Jane Hyland

40

Suzanne Hevey on 19th June 2026

Jane gave birth to a daughter, Harriet, at the Female Factory in Ross, Van Diemen’s Land on 4 October 1850. In January 1851 she was sentenced to 2 months hard labour for "Dis of orders". Jane married Michael Renihan on 16 January 1854 at St Josephs Church of Launceston, with Charles Green and Elizabeth Parker as witnesses. This was short lived though; her Conduct Record shows that the marriage was “revoked” one day later on 17 January 1854. This revocation could be because of bigamy as Michael Renihan is described as “Free” on the Marriage Certificate, however he was not ‘free’ in line with the definition of the time (i.e. not a person who had been transported). Michael, a labourer from Tipperary, was tried in Waterford City on 15 July 1845, sentenced to T+7years. He stated his offence as “stealing a coat and waistcoat” and arrived to VDL on the Samuel Boddington on 18 January 1846. Michael’s indent includes in the remarks a wife, Margaret, as well as brothers Pat, Daniel, Hugh, William and Edward. Margaret Butler’s indent (ARV 1850 per Earl Grey) states she has a husband, Michael Renihan, “a convict 5 years since”. Though Margaret too had applied for approval to marry at least three times by the time of Jane’s day long union. Margaret’s Conduct Record shows four unsuccessful applications to marry James Gillam between October 1853 and March 1854. It was approved on 4 April 1854 and they married on the 24th of the same month. Margaret is listed as a spinster on the marriage certificate. While the revocation of the marriage may also be because of a failure to seek approval before it (considered a felony at the time) as there’s no approval listed on Michael or Jane’s Conduct Records, the lack of a charge or punishment for the same on Jane’s record suggests that bigamy is the cause. In January 1853 Jane was granted approval to marry Michael Regan (free) as advertised in the Hobart Guardian on 12 Jan 1853, p3. Whether this is a misspelling in the press, or another Michael Regan is not immediately clear. Certainly there is no marriage certificate for Jane in 1853. Jane received her Ticket of Leave on 10 Feb 1852 and her Certificate of Leave on 20 April 1855.

40

Suzanne Hevey on 18th June 2026

Native place: Co Galway, Ireland Statement of offence: "Burning a house_Pro Farrell at Kildare tried with Ellen Farrel onboard 1Mth, and twice for Drunkenness 3 years on the Town"