3 young women convicted at Wexford - Court Records 28 Feb 1852

Thankyou Col for your suggestions. I have a subscription with Ancestry.com.au but it looks like I will need access to Find My Past.

The British records for convicts sent to Australia make fascinating reading as they are fairly detailed including physical details and distinguishing marks.

I have attached the links to the records which the Tasmanian Government have digitised.

They have a free and easy way to research names on their Linc website. Just click on:

https://linctas.ent.sirsidynix.net.au/client/en_AU/names/?

and the records they have on particular names come up. Excellent way of sorting one Catherine Duggan or Mary Fielding or Mary Keefe etc from another. A few of each were transported from Ireland.

As you will see all three women are definitely recorded as being tried on the 28th Feb 1852 in Wexford. 

CATHERINE DUGGAN  (Country servant, native place Co Kilkenny)

https://linctas.ent.sirsidynix.net.au/client/en_AU/names/search/results…

MARY FIELDING  (nurserymaid, native place Wexford)

https://linctas.ent.sirsidynix.net.au/client/en_AU/names/search/results…

http://search.archives.tas.gov.au/ImageViewer/image_viewer.htm?CON41-1-…

MARY KEEFE (child's maid, native of Kilkenny) 

https://linctas.ent.sirsidynix.net.au/client/en_AU/names/search/results…

Jeanette

Hello Jeanette,

Just wanted to say hello.  I am the Great Grandaughter of Mary Keefe. Have just started looking around for information. The name Aden has sufaced in the family Bible  we are unable to work out where this came from as she was married as Mary Keefe. Anyway don't have any more information than you do but just wanted to say hello to my Great Grandmother's friends ancestor. Sincere greetings, Di

Hi Di,

Please get in contact. There will be a celebration of the lives of Mary and her friends at a function in Dublin in March.

A Mystery. But I note that on the 1946 Victorian death index for a Flo Rebecca Conrad her father's name is given as Jas Ashey and mother's name as Mary Aden. 

I have now done a fairly extensive Australian tree for Mary Keefe and her husband James Askey. What an amazing young woman. Unfortunately no luck with further information or records from the Irish end. 

Jeanette

Hello Jeanette,  What is the story about Dublin, can't be there but would like to do something here in Tasmania at the same time.   

  Have been trying to sort out the Aden side but to no avail.  Florence Rebecca is in the Bible as Rebecca Florence. The family Bible is headed with James Askey and Mary Eliza Aden but all the children listed below their two names belong to the original marriage of James and Mary Keefe. Will keep searching I guess.   

You may like to look at the site www.nla.gov.au for your ancestors  I found a little information re deaths etc of James and Mary.  We always thought she went to live with her daughter (Mary Eliza) !! in Richmond Tasmania and that she was buried there but according to her death notice, she died at Richmond but was buried at Glenorchy which is near Hestercombe where James is.  I suspect that she is also at Hestercombe but in an unmarked grave, don't know how to sort that one.

Anyway let me know about Dublin, I can take a flower to Richmond or Hestercombe or something.  Regards, Di

Hi Everyone

I have come across this post just now, hoping some of you are still accessing it and also know a bit more since the original date of this post.

My ancestor travelled on this very journey and for the very same reason of Arson for the same sentence date.
Her name was Anastasia Kavanagh (nee Rees (I think)) and I think her middle name may have been Mary but still working on it.
I am wondering if you have any updated information, as they all seem to have been together at this time.
Can anyone enlighten me on anything?4
Regards

Tracy
 

Hi Tracy, Di and Jeannette:  

Many thanks for the very interesting thread about these three women from Wexford.  I would love to know more about them and I was wondering if any of you would be willing to create an Ancestor profile for any one of them.  

Jeannette:  You mentioned that there was a commemoration for these women in Dublin in 2017?  Do you have any information about that and where it took place and what organisation it was connected with? 

Tracy:  As to further research, newspaper archives can be very good and the Irish Newspaper Archives is excellent but it is a subscription site.  In addition, as previously noted above, FindMyPast also has court records as well as the British Newspaper Archives which is also very good and has a lot of Irish newspaper archives attached to it.  I would recommend either of the above, and it may be possible that a local library in your area would have a subscription or free access to it.  

