Margaret Scullion

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Sandie McKoy on 28th March 2025

Story and research by Sandie McKoy for the Wodonga Cemetery Early Burials Project, 2025. The life of Margaret 'Maggie' Scullion Early years in Belfast Maggie was born around 1822 at Belfast. According to her convict indent record, her father's name was James Scullion, she had three brothers (including James and Daniel), and her parents were alive and living at Belfast when she was sentenced in 1842 to be transported. No birth or baptism records for her or her brothers have survived. Maggie was born around 1822 in Belfast, Ireland, a city shadowed by poverty and turbulence. Her father, James Scullion, and her mother, whose name has been lost to history, raised her along with three brothers, including James and Daniel. Unfortunately no birth or baptism records for her or her brothers have survived. The family's existence was marked by scarcity, clinging to life's edges as best they could in a world stacked against them. When Maggie was sentenced to transportation in 1842, her parents were still alive and living in Belfast. But their paths would never cross again. Crime and survival in Belfast Growing up in Belfast, Maggie's life was a testament to resilience in the face of relentless hardship. Ireland in the early 19th century was gripped by poverty, inequality, and social unrest. The Act of Union in 1801 had torn away Ireland's legislative independence, thrusting the nation under British control and deepening the chasm between the predominantly Catholic poor and the Protestant British rulers. For Maggie's family, Catholics living under a system designed to suppress them, life was a constant battle for survival. Belfast's rapid industrialisation brought work for some, but for most, it only deepened poverty. The shipyards and linen mills boomed, but their prosperity was built on exploitation. For Maggie and many others, life offered little beyond misery and desperation. First brushes with the law Maggie's criminal record begins in 1839, a time when law enforcement was increasingly strict on petty theft and poverty-related crimes. Also around this time, Maggie may have left her family home and fell into prostitution. According to her convict conduct record, she was 'on the town' for three years prior to being transported to Van Diemen's Land. On 4 May 1839, Maggie and Jane Quin were accused of stealing a gown and handkerchief belonging to James Griffiths. The case was heard at the Belfast Quarter Sessions in July 1839, where both women were found guilty and sentenced to five months' imprisonment. She was later acquitted and discharged. In January 1840, Maggie was again taken into custody for allegedly receiving stolen goods. She was accused of possessing a stolen shawl belonging to Ann Muldoon of Smithfield knowing it to be stolen. Found guilty at the Belfast Quarter Sessions in April, she was sentenced to nine months' imprisonment. During this period, receiving stolen goods was seen as a serious offence, as authorities aimed to punish both thieves and those who supported the criminal underworld. Prisons at this time were overcrowded, disease-ridden, and lacked proper sanitation. Female convicts were frequently subjected to exploitation and mistreatment by jailers. Despite the harshness of the prison system, petty crime was widespread due to the desperation of poverty-stricken communities. The crime that ended her freedom In November 1841, Maggie's luck ran out. She was arrested and taken from the Belfast Police Office to jail for allegedly stealing several pieces of printed cottons, the property of James Shaw who lived on Church Lane. Her trial was held at the Belfast Quarter Sessions on 6 January 1842. Maggie was found guilty and sentenced to be transported for a period of seven years. Transportation was a common punishment for crimes ranging from petty theft to more serious offences. The British government used it as a way to alleviate overcrowded prisons and expand its colonies. Women like Maggie were seen as suitable for transportation because they could serve as domestic workers or provide labour in growing settlements. The Grangegorman Female Penitentiary After her sentencing, Maggie was taken to the Grangegorman Female Penitentiary in Dublin to await transportation. Established in 1836, the Penitentiary was intended as a model prison exclusively for women. It served both as a detention centre for women awaiting transportation and as a correctional institution for those serving sentences in Ireland. The facility was administered by Governor Mr. Marquis, with Reverend Bernard Kirby providing spiritual