| Name: | Margaret Ragan |
| Aliases: | none |
| Gender: | f |
| Date of Birth: | 1791 |
| Occupation: | Fruiterer |
| Date of Death: | - |
| Age: | - |
Life Span
Female median life span was 57 years*
* Median life span based on contributions
Sentence Severity
Sentenced to 7 years
| Crime: | Theft |
| Convicted at: | London Gaol Delivery |
| Sentence term: | 7 years |
| Ship: | Speke |
| Departure date: | March, 1808 |
| Arrival date: | 16th November, 1808 |
| Place of arrival | New South Wales |
| Passenger manifest | Travelled with 98 other convicts |
| Primary source: | Australian Joint Copying Project. Microfilm Roll 87, Class and Piece Number HO11/1, Page Number 400 Proceedings of eth old bailey (online), 21 May 1806, matter no 339 |
| Source description: | This record is one of the entries in the British convict transportation registers 1787-1867 database compiled by State Library of Queensland from British Home Office (HO) records which are available on microfilm as part of the Australian Joint Copying Project. |
Robin Sharkey on 1st November, 2016 wrote:
Margaret Ragan at age of 15 was transported on convict ship “Speke” for 7 years for taking the hat off the head of a 12 year old boy, and her accomplice or friend, John Campbell, for receiving it. She was tried at the Old Bailey.
OLD BAILEY PROCEEDINGS, 21 May 1806
339. MARGARET RAGAN and THOMAS CAMPBELL were indicted for feloniously stealing on the 18th of May , a hat, value 5s. the property of Joseph Tomkins .
JAMES EDWARDS sworn. I am a watch finisher, I live at No. 19, Gee street. On Sunday evening about half past eight o’clock, a neighbour’s child came running into my house, and told me that a nephew of mine had been beat, and his hat taken from him.
A. Who is your nephew. - A. John Tomkins ; I went out and met the young woman at the bar; I says to the boy, John where is your hat, he says this woman has punched me in the face, and took my hat and gave it to a boy, he has ran away with it, I then says to the woman, I will take care of you, she said I did not mean to keep it, do not charge a constable with me and I will get the hat again; as soon as I could get her into Cripplegate parish I charged an officer with her, and from there she was taken to the compter.
[John Tompkins said he was aged 12, an errand boy to Mr Dancer and residing with his uncle, James Edwards]
“A. Last Sunday evening about eight or half after eight, there was me and these two boys along with me, and they looked into a little house.
Q. Where was you then. - A. In Goswell Street fields ; these two boys were looking into a little house, and they said there was a ghost, they wanted me to look in to see it; then this girl and boy (the prisoners at the bar), and a great many more, came up to me, and the boy (the prisoner) snatched John Sheen ‘s hat off, and put it on his head, that hat did not fit him, the girl came up to me and said he shall not have your hat, she touched me on the back, took my hat from my head, throwed it to the boy, and he ran away with it as hard as he could; I did not see the boy afterwards till the constable had got him at the watchhouse in Redcross street, there they asked me whether it was my hat.
Q. Are you sure that is the boy. - A. Yes, I am sure Thomas Campbell is the boy and Margaret Ragan is the girl.
“WILLIAM WOOD sworn. I am a constable, I produce the hat; the prisoner Campbell came into the watchhouse with this hat on his head, it was taken off his head, and given to me just at the time the little boy and his uncle came into the watchhouse, he described the mark on the hat, and where he bought it; I went to the hatters, and he said there was his private mark on it.
JOHN SHEEN [aged 11, had been together with John Tompkins and his cousin John Edwards, both 12]:
Q. What passed. - A. We were playing at follow my leader; this girl came up and took my hat from off my head, it was too little for Campbell, she gave it me again; she says to John Tomkins , my dear, he shall not take your hat, and she took his hat off directly.
______________________
1807 - WAS Listed to arrive per indent of “Sydney Cove ” but did not do so.
Arrived NSW 15th November 1808 on “Speke”
Sydney Gazette 28 May 1814 - Gave notice as Mary Ragan that she intended leaving the Colony
1814 - Single, Mustered at Parramatta, , off stores, now FREE
Also known as MARY Ragan.
In 1820 -Sent as a convct to Port Macquarie
1822 - was free agian and in Sydney as Wife of Dnnis Supple. Parramatta
1825 - Widow of Dennis Supple. Parramatta.
1828 Census -Listed Margaet Suppleat Parramatta as teh Householder. had a 2 years old son named Timothy Regan -(probably “Ragan”, her maiden name).
Margaret was said to be aged 37 (consistent with age at trial) Catholic, per Speke, made her mark with “x” and was a Brushmaker. She had a number of lodgers:
*Ann Madden age 31 per “Morley” 14 yrs Gov Servant, wife of John Madden
* John Lane age 29 per “Eliza” 1822, TL, shoemaker
* Benjamin Hooton age 29 Protestant FbyS, stonecutter
Penny-Lyn Beale on 2nd June, 2020 wrote:
New South Wales, Australia, Certificates of Freedom, 1810-1814, 1827-1867
No; 1/1316
Date of Certificate; 5th April 1814.
Native Place; London
Calling: Fruit Woman
5 Ft 3 1/4 inches
Complexion; Fair
Hair: Light Brown
Eyes; Hazel
Maureen Withey on 29th September, 2020 wrote:
The 1828 census lists 2 children with Margaret at Parramatta:
Denis Suple, age 8, son of above, and
Timothy Regan, age 2, son of above.
Robin Sharkey on 1st November, 2016 made the following changes:
source: Australian Joint Copying Project. Microfilm Roll 87, Class and Piece Number HO11/1, Page Number 400 Proceedings of eth old bailey (online), 21 May 1806, matter no 339 (prev. Australian Joint Copying Project. Microfilm Roll 87, Class and Piece Numb
Penny-Lyn Beale on 2nd June, 2020 made the following changes:
occupation
This record was discovered and printed on ConvictRecords.com.au
