Catherine Melin

71

Robin Sharkey on 21st March 2019

Catherine Melin or Mellon was tried in Dublin in April, 1795 and given a sentence of transportation for seven years, arriving on the ship "Marquis Cornwallis". (per Indent of 'Marquis Cornwallis'). In 1801 the muster recorded her as being at the home of D'Arcy Wentworth and off stores. The 1806 Muster recorded her as Free by Servitude and the wife of John White (note - not necessarily legally married). She was a dressmaker and a milliner and advertised her business in June 1808: The Sydney Gazette, Sunday 19 June 1808 p.2 "Catherine Mellon, mantua maker and milliner begs leave to inform ladies and the public at large, that all orders with which she may be favoured in the above branches shall be punctually executed, either in a plain or fashionable mode, on terms which she trusts will not be considered unwarrantable.-- All commands forwarded to her, at No. 12, Back Row East, will be immediately attended to." Possibly Catherine Mellon was the person recorded in 1806 as living with John White, being the “Catherine White” referred to by a John White in the following advertisement, which appeared in the same newspaper – on the same page - as the above advertisement by Catherine Mellon, mantua maker: The Sydney Gazette, Sunday 8 October 1809 p.2 "WHEREAS my wife Catherine White having absconded from my house with a number of blank Promissory Notes or Checks, printed for me and having my marginal scroll, in her possession all persons are hereby forbid receiving in payment any notes of mine; but to return all that are now in circulation to me, for immediate payment, in order to prevent fraud and imposition by the said Catherine White. And I do hereby further caution the Public against giving credit to my said wife, as I will not be responsible for any debt or debts she may contract." It seems within a year Catherine had saved enough money for her passage home and no furtehr record of her in the colony appears after the following notice of her intended departure in 1809: The Sydney Gazette, Sunday 8 October 1809 p.2 "Notice is hereby given, that the undermentioned Persons have obtained His Honor the Lieutenant Governor's Permission to go as Passengers in the Mary Ann : Mr. O'Connor Ellen O'Connor Mr. Williaim Gough Mary Gough Sarah Hesley Mr James Dixon Mr. William Emmett Mr. Thomas Green Sarah Green John Doyle John Petty Joseph Eyms Jane Rhynd  Catherine Mellon Sarah Bell and Child Sarah Sibery [per] Captain Bishop"