Matthew Finnegan

Level 75

iain Frazier on 12th June 2026

Family connections for Matthew (Finnegan) are: FINNEGAN Matthew (Finnegan/Finegan/Fineghan) was born about 1773. He married & produced 6children, who remained in Ireland. He was tried for robbing 'with arms' Thomas (Kearns) while at Dublin city Sherrifs (Marshalsea) debtors prison Ireland at Dublin city Commission of Oyer and Terminer Sessions on 8 7 1809, sentenced to 7years & arrived in NSW on 2 7 1811 after a voyage of 9months on PROVIDENCE; he was Catholic. In the 1810s he worked as an erector of fences & yards. In November 1814 he was assigned to Magistrates Clerk at Parramatta. On 25 3 1816 he married secondly (2of3) Catharine (Glanfield) at St Johns CofE Parramatta.>>> [Some details taken from this Website] Catherine (Granville/Glanfield) was born about 1787. She was senteced to 14years & arrived in NSW as a convict on 18 6 1815 after a voyage of 6.5months on NORTHAMPTON. [Some information taken from this Website] .. >>>Matthew (Finnegan/Finegan/Fineghan) was tried for the murder of William (Pantony MATILDA 1791), on 8 5 1819, of Richmond, convicted of manslaughter & sentenced to 2years in prison. In 1822 he was recorded at Toll Gate Parramatta. On 1 8 1823 he was granted permission to marry thirdly Sarah Jane (Bridge her second marriage), but may not have done so. He died in 1823 age50 father of 6known children. Sarah Jane (Bridge) was born about 1802 in Lancashire & became a cotton weaver. She was tried for possession of a banknote at Lancaster Criminal Court Lent Assizes in Mar/Apr 1821, sentenced to 14years & arrived in NSW on 20 5 1822 after a voyage of 5months on MARY ANN/E; she was under the surgeons care for 2periods from 21 1 & 5 3 1822. She was Protestant 5'2" Fair complexion brown hair hazel eyes. She was sent to female factory at Parramatta & recorded there in 1822. She was variously recorded as Sarah & Jane. She had a first (1of3) relationship with Samuel (Higgs). She was assigned to William (Grose) shoemaker Parramatta after death of Matthew (Finnegan) in 1823. In September 1824 she was charged with drunkenness in service & returned to the female factory. She married thirdly James (Howarth) coachman/waggoner on 15 9 1825 at St Phillips CofE Sydney. She is recorded in 1828 with her husband & son Edward at Sydney Rd Concord. She produced perhaps 2known children in her lifetime. [Some details taken from this Website] Details of Sarah Jane (Bridge)s family are given in entry for Charles (Bridge PRINCE REGENT 1820) on this Website. MAYBE A RELATION Noted a Christopher (Finnegan/Finigan/Finnucane) was born about 1770 possibly in Dublin Ireland, & became a labourer. He was tried w/3others for murder resulting from death of one of their group by one of their group accidentally discharging a firearm during a robbery at Dublin city Commission of Oyer and Terminer at Sessions house in Green Street, sentenced to death by hanging & body to Surgeons, reprieved to Life, held at Kilmainham gaol & arrived in NSW on 2 7 1811 after a voyage of 9months on PROVIDENCEalso. In 1814 he was recorded as off stores in Sydney with Mary (Giles) working for John (Dwyer) Irish Rebel mason probably at Lumber Yard Bridge St Sydney. He married Mary (Giles/Bowman her fourth relationship) on 4 7 1814 at St Matthews CofE Windsor. He was issued his Conditional Pardon no.661 in 1816; he was Catholic 5'10" stout fair ruddy complexion sandy hair hazel eyes. On 27 5 1821 he was at inquest into death of Thomas (Jones) at 55 Pitt St Sydney. He was issued his Conditional Pardon in 1822; he was recorded as landholder at Windsor. In 1823 he was recorded as living at Argyle & employed by Mr (Palmer). In 1828 he was recorded with his wife & some livestock at Bringelly as overseer for G T (Savage). He died in 1845 age75 & may be recorded as Christopher (Tinigan) age81. [Some details taken from this Website] Mary (???/Giles) was born perhaps in 1762. She arrived in NSW in 1791 free on PITT (she consistently states & as recorded in Smees records-how can this be unless she was wife of a convict or soldier or seamam?)-records show this ship left UK in 1791 & arrived in NSW on 14 2 1792 after a voyage of 8months: much fever & attempts to escape from the ship resulted in deaths of convicts-of the 450convicts on board only 29 were alive at muster in May 1792 (or perhaps only this many could be mustered). She married firstly (1of4) William (Giles)-not shown in Smees records, so possibly in England?. In 1800 she was recorded with her husband at Musgrave Place Hawkesbury. In 1811 she fought with her stepson William over her husbands meagre estate. She perhaps married secondly (2of4) with permission of the Governor William (Bowman perhaps his second marriage) of Richmond on 1 1 1806 at St Phillips CofE Sydney. In 1811 she fought with her stepson William over her husbands meagre estate. She seems to have had a third (3of4) relationship with John (Dower). She was recorded as off stores in 1814 at Sydney with Christopher (Finnegeham). In 1828 she was recorded with her husband at Bringelly. She seems to have produced just 1child in her lifetime.] Mary (???/Giles) does not have an entry on this Website; she may be 1of the Marys recorded on this ship. ++ [The several references to possible husband William (Giles) are entered here:] [a William (Giles) arrived in Australia as a convict possibly in 1792 on PITT; much fever & attempts to escape from the ship resulted in deaths of convicts-of the 450convicts on board only 29 were alive at muster in May 1792 (or perhaps only this many could be mustered). He received grant in 1794 at the Hawkesbury. In May 1797 he had purchased land from J (Shepherd) at Mulgrave Place, Hawkesbury. In 1800 he was recorded with his wife on 16acres at Musgrave Place. In 1801 he is recorded with 75acres & in 1802 he had 80acres with his wife & 2servants. [This William (Giles does not have an entry on this Website as yet-added by me] .. [Noted a William Giles) enlisted as a private in NSW Corps on 8 3 1791 in UK & arrrived in NSW as a soldier in 1791, recorded in Smees records as Third Fleet. He died on 28 1 1792 drowned while swimming in Sydney Harbour & possibly buried on 19 2 1792 at St Phillips CofE Sydney.] [another William (Giles) is recorded as dying on 16 9 1805 & buried at St Phillips CofE Sydney] ++ Reference: Craig James Smee 'Births and Baptisms Marriages and Defacto Relationships Deaths and Burials New South Wales 1788-1830' ..a complete listing from church & other records in the early colony. Pamela Statham 'A Colonial Regiment-New Sources Relating to the New South Wales Corps-1789-1810'

