Hester Webb

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Maureen Withey on 21st March 2023

Baptism Records. Parish of Hobart Town, Baptism of Mary Ann Gough, 5 July 1821, who was born 26 June 1821, daughter of Patric and Esther Gough, (parents married), of Hobart. Revd. R, Knopwood. Roman Catholic Church Hobart, March 11, 1827. Baptism of Esther, parents (named in Latin) Patritus Gough and Esther Webb, sponsor Brigida Bryan. __________________________________________________ Esther would have been the infant who survived the attack on her family in 1828, and Mary would have been 7 at the time.

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Maureen Withey on 21st March 2023

The Tasmanian marriage record lists Patrick Gough's ship as Frances. He is not listed as a prisoner on Francis and Eliza in 1815. It is possible that he was Patrick Gough, who arrived on the ship Fanny in 1816. -------------------------------------------------- Oatlands, Oct. 14. — The recent murders committed by some of the black natives on Anne Geary and Alicia Gough, near the big lagoon, Oatlands, have filled the country with alarm and consternation. Only a few days previous Mr. Bryant's hut at the Blue hills had been robbed by the Aborigines, as related above, notwithstanding that the hut was guarded by a man who had a musket in his possession, and several other men were close by. The natives were pursued by two armed men, but they succeeded in getting deliberately away with their plunder. On Thursday last the 9th instant, Patrick Gough's wife said to her husband that she thought she heard the shrieks of a woman, on looking out he observed Anne Geary running towards his hut, she seemed greatly exhausted, and told Gough that she had seen the natives coming towards Mortimer's hut where she resided. Gough and two other men lost no time in proceeding to the hut to prevent the blacks from getting a gun and some ammunition which were there. One of the men (Bates) carried a gun, the other two had merely black sticks with them. When they arrived at Mortimer's hut they could perceive that the door had been forced open, and a number of things were strewed about the floor and outside the door, the gun, ammunition, with some blankets had disappeared. On returning Gough was met by his eldest daughter Mary, covered with blood, calling upon her father to hasten home as the natives had killed her mother and sisters. Gough saw his wife about half a mile from the hut sitting on the ground, resting her back against the fence, with her infant child in her lap. The poor woman said — "My dear Gough, it is all over with me, I am killed by the natives." She was covered with wounds and fainted. The man, half frantic, afforded her all the assistance in his power, tearing part of his shirt to make a bandage for her head. He then ran with all speed to his hut, where the first thing which presented itself to his view was his infant daughter Alicia lying breathless in front of the door with her arms extended, but although she had the appearance of being dead the vital spark was not quite extinct. On entering the hut he found Anne Geary lying stretched on the floor, and on being removed to a sofa she vomited quantities of blood, she died about two hours after, and about midnight Alicia Gough, not more than four years of age, breathed her last. Gough's youngest child, an infant 13 months old, had received several contusions, but of a slighter character than those inflicted on the others. During the absence of Gough, the hut had been robbed of six blankets, two sheets, three or four knives, a basin containing some eggs, and twenty dollars. Mrs. Gough, who still remains in a very perilous situation, made shift to communicate to her husband that she fell on her knees before the savages, begging them to spare the lives of her Picanninies, and that one of them told her, in good English, that they should be all killed, they then repeated their blows to her head. Dr. Hudspeth lost no time, when he heard of the fatal catastrophe, in visiting the hopeless family. It is this gentleman's opinion that Anne Geary came by her death principally from a deep gash into the brain, inflicted by an axe which was lying at the door with marks of blood on it. She had also other fractures of the skull with several spear wounds on the breast, which were considered mortal. The child Alicia Gough died from a contusion on the head, apparent from a waddy. Mary, the eldest of Gough's daughters, an interesting child, seven years old, and although she cannot read, evincing considerable acuteness of understanding, said that the natives inflicted several wounds and bruises on her when they were attacking the other victims. She states that she made an attempt to carry her sister Alicia away from the blacks, when those barbarous savages struck them down with their waddies, and she fell down "as dead as a gum stick", and when she came to herself they had disappeared. A Coroner's inquest was held on Saturday last, on the bodies of Anne Geary and Alicia Gough, when a verdict was returned of wilful murder against certain persons unknown, belonging to the Aboriginal tribes of the island. Hobart Town Courier, 18 Oct 1828. Accidental Death. An inquest was held on the 31st October, at the house of Patrick Gough, in York parish, before the same coroner, on the body of Esther Gough, who was so badly speared by some of the Aborigines, on the day that Anne Geary and Alicia Gough were killed by them. She remained in a feeble and languishing condition until the 27th inst. when she died. Dr. Hudspeth, who had visited her every day since the melancholy occurrence happened, never entertained the slightest hope of her recovery. - Verdict similar to that given in the cases of Anne Geary and Alicia Gough. Hobart Town Courier, 8 Nov 1828.

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Maureen Withey on 16th June 2020

https://stors.tas.gov.au/RGD36-1-1p48j2k Marriage in District of Hobart Town 1816. Patrick Gough, age 29, prisoner, per Francis, and Esther Web, age 25, prisoner, per Alexander, were married 12 August 1816, by Banns. Patrick signed his name, and Esther signed with her X.

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Maureen Withey on 14th June 2020

https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON13-1-1$init=CON13-1-1p55 60 female convicts embarked on the Brig Kangaroo for the Derwent, 10 April 1816. All transported to NSW per Alexander, apart from 2 women. Hester Webb, per Alexander, Tried at Dublin City, Feb 1815, 7 years.

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Maureen Withey on 12th June 2020

Irish Convict Database by Peter Mayberry. Hester Webb, age 27, per Alexander II (1816), Tried at Dublin City 1815, 7 years. DOB, 1789. Servant.