guidance. Matron Mrs. Marian Rawlins and her deputies managed the daily routines of the women, enforcing strict discipline while providing basic training in skills considered useful for convict labor. Maggie was one of the approximate 65% of prisoners who arrived at the Penitentiary with no trade. In the four months she was in the jail, the matron and deputy matrons taught her the skills needed to be a house maid. She also worked in the laundry that was open to the public and received a small amount of money from the profits. By the time she landed in Tasmania, her occupation was listed as 'house maid, can wash'. The voyage to Van Diemen's Land On the 8th of April 1842, Maggie and 79 other women changed into their convict clothes in preparation for their trip to Van Diemen's Land. Amongst her meagre possessions, she had a temperance card from a pledge she had taken in gaol to refrain from alcohol. Perhaps she also kept a piece of shamrock given to her by Reverend Kirby on St Patrick's Day when he held mass for the prisoners. The women were taken in a convoy of cars from the Penitentiary to Kingstown under guard of the 10th Hussars. She had been determined healthy enough by Matron Rawlings to travel to Australia and with 59 additional female prisoners, they boarded the 577 ton barque Hope. The ship left the harbour on the 10th of April and in that moment, Maggie may have realised she would never see Ireland nor her family again. The journey to Hobart Town took 129 days and two women died from pneumonia. The ships surgeon, Richard Lewis, treated illnesses such as fever, asthma, diarrhoea, headache, and 'disturbance of the functions of the uterus' with primitive healing methods such as bleeding. Maggie was treated for diarrhoea on the 12th of July. Arrival at Van Diemen's Land On the 17th of August 1842, the Hope pulled into the Derwent and dropped anchor. The ships surgeon, Richard Lewis, filled out the indents for the convicts on board and recorded information about Maggie such as her physical appearance, age, criminal history, reason for transportation, information on her family, religion, and literacy status. He noted that she was 5 ft 3, had dark hair and hazel eyes, and had stain on her chin from tobacco leaf. He also recorded that she had the initials J.P and D.S tattooed on her right arm above her elbow. After being rowed to shore, Maggie and the female prisoners were taken to the Cascades Female Factory to be processed and prepared for employment. Conditions were brutal, and women were expected to perform hard labour such as laundry work, which was physically demanding and often dangerous. Between 1842 - 1851, Maggie showed few signs of being reformed. She frequently absconded from places of employment as a house servant and was punished for various offences such as drunkenness, hiding tobacco on her person, and being out after hours. No sooner had she been assigned to a master such as Elizabeth Solomons at Liverpool Street, the dance instructor Mr J. Gattey Hopkins at Nile Terrace, Mr Ray at Battery Point, or Mr Stewart at Glenorchy, than she would abscond. Her punishments included hard labour at the wash tub, a gruelling task that was meant to break the spirits of unruly prisoners, and solitary confinement. She was regularly at the Female Factory and Police Magistrate's Office at Hobart Town and she pled guilty to all offences at the Hobart Lower Court. Freedom and new beginnings The frequent punishments didn't act as a deterrent and she didn't stay with the same master for long. Despite this, she received her Certificate of Freedom on 17 March 1849 and was free to marry and move from the colony. On 3 September 1850, Maggie married ex convict George Oakley at St Joseph's Catholic Church, Hobart Town. He had been transported to Van Diemen's Land on the Moffatt (3) in 1842 for allegedly stealing a ham and had grown up in London. They settled at Hobart Town and lived there until 1852 when they moved to the colony of Victoria. Maggie had her last trial at the Hobart Lower Court in 1851 when she was charged with being drunk in a public street. George and fellow ex convict Samuel Meredith moved to Mount Macedon, Victoria, in 1852. They travelled on the ship Jenny Lind and arrived in Port Phillip in late January. Working as a sawyer, George established himself in the community and donated timber to a public subscription to erect a school and teacher's residence at Gisborne. Once he was established, Maggie moved to be with him and possibly travelled to Port Phillip on the Free Trader in April 1852. A tumultuous relationship and a betrayal In around 1853, Maggie left George and formed a partnership with Samuel