Phoebe Tunstall

71

Robin Sharkey on 2nd March 2016

In 1823 Martin wrote in reply a query from D'Arcy Wentworth (but originally coming from the Col Secretary) that he had been married in 1807 to Phoebe, and that she had 2 children who he always looked after but they and none of their own. However reference to an 1809 house fire (see below) refer only to one child, and Sarah is the only Edwards child of Phoebe's whose baptism was registered. During 1808 - Martin Burke returned from Port Dalrymple when Lt Gov Johnson invited all five Irish state prisoners back once he'd deposed Bligh. Burke returned during this time. January 1809 - Phoebe and Martin lost all their possessions in a house fire at the Cabramatta farm "which owing to the roof being thatched, scarce gave the persons, consisting of Burke, his wife, and child, time to escape ; but not a single article of wearing apparel or other property could be saved, by which the sufferers are reduced to extreme distress." Sydney Gazette, 15 January 1809 page 1 1810 January. Burke a Constable at Georges River (i.e. still Cabramtta area) 1813, burke still a constable and owed money for stock issued from government herds, 1810-1813. But in 1812 had decided to sell his farm which had Cabramatta creek as its north boundary, Mernagh's farm to the East and Joseph Holt's farm to the South. In the 1814 Census, Burke is a publican in Sydney, and Phoebe is with him. Phoebe is listed as the publican in 1817. After this, their lives are a little less clear, in October and November 1817 Burke issuing writs for debt against William Gore Esq, for £37 for bills of exchange and for wages and for two years com 1818 to 1820 is a constable at Bringelly. LIVING at PITTWATER In 1820 Burke asked for a land grant and he got 50 acres, which he took up at Pttwater. In the same year he and Phoebe would move to the Pittwater area. Sept 1820 Burke bought land at Newport as well, and was also made the constable there when the previous one was sent to Newcastle for four years for stealing. Burke and Phoebe were to stay on up at Pittwater. Her daughter Sarah Andrews married on 14 April 1823 to Thomas Foley and and two years later Burke made an arrangement with the Foleys to come and live with them. Burke had sold his own land and taken up a lease of 700 acres next door to it. The Foleys sub-leased this farm for the remaining three years and Burke (for him and Phoebe) reserved out a room in the house, and cattle grazing rights ad a half acre of garden. In the 1828 Census Phoebe, aged 61, was called "Burke" and she and Martin (aged 57) were now tenants of 200 acres at Pittwater - land at Bayview originally granted to McIntosh. An old friend off "Tellicherry", ex soldier John Clarke lived with them, as did 2 labourers. [See: Profiles of the Pioneers in Manly, Warringah and Pittwater" by Shelagh and George Champion, 1996] Phoebe, who was recorded as Protestant, had perhaps persuaded the Irish Catholic Martin Burke to convert, since they are both listed as Protestant and in the 1841 Census Burke is recorded as Church of Scotland. In 1841 Census, Martin Burke is still listed at Pittwater, however he is recorded as "single' and the woman living with him is recorded as Married and aged between 45 & 60 yrs, and RC. This woman must have been a servant. Since Phoebe was not present in the 1841 Census, she has probably died since 1828. No death registration record found.