The National Archives also has a transportation database which you are probably aware of and it gives file information about transported convicts.  The link is here:  http://findingaids.nationalarchives.ie/index.php?category=18&subcategory=147

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us here.

All the best,

Jane

Hello,  I'm a great, great grandaughter of Mary Keefe.  I found her baptism record which shows her surname as Keefe.  The three ladies mentioned in this conversation were working as servants at a house in Wexford when they set fire to the outhouse.  They wanted to be transported together, to hopefully a better life.  Has anyone managed to find out any further information?           Merrilyn               

Hi Merri,

Mary Keefe had 10 children from which branch of the family did you decend from?  Apparently she was a well respected member of her community.  Did her birth certificate list her parents and what date did it actually give for her date of birth? Seems to be some discrepancy in her age when she died.  Since my previous post I have found that she and the family lived at Bridgewater Tasmania and later at Berriedale, a suburb closer to Hobart.  After James died apparently she went to live at Richomond where she passed away but she was listed in her death notice as going to Glenorchy for burial  I have not been able to find a burial site for her but suspect it is at Hestercombe (Glenorchy & Berriedale area) as other members of the family are there but there are no markings for them only James and one son who drowned.    

Look forward to hearing from which of her children you came  and perhaps I can fill in a couple of other gaps for you.

Di

Hi Merri,

Mary Keefe had 10 children from which branch of the family did you decend from?  Apparently she was a well respected member of her community.  Did her birth certificate list her parents and what date did it actually give for her date of birth? Seems to be some discrepancy in her age when she died.  Since my previous post I have found that she and the family lived at Bridgewater Tasmania and later at Berriedale, a suburb closer to Hobart.  After James died apparently she went to live at Richomond where she passed away but she was listed in her death notice as going to Glenorchy for burial  I have not been able to find a burial site for her but suspect it is at Hestercombe (Glenorchy & Berriedale area) as other members of the family are there but there are no markings for them only James and one son who drowned.    

Look forward to hearing from which of her children you came  and perhaps I can fill in a couple of other gaps for you.

Di

Hi all, 

The tale of these three ladies brought me back to the series of haunting statues on the dock at Hobart, Tasmania, "Footsteps Towards Freedom," unveiled in 2017. They represent the nearly 13,000 convict women and their children transported to Tasmania between 1803 and1853. The four figures represent a thief, a famine victim, a woman who got pregnant, and a young boy separated from his mother, all head to the penal colony. Imagine they also represent your ancestors... (attached photo)

-Alice

Hello Alice,

Thanks for uploading the photo of the statues in Hobart.  Very moving.

Best wishes,

Merrilyn

Hello Alice,

I went to the unveiling of the statues it was very moving.  The names of many of the women who arrived were engraved on the base of the statues.  I found Mary Keefe but the ship was not the right name.   Di

Hello Merri,

I have the old family bible from James Askey and Mary Keefe.  Children are listed on the backcover.  Marriage details are on the front cover.  They are all in the one handwriting which leads me to suspect someone else wrote them as I don't think James or Mary could write going by the x's on their marriage certificate. 

Your great grandmother is listed as Rebecca Florence with a birth date of 21/09/1873 (could be 1875) it is a bit worn.

My grandfather was Alfred James born on 25/07/1871 .  He was a lovely man, tall, handsome, quiet, kind and gentle.

Confusion starts when you read on the front cover   Born James Askey January 19th 1813  Born Mary Eliza Aden 04/041842         Married Hobart Wesleyan Chapel December 28th 1854 by Revd. J A Manton.                 Everything matches except the name.   Very confusing.  Will try and upload the photos of the pages if I can work out how to.   Will keep in touch  Di

PH I take as a tatoo.   Date of birth has to be 1831 or Mary would have been too young to marry.