Meredith. Samuel had been friends with Maggie and George and had moved with them to Mount Macedon. George, meanwhile, continued to work as a sawyer at Mount Macedon. He formed a new partnership with a woman he claimed to have married in Hobart, though there was no formal record of this occurring. George eventually moved to Southport and Port Esperance, where he and his new partner settled. Life on the Sandhurst goldfields Maggie and Samuel moved to the Sandhurst (now Bendigo) gold fields. The gold rush of the early 1850s had transformed Victoria into a bustling, chaotic frontier. Thousands of fortune-seekers from around the world descended upon the goldfields, creating a society that was simultaneously rich with opportunity and rife with lawlessness. They settled amongst the other fortune seekers at Iron Bark Gully, where the makeshift settlements were filled with canvas tents, timber huts, and rough, hastily built structures. The goldfields were places of immense social upheaval, where established norms were often disregarded in the pursuit of wealth. Crime was rampant, and the under-resourced police struggled to maintain order. For Maggie, the goldfields represented both opportunity and temptation. Life was harsh, resources were scarce, and many people turned to crime to survive or improve their circumstances. Inevitably, Maggie found herself returning to her old habits. The crime at Iron Bark Gully Maggie was indicted, along with a man named William Dunn, for stealing two boxes containing wearing apparel, blankets, tablecloths, and a ring – all belonging to Henry Osbourne. William Dunn, who had spent the night in Maggie's tent due to intoxication, was implicated but eventually acquitted of the crime. Maggie and William had been taken to the Sandhurst lockup for drunkenness when Mrs. Osbourne identified Maggie wearing a gown and shawl from the stolen goods. Despite Maggie's claim of innocence, the court found her guilty and sentenced her to five months' imprisonment. The Sandhurst Prison Stockade had been built in late 1853 in response to the increased population on the local goldfields but it wasn't set up for long sentences so she was most likely taken to Pentridge Prison, Melbourne. Decline and desperation From 1854 to 1859, Maggie's whereabouts are unclear. According to her inquest record, she was living with Samuel at Bendigo in 1860 and had been suffering from a prolonged illness. Dr. Moody treated her condition, but her health continued to decline. The gold rush had started to taper off, and many hopeful diggers were now destitute, living in rough conditions and struggling to find work. This would have impacted both Maggie and Samuel, who was unable to find stable employment. Desperate for a fresh start, Samuel accepted work as a sawyer for a Mr. Allan residing at Albury. The couple traveled with Robert and Joseph Bannan by dray to Mitta Mitta, Victoria. The journey was difficult, especially for Maggie, whose health was rapidly deteriorating. Maggie, Samuel, the Bannans and another friend, Alexander Shaw, lived at the Mitta Mitta for three months in rough tents. Maggie became so ill she stopped cooking for the party around August and spent her time resting. She was not seen by a doctor and didn't have access to any medicines. The final journey By 15 September 1860, Maggie's condition had worsened. She, Samuel, the Bannans, and Alexander Shaw left Mitta Mitta and traveled North West. After travelling over 70kms, they reached the Bonegilla Estate near Belvoir (now Wodonga) and were forced to stop and put up a tent for Maggie. She was so ill she feared that the jolting of the dray would end her life. On the morning of the 16th, Samuel sent their friend Robert Bannan to Albury to purchase castor oil and oatmeal but this didn't alleviate her pain. After Maggie complained of feeling cold, Samuel heated up some irons for her feet and washed her hands and feet with warm water. She then died in his arms. Samuel buried Maggie near the tent and the next morning he took a punt across the Murray River to report her death to the police at Albury. Aftermath and Suspicion In the harsh frontier environment of colonial Australia, death was an ever-present reality. However, rumours quickly spread that Maggie had been struck on the head, prompting the police to order her body to be exhumed. A magisterial inquiry was held by Police Magistrate Captain Marcus Brownrigg, with testimony taken from witnesses, police officers, and Dr. Jeffery James Keatinge, who examined her body. Captain Brownrigg concluded that Maggie had died of 'disease of the heart,' a common cause of death that covered a range of conditions unknown to medical