were later buried near her. Children: James Hennessy (1832 - 1907) Ellen Hennessy Crumpton (1834 - 1880) Frances Hennessy Keen (1836 - 1919) Mary Hennessy Madden (1837 - 1914) Ann Hennessy Rogers (1838 - 1908) William Hennessy (1842 - 1923) Thomas Hennessy (1844 - 1910)

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JD Stubbs on 17th July 2022

THE ARTILLERYMEN FOUND IN BHURTPORE. (from The Asiatic journal and monthly miscellany, Volume 22, page 589) At a European General Court-martial, held in camp at Bhurtpore on the 19th Jan.. 1826, gunner John Matson, of the lstcomp. 3d bat. artillery, was charged with " desertion to the enemy in the month of Dec. 1825 or Jan. 1826, at Bhurtpore, in which fortress or town he was taken prisoner by the British troops in the assault on the 18th Jan. 1826."—The court found the prisoner not guilty, and fully acquitted him. Before the same court-martial, and on the same day, Bombardier William Her. bert, of the 4lh comp. 3d bat. Bengal artillery, was charged with "desertion to the enemy at Bhurtpore, in which fortress he was taken prisoner by the British troops on the assault of the 18th Jan. 1826;" also with "having aided and abetted the enemy against the British arms."—The court found the prisoner guilty of the latter charge, and adjuged him to suffer deatli, by being hanged by the neck until dead. The sentence was ordered to be carried into execution on the 30th Jan., at seven A. M., on the cavalier of the northeast angle of the fort of Bhurtpore. Before the same court-martial, and on the same day, Gunners John O'Brien and James Hennessey, of the 3d comp. 1st bat. Bengal artillery, were charged with "desertion to the enemy at Bhurtpore, in which fortress they were taken prisoners by the British troops on the assault of the 18th Jan. 1826."—The court found the prisoners guilty, and sentenced them to be transported as felons for the term of fourteen years.

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Tony Beale on 16th December 2020

From Kilmurry Co Clare Ireland. Single catholic who could read and write. Was tried on 26/2/1826 at Bhurtpore India for desertion to the enemy. 5' 8" ruddy complexion, brown hair and hazel eyes.