Children in bible   William    December 10th 1855       Maryann  September 9th 1857      Hannah   November 25th 1859                                             Henry      August 9th 1861               Samuel  March 5th 1863                Eliza      March 12th 1865                                                   Louisa     July 21st 1867                  Emma   March 25th 1869               Alfred James  July 25th  1871                                             Rebecca Florence   September 21st 1873 or 5

Hope these photos come through.     Regards, Di

Hello again Di,

Thanks for the photo of the bible cover, how lovely that you still have it.  Did it belong to Mary and James, or one of their children?  It is puzzling about Mary's name and birthdate isn't it?  Rebecca Florence Askey was born in 1874.

I loved the description of your grandfather.  Do you ever remember him mentioning anything about his mother?  I would love to know what she was like - and a photo would be even better, though I guess none would exist.  I feel a real affinity with Mary and have had some experiences in Ireland, which have led me to believe in some sort of genetic memory.

Di, do you know anything about James Askey's first wife, Mary Ann Speirs?  I'm intrigued to know why she was on a vogage back to England, whilst pregnant, taking an older daughter with her and leaving the other children behind in Hobart.  All three died on the voyage.  Such a tragic tale.

Jeanette, in one of the comments above, mentioned that she has done an extensive family tree for James Askey and Mary Keefe.  Have you seen this Di?

I have too many questions!  Haha  

Best wishes,

Merrilyn

Hi Merri,  I can't read the writing on the birth certificate of Florence but is that an Eden? with a question mark.  I can't decipher your circled word either sorry.  Have sent you a photo of Alfred James, my grandfather.  Will let you know if I find anything else. The bible to the best of my knowledge belonged to James and Mary, handed down to Alfred James, down to their eldest daughter, her daughter gave it to my eldest brother and on his death it came to me and will go to my eldest daughter. Warm regards, Di

It seems that a couple of photos of the bible did not go through so I will resend them.  

Here is another

Me again Merri.  Here is a photo of the resting place of James and his son James (who drowned) I think from first marriage.

Inscription on headstone reads: Peaceful by thy silent slumber.  Peaceful in thy grave so low.  Thou no more wilt join our number.  Thou no more our songs will know.  Yet again we hope to meet thee when the day of life is fled and in heaven with joy to greet thee where no farewell tears are shed..     Lovely isn't it.  Di

Hello Di,  

I can't thank you enough for sending all those photos.  So interesting to see and your grandfather did look like a lovely man.  So tall too, when you consider that his mother Mary was only 4 feet, 11 and 3/4 inches tall!

My photo of the baptism record was for Mary Keefe.  Unfortunately, the resolution is not good, but the word you asked about is an abbreviation of the name Edward and not Eden.

The inscription on James Askey's headstone is a lovely one Di.  Can you please let me know where the graves are situated.  I'd love to visit when I'm next in Tassie.

I think I have a photo of Rebecca Florence Askey.  I'll try to send it to you.

Merrilyn

Hi Merri,  Hestercombe Cemetary is at 306 Main Rd Austins Ferry.  It is behind a little old Church, there are pine trees on the road in front of it.  Headstones are in back righthand corner.  It is reasonably close to where they lived as a family.  Don't know where they first lived but from what I can find out (mostly from www.nla.gov.au ) and the Lands Office, James and Mary bought or built a cottage in 1881 at 629 Main Rd Berriedale (go to www.realestate.com.au ; SOLD  629 Main Road Berriedale) for a picture.  It is almost still as it was built even the wood stove.  It is possible that he may have had an orchard there.    In 1884 he bought several acres at Granton bordering Main Road (called Station St) Forest Road, Mount Street and Middle Street.  He bought this from the Government and on this land was a stone cottage which was the Commandants Cottage (I believe) used at the time of building the causeway by convicts across to where the Bridgewater Bridge is now.  This cottage fell down but has been reconstructed to what I believe to be the original house (having spoken to a previous owner) it is quite prominent when you come across the bridge to Hobart.  Four roomed stone cottage with attic windows.  This property was split on James death to his sons who onsold it to a daughter from the first marriage.  It was also known as "Askey's Market Garden" according to the For Sale notice in the paper but it never sold prior to his death so formed part of his estate.   They also bought in 1885 a substantial property at Richmond  cnr Bridge St and Edward St (now called Saddlers Court)  (Mr Thompson a saddler was in it when it went up for sale)  I think that maybe where Mary died but can't be sure.  My brother always said she moved in with her daughter at Richmond after James died and was buried at Richmond but she is buried at Glenorchy for sure re newspaper notice and my brother has passed away so can't discuss it further. At James' death in 1892 he owned land @ Granton, cottage @ Berriedale and shop front with living quarters attached at Richmond.  I do have a questionmark about the Commandants Cottage but am pretty sure I am right.  The cottage belonged to the Government and James bought all the land owned by the Govt. there so the cottage must have been already there.  Don't know how they all fitted into such small houses.  Have a look around on the net on the Trove site there is quite a bit there.  Am rambling on.  Let me know if you come to Tassie.  Kind regards, Di    .        Thanks to Jeanette for starting these conversations.     