Level 72

Robin Sharkey on 22nd August 2015

Finegan was not truthful in his petition as regards the nature of his crime. He wrote that his crime was "taking arms". In fact it was robbery of a person by ripping the pocket off his clothing, containing coins, which the judge decided was within the definition of a felony. Finegan's Crime: Reported in Freeman's Journal dated 6 July 1809, page 2, column 1. In summary, Thomas Kearns was servant to an attorney named Carrol and had gone to the Sheriff's Prison, which he also referred to as the Marshalsea (indicating it was a debtor's prison) to serve a writ on a Mr Browne. Pat McNamara had called out for the inmates to gather and attack poor old Mr Kearns, strip his clothes off him, cut his hair, cut down his breeches, make him stand naked in the rain and make him ask pardon on his knees. Pat McNamara was charged for the riot occurring, as was Matthew Finegan. Finegan was evidently already confined to the Sheriff's Prison and the evidence against him was as follows: " Michael Bray described the riot and saw Finegan in the crowd stripping off the prosecutor’s clothes [i.e. those of Kearns, the attorney's servant]. He tore off the pocket of the waistcoat that had the money. Witness [Bray] followed him from the crowd, seized him when Finegan threw down the pocket which contained the money. The money was in tokens and amounted to 16s. The prosecutor [i.e. Kearns] was in the prison half an hour and was beaten and stripped. "For the prisoners, Mr Smith admitted the riot; did not see McNamara there, and was confident Finegan was not in the riot for he was very ill with an inflamed hand; he gave him the character of a quiet, peaceable man." The fact that Finegan was at the Sheriff's Prison when Keane arrived and the riot started, that Smith (who was the keeper of the Sheriff's Prison) could attest to him having an injured hand, and being "confident" that Finegan was not involved, all point to Finegan being an inmate of the Sheriff's Prison - i.e. a debtor confined to prison. The judge of the Dublin Court of Oyer & Terminer (called the Commission) " defined the law of felony and considered that taking money in the manner stated by the prosecutor amounted to that offence. Both the prisoners were found guilty." McNamara however did not arrive on "Providence" or subsequent ships. He may have received a lesser punishment.

