Robert Magrane Reily

74

iain Frazier on 13th February 2025

Family connections for Robert Magrane (Reily) are: REILY Robert Magrane (Reil/ly/Ryley) was born about 1808 at Dublin Ireland & became a calico printer. He was tried for robbery at Dublin Ireland on 26 4 1823, sentenced to 7years & arrived in NSW on 29 12 1823 after a voyage of 4months on MEDINA. He was assigned as a servant to a houseold at Windsor, then to Bathurst & then to Peter (McIntyre) at 'Bolwarra' Patterson Plains near Maitland. He weorked as a bullock team driver & bought gold from miners. He had a relationship with Martha Ann (Sharp her second relationship) whom he married (perhaps bigamously) on 24 2 1858 at Hinton. From 1858 he owned Diggers Arms/Adelong Goldfields Hotel, a store & butchery at Reilleys Crossing Middle Adelong/Wondalga, which he later sold & moved the family to Cowra. He died on 31 1 1864 age56 at Tumut Riverina. [Some details taken from this Website] Martha Ann (Sharp) was born on 8 2 1801 & baptised on 25 12 1801 at St Johns CofE Parramatta. She married firstly Christopher (Harper) labourer on 15 6 1818 at St Phillips CofE Sydney & produced 6children. She died on 26 11 1861 age about60 at Adelong Tumut mother of 12children. Details of Martha Ann (Sharp)s famaily are given in entry for Martha (Burrell SPEEDY 1800) on this Website. Robert Magrane (Reilly) & Martha Ann (Sharp) produced 5children: perhaps boys 1.??? (Reilly) was born in Maitland area about 1831. 2.-4.??? (Reilly) was born in Maitland area. 5.??? (Reilly) was born in Maitland area about 1844. 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.

221

D Wong on 24th July 2019

Occupation: Calico printer.

54

Phil Hands on 13th July 2017

Robert, a Calico Printer, was tried and convicted in Dublin on 26th April 1823 of robbery, sentenced to 7 years transportation. Left Cork on 5th September 1823. Ship:- the 'Medina' sailed with 180 male convicts on board of which 4 died during the voyage. Arrived on 29th December 1823. Robert was assigned as a convict servant to a household in Windsor and then to one in Bathurst before finally being assigned to Peter McIntyre at Bolwarra, Patterson Plains, near Maitland, NSW. He met Martha Harper (nee Sharp), daughter of soldier Thomas Sharp & convict Martha Burrell ('Speedy' 1800), they had 5 children between 1831-1844 before finally marrying (Martha under the name of Sharp) on 24th February 1848 at Hinton, later finding out that her first husband, Christopher Harper, with whom she had 6 children between 1819-1827, did not die until 1862!. In 1857 Gold was discovered at Mt Charcoal near Adelong. From the reef between June 1857 and Sept 1850 12,000 tons of Quarts produced 60,000oz of gold. About the same time Reedy Flat (Batlow) was in a Gold Boom. Robert was the original Inn Keeper at Reillys Crossing, Middle Adelong or Wondalga as it is called today. He had "Diggers Arms" or Adelong Creek Goldfield Hotel (a tent in 1858 and building in 1860) and was one of the very early pioneers and conducted the hotel, store and butchery. The old hostelry was well situated for trade at the crossroads for Tumut , Tumbaumba, Reedy Flat, Main and Upper Adelong and Adelong. After a long and successful run of business Robert disposed of the property by Auction. The family later moved to Cowra. Children all born at Maitland area. On the road to Wondalga from Tumut a very steep hill bears the name "Rilley's Gap" Robert drove the first bullock team down or up the gap (hence the name). The hill was always dreaded by the bullockies of old who regularly hauled goods from Tumut to Tumbarumba, a good 40 miles of hilly country. Robert brought Gold extensively from the miners up and down Adelong Creek and did a rousing business. Robert died on 31st January 1864 age 56 at Tumut, Riverina, New South Wales . Martha had died on 26th November 1861 also at Tumut.