Hi again Di,

Please feel free to ramble as much as you like, I've really enjoyed all your information.  Thank you so much.  We're hoping to come to Tassie for Christmas (Mum still lives in Launceston), so will definitely try and visit the cemetary and the buildings you mentioned.

I've attached a photo of your grandfather's sister, Rebecca Florence Conrad.

Merrilyn

Hi Merri,   Haven't forgotten you.  My daughter has been doing some intense research.  We think we may have come to some acceptance of the Eden or Aden. Still trying to problem solve.   The circle you were asking about is the name of Mary's brother but it is a bit hard to read the writing maybe John something.  Mother's name is Mary and Sister's name is Mary Cathering. We sumize that when Mary was convicted they only took the Mary part when in fact she was Mary Eliza - otherwise why would you have 3 Mary's in one family and when she was married she claimed her full name.  The Aden is not so simple but looking at the part of the bible (which we summize was given by the Minister of Wesley Church and also written by him - we have his signature on the marriage certificate) the birth date was written as the marriage date of the first marriage to Mary Ann Spiers so that is wrong and has led to the confusion on her age.  The Aden is a little more complicated but suspect if he made the mistake from an old record he may have inadvertently gave her maiden name from another certificate he had.   The names of the children in the back of the bible are written by what we suspect is a later Minister upon their baptism.  Does you mother have any bits of info that we may be able to piece together.  Do you have the names of parents on Rebecca Florence's marriage certificate?   We are doing some serious digging here awaiting some info from Ireland as due to COVID they are working from home we believe.   Well that's all I have for today.  If you gather any info let me know.

 Di 

Hello Di,

Would be nice to be able to solve some of these mysteries wouldn't it.  Unforunately Mum doesn't have any information at all.  She has been as surprised as me at what has been discovered so far and I'm sorry, but I don't have a copy of Rebecca Florence's marriage certificate.

I'm eager to hear about what you might discover from Ireland.  Hope we can put more of the puzzle pieces together.

I've attached a photo I took of the oldest part of the Wexford gaol, when I visited there in 2018.  It's the building I was immediately drawn to, but only found out subsequently that it was the women's prison where Mary Keefe would have been held before being transferred to Grangegorman in Dublin, prior to her transportation to Tasmania.

Merrilyn

Hi Merri,   Give me a couple of days.  Fabulous photograph.  Have some records of Mary's family.  You have the right baptism certificate.  Have so much stuff that my daughter has found that it is doing my head in and hers. Have not been able to come to a conclusion about the Aden or Eden think that will remain a mystery forever.  Waiting on a transcript from a lady who interviewed Eliza Kelly at Richmond a few years ago that Eliza has passed away in 1992.  If there is no clue in the transcript it will remain a mystery.  Will get back to you.      Di        PS I may have Rebecca Florence's marriage certificate for you.

Thanks Di!  Gosh, this all sounds very exciting.  I look forward to hearing more of your discoveries!

Merrilyn

Hi Merri,  Well here goes I'm not sure how to send all this stuff but will give it a go hope better than last time.These are the records of Mary's baptism particulars on the record that you found.  Her parents were married on 7 May 1831.  James was born 1796 and died1868 at age 72  his death was reported by Betty Keefe this was a name used by the family for Elizabeth (who was also called Eliza at her baptism).  These name changes are very confusing so one can understand a bit how Mary Keefe became Mary Eliza (but can't find anything about Aden or Eden)  Can't find record for Mary Griffin.  The record of the census of 1821 lists his Mother as Johanna and James was 25 at the time.it would appear that they had 7 acres and a servant.  Apparently a lot of the records were either lost or were burnt so there could have been more children than we have.  There is a Catherine as a witness at the Marriage of James and Mary Griffin so maybe there was a Mary Catherine.If you have any questions let me know.  Have fun, Di     My next task is for Rebecca

Don't know how to send more than 1 file

Finally worked it out.  So here are some records of Rebecca Florence for you.  It would seem possible that my Grandfather has signed the marriage certificate as a witness although he has used James instead of Alfred (wish they could get their names sorted)  He and Rebecca were the only ones who used the Eden or Aden.  The other James' had all passed away at the time of the marriage so it is a very strong possibility that we are connected more than we thought.  Lv Di

Hello Di,

Wow, so much information.  Thanks so much for sending it all!  

So interesting isn't it, though it also raises more puzzles.  In particular James Keefe and Mary Griffen's other children's names not tallying with the ones recorded on Mary Keefe's convict record.  I wonder, if she had other siblings, why they weren't also noted on her record.  It must have been a shotgun wedding for Mary Griffen and James Keefe if they were married in May and Mary Keefe was baptised in December.

The 1821 census record is interesting too.  James' mother Johanna was a widow at that time and I'm wondering if she later married the Edmund Doherty who appears as a witness on the marriage of James Keefe and Mary Griffen and also the baptism of Mary Keefe, because a Johanna Doherty witnessed the baptism of Elizabeth Keefe.  

Do you think the Betty Keefe present at James Keefe's death was his daughter or second wife?

The Aden is a mystery, appearing again on Rebecca Florence's death certificate.  I wonder why?  Guess we'll never know....but I hate not knowing.  Haha.

It's such a shame that many of Ireland's records no longer exist.  Anyway, thanks again Di and please keep me posted if you uncover anything else.  

Merrilyn x

My name is Colin Mahon. I live in Carlton Victoria

A son of Rita Clorine Conrad and Peter Valentine Mahon

Florence Rebecca Askey was my grandmother

Welcome Colin,   Hope this conversation has been of interest to you.  Do you have any information to add?  (Merrilyn) - Betty on the death certificate for James Keefe was Elizabeth the daughter.  The Johanna Doherty theory is a possibility .  We are still looking for the Adan (Eden) connection but think we will just have to wait or accept for now that it is indeed the same Mary Keefe and I can't see that it is not true but why the addition of the name???.   Di

Hi Colin,

I posted a reply to you before, but it seems to have disappeared.  Do you have any memories or stories of your grandmother?

Hi Di,

Well we definitely know that Mary Keefe was James Askey's wife, so I think (as you suggested) the Aden (Eden) must have been noted in the bible in error.  After all, her birth date was incorrect there also.  The children may have assumed their mother's surname was Aden because that's what was written in the bible.  According to her convict record, Mary could neither read nor write, so may have been unaware of the error.  

Di, I forgot to ask you about the Eliza Kelly of Richmond you mentioned before.  Was she a relative and do you know what the interview was about?

Merrilyn

I have just stumbled across this and am really excited! I was just searching for Mary Keefe, my great great grandmother.
I live in Hobart, Tasmania and my maternal grandmother was Eliza Kelly, originally of Richmond. She died in 1969, unfortunately before I became obsessed with family history. My great grandmother was Eliza Mary Askey who married Tom Kelly of Richmond. If anyone has notes from an interview with any of the Elizas I'd be rapt!

Hello TassieFran,

Hoping for news about the interview too.

Hello Merri and Welcome TassieFran