practitioners at the time. Mounted Constable Philip Nairne of Belvoir instructed that her body be buried. However, it is unclear whether Maggie was reinterred in her hastily dug grave at Bonegilla Estate or properly buried at the Belvoir Cemetery, about 13 kilometers away. Lost to history The Wodonga Cemetery burial records do not begin until 1861. Of the estimated 30 burials that occurred before official record-keeping began, hers remains one of the forgotten. The only record of her burial is her death certificate, which lists her burial location as Bonegilla, Belvoir. Maggie's life was one of struggle, hardship, and survival. Born into poverty in Ireland, transported across the world for minor crimes, and ultimately dying in the unforgiving landscape of colonial Victoria, her story is emblematic of the countless women who were swept up in the convict transportation system. Her final resting place remains unmarked, her memory almost lost to history. Sources Margaret Scullion, Hope, 1842, Indent record, Indents of Female Convicts, Tasmanian Archives, CON15/1/1. 'Belfast Quarter Sessions', Northern Whig, 9 July 1839, p 2, The British Library Board, Find My Past. 'Belfast Petty Sessions', Northern Whig, 31 March 1840, p 4, The British Library Board, Find My Past. 'Belfast Quarter Sessions', Belfast News-Letter, 14 April 1840, p 2, The British Library Board, Find My Past. 'Committals from the Belfast Police Office', Northern Whig, 30 November 1841, p 1, The British Library Board, Find My Past. 'Belfast Quarter Sessions', Northern Whig, 13 January 1842, p 1, The British Library Board, Find My Past. Margaret Scullion, 1842, Grangegorman Female Prison, Irish Prison Registers 1790-1924, Find My Past. Joan Kavanagh, ''From vice to virtue, from idleness to industry, from profaneness to practical religion' Grangegorman penitentiary', Royal Irish Academy website, 6 March 2023, https://www.ria.ie/blog/from-vice-to-virtue-from-idleness-to-industry-from-profaneness-to-practical-religion-grangegorman-penitentiary/, accessed 26 March 2025 Female Convict's Research Centre Inc., 'Irish Prisons', Female Convict's Research Centre Inc. website, https://femaleconvicts.org.au/pre-transportation/the-prisons/irish-prisons. 'St Patrick's Day - an Interesting Ceremony', Dublin Weekly Register, 19 March 1842, British Library Board, Find My Past. No Title, Tipperary Free Press, 09 April 1842, The British Library Board, Find My Past. Richard Lewis, Journal of His Majesty's convict ship 'Hope', between 28 February and 23 August 1842, ADM 101/35 (AOT Reel 3198), in Female Convict's Research Centre Inc. website, https://femaleconvicts.org.au/docs/ships/Hope1842_SJ_GR.pdf. Margaret Scullion, Hope, 1842, Female Convicts in the VDL Database, Female Convict's Research Centre Inc. website, https://femaleconvicts.org.au/ Margaret Scullion, Hope, 1842, Conduct record, Conduct Registers of Female Convicts arriving in the Period of the Assignment System, Tasmanian Archives, CON40/1/10. Hobart Lower Court Records LC251/1/1, 1846-1850, Tasmanian Archives. Hobart Lower Court records, LC247/1/19, 1850-1851, Tasmanian Archives. 'Advertising', Cornwall Chronicle (Launceston), 17 March 1849, p 448, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article65980183. Marriage of George Oakley and Margaret Scullion, married 3 September 1850, Register of Marriages in all districts, Hobart, Van Diemen's Land, Tasmanian Archives, RGD37/1/9, no. 519. George Oakley, Moffatt (3), 1842, Conduct record, Conduct Registers of Male Convicts arriving in the Period of the Probation System, Tasmanian Archives, CON33/1/32. Passenger list entry for George Oakley, Jenny Lind, arriving Melbourne January 1852, PROV, VPRS 944 Inward Passenger Lists (Australian Ports), P0000, Jan 1852 Tasmania. 'Advertising', Argus (Melbourne), 22 December 1852, p 3, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article255612883. Passenger list entry for Mrs Oakley, Free Trader, departing Hobart Town 11 March 1852, Cargo, Passenger and Crew Lists, Manifests and associated Documents relating to Ships Clearances, Tasmanian Archives, CUS36/1/229. 'BENDIGO', Argus (Melbourne), 27 July 1854, p 4, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4795629. Death registration of Margaret Oakley, died 16 September 1860, Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, Victoria, 9371/1860. Inquest of Margaret Oakley, inquest held 16 September 1860, PROV, VA 2889 Registrar-General's Department, VPRS 24 Inquest Deposition Files, P0000, 1860/241. Death certificate of Margaret Oakley, died 16 September 1860, obtained from the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, Victoria, by Sandie McKoy.