Level 72

Robin Sharkey on 3rd February 2015

Matthew Finnegan was aged 37 when transported from Ireland in December1810 on “Providence” convict ship with a 7 year sentence. CRIME: "Carrying arms" CONVICTED: Dublin 8 July 1809 (Information per his own prisoner’s petition dated July 1809) He stated in his petition that he was married and had six children. Finnegan was evidently a handy sort of a man. He was paid by the government for erecting a number of fences & yards: 12 Nov 1814 - Matthew Finnegan, John Lacey and John Griffith were together paid by Government (from the Police Fund) £95 “for erecting two government stock yards etc on the Cowpastures Road 1817 - Finnegan and one Smithers were together paid £92 during the quarter ended September 1817 for their work of fencing, in the Government Domain. (John Lacey was per the Minerva 1800, a Parramatta publican and landholder; James Smithers was convicted Wicklow in 1801, life per Atlas 1801). November 1814 Muster, Recorded as assigned to the Magistrates Clerk, probably at Parramatta since mustered there 1819 MURDER CHARGE Charged with MURDER of William PANTONY (67) at Richmond on 8 May 1819 ( SRNSW COD 447, Citation 2703 [SZ787] 1) *William Pantony had arrived “Matilda” 1791, lived Richmond, * Married 1813 to Fanny Dier at Windsor. * Had a farm at Eastern Creek, about 12 miles from Parramatta, near the farms of William Heywood and William Smith (per Syd Gaz 4/3/1820, adv page 4) * Buried Richmond 10 May 1819. Age 67. Sydney Gazette - 19 June 1819 FRIDAY. - Matthew Finnighan was indicted for the wilful murder of William Pantony, at Richmond, on the 7th ult. and being found guilty of manslaughter was sentenced to two years imprisonment. (Trial papers have not been read to determine circumstances of the death). On List of Fees paid to the Clerk of the Peace 1819 June Sessions fees paid: 3s 6d “Subpoena for the prisoner” (No gaol record found of his 2 years’ imprisonment) 1822: Residing at the Toll Gate at Parramatta. 12 December 1822 - Matthew Finnegan at Parramatta Received an assigned convict, a fellow Irishman named Edward Callaghan per Hadlow in 1820, 1st August 1823 Given permission to marry young convict woman, Sarah Jane Bridge per ‘Mary Ann’ arrived 2 May 1822. 14 years transportation for having counterfeit bank notes. Her father Charles Bridge had arrived in 1820 with Life for Receiving Counterfeit money, also lived at Parramatta with his new NSW wife. Sarah Jane per 1822 Indent of Mary Ann: * aged 22, cotton weaver * Native of Lancashire * 5ft 2 inches, fair skin, hazel eyes and brown hair. Sarah Jane was either pregnant when Matthew Finnegan offered to marry her or had already had her child to an unnamed father surname Higgs. The existence of Edward Higgs, age 5, therefore Born 1823, child of Jane was recorded in 1828 Census but her husband’s name was James Howarth. Finnegan and Sarah Jane were an unlikely match. He was aged 50 & Catholic, she was a young girl of about 22, Protestant. He had obviously given up any idea of returning to his wife and family of six children in Ireland. The child was not his. Perhaps he offered to marry her for his comfort and her security with the child, Alas, Matthew Finnegan died in 1823, no registered marriage, it might not have happened before his death. Sarah Jane later in 1825 married Parramatta coachmaker, James Howarth.