71

Robin Sharkey on 1st March 2016

When Phoebe Tunstall was transported aged 35 or 36, on “Nile” in June 1800 for Life, she reported her husband was George Tunstall. She'd been found guilty on 17 Sept 1800 of making counterfeit coins, given the death sentence at trial and then had it commuted two months later to Life transportation. Departed June 1801 and arrived NSW December 1801. ad two long-term relationships in NSW 1. with Thomas Andrews per "Admiral Barrington" 1791 and had a child, Sarah, to him in 1803. He died in October 1806. 2. with Martin Burke, per "Tellicherry" in Feb 1807. While he was transported to Tasmania, she married 28 /8/ 1808 to John Butler but this was deemed illegal. She got back with Martin Burke wen he was pardoned and returned to NSW in 1809, and they stayed together. PHOEBE in ENGLAND England Criminal Register: Phoebe Tunstall - Committed on 30 July 1800 35 yrs. 5ft 7in, fair complexion, brown hair, grey eyes, [native of] Wapping. Single [ this is incorrect/untrue] Committed at Newgate by Nares The Crime: Coining Tried: Sept 17th 1800 before Le Blanc,J Sentence - Death How disposed of: Pardoned 12th November 1812, to be Transported for Life. Delivered on board the Nile, June 1801. Phoebe's husband George is pretty likely to be the George Tunstall who ran a broker's shop out of the front of their house and lived in inner London. In 1798, George was aged 48, 5ft 9 Brown hair. dark hazel eyes and was by trade a smith, a native of Cheshire. (Engladn Criminal Records 1798 trial) George had a wife and four children and employed an occasional porter, according to evidence given at the Old Bailey at his first trial on 16 Sept 1795 when he was charged with making counterfeit coins. The broker's shop was then at 11 Windmill Street, Finsbury Square and the wares were displayed open to the street, but behind the shop was a parlour and the family's living place. George was found not guilty, as his lawyer showed that the coining items were not being used in the one place together and that many of them were things a broker would have anyway. However on 23rd May 1798 he was tried again at the Old Bailey for stealing items that it was supposed he would then sell in the broker's shop, which was now at Featherstone Street - only two blocks from the previous Windmill St address. He stole two large pier looking glasses (i.e. tall thin mirrors) and some dimity curtains owned by auctioneers who were selling them. Again, he had a porter working for him. Now he was found guilty and sentenced to 7 years' transportation. But he never showed up in NSW. Why? The England Criminal Register for his trial on 24th May 1798 Middlesex Sessions records: "How disposed of: Pardoned on quitting the Kingdom x 25th November 1799". This would usually mean that he went overseas as a soldier or sailor. PHOEBE's SITUATION This explains why Phoebe was in her situation - she had at least two children (probably 4), she was alone as George had gone, and she was struggling to make ends meet. Additionally, the servant girl she sometimes employed who dobbed her in was the daughter of a porter, Mr Lack, who Phoebe knew. George often employed porters. And a Mrs Lack lived around Worship Street, Finsbury Square, all in the same area as the Tunstalls )see trial of Joseph Cooke 19/6/1799). PHOEBE's CRIME Jane Lack was a young girl who had been working a few days a week for Phoebe since around beginning of June 1800 (7 weeks before Phoebe was taken up on 30 July ). At that time Phoebe was living in a lodging at Lamb's-buildings, near Blackfriars-bridge. 7 weeks later, on a Sunday night, Phoebe had sent Jane to buy a bottle of nitre-fortis ( a type of not irc acid) when Jane broke the bottle, spilling it all over her hand; but Phoebe threw her out regardless. The next morning Jane went to the constable to report Phoebe's coining activities and the constable raided her - she was now living at No. 2, Ebenezer-court, Cherry-tree-alley, St Luke’s parish. She was found with twenty-six shillings and eighteen sixpences in a paper bag in her pocket;and implements for making counterfeit coins were found in various places in her house. Phoebe had evidently boarded one child out because Jane said in evidence that on Sundays Phoebe went to see her child at Wimbledon, and Jane went with her to carry the child, “and she paid the coachman all in bad money”. Phoebe was given the Death sentence, and had to wait two months until she knew this was commuted to transportation for life. Her poor children - what happened to them once Phoebe was imprisoned? There is no record of them in NSW. A Phoebe Tunstall, daughter of Phoebe and George Tunstall, died in March 1836 at Edmonston, Middlesex, registered in Non-Conformist church records. ARRIVAL in NSW, December 1801 With so few women in NSW, Phoebe was not long without finding herself male protection in the form of old hand, Thomas Andrews who had arrived n "Admiral Barrington" (see his separate record). No doubt living with Andrews during 1802 they had a daughter, Sarah, together in 1803 - V1803756 4. Sarah later used the name of her later step-father, Martin Burke, and went on to marry in 1823 to David Foley (convict per "guildford' in 1818) and they lived at Pittwater with or near her mother and Martin Burke. Thomas Andrews died in 1806, probably in October. in August Phoebe was recorded in the 1806 muster as his 'concubine' with one female child. Then he died: Phoebe 'Turnstall' of Pitt's Row, had obtained Letters of Administration of the estate and effects of Thomas Andrews and wanted all claims and demands presented to her before 15th November (although a convict for Life!) [see Sydney Gazette, 9 Nov 1806] DE FACTO WIFE to MARTIN BURKE Next, Phoebe set up with Martin Burke, one of the five NSW Irish State prisoners who'd continued after the Irish uprising of 1798 to fight a guerrilla war from the mountains of Wicklow and had been sent into exile in NSW in exchange for leaving Ireland without a trial. They had arrived in NSW in February 1806 and each been given neighbouring 100 acre land grants along Cabramatta Creek. By November 1806, when Thomas Andrews was dead, Martin Burke was becoming more established on his farm. He and Phoebe must have got together very quickly after this because only in February 1807 Martin Burke and the other four irish exiles were arrested by Governor Bligh on suspicion of fomenting an uprising, and thrown into jail. Despite being clearly found not guilty at their May 1807 trial, Bligh believed otherwise and had them all shipped off to penal settlements during May 1807. Martin Burke went to Port Dalrymple in Tasmania on 18 May 1807 ("Unfinished Revolution" by A-M Whitaker at p.162) Phoebe was now alone with her 4 year old daughter. Martin remained in Tasmania throughout 1808, when Bligh was overthrown by the Rum Rebellion, but Col Paterson, the stand-in governor during 1809, agreed to pardon the Irish exiles and allow them bcd to NSW. However during this time Phoebe must have given up on Burke ever coming back and on 28 August 1808 entered into a formal marriage with John Butler. The witneses were Thomas Tolhurst (or Tollis) a corporal in the 102nd Regiment, and Ann Waters, who was his girlfriend who'd only arrive din 1807, they had a child together in 1810. But the marriage entry at St Phillip's church has the words "Illegal" written across it. This wold be because Phoebe Tunstall had reported that she was married to George Tunstall (although seems unfair when she was a convict for Life). RETURN of MARTIN BURKE No records indicating how long it took, but Phoebe got back together with Martin Burke when he returned to NSW: 1814 Muster - Phoebe Tunstall lives with M Burke, one child off stores. 1817 April 19th - Phoebe listed in Col Sec corro as publican, and the licensee of premises "Hope & Anchor" Sydney. Resided there with Martin Burke. 1822 Muster as Phoebe “Dunston” 7 yrs per Nile Wife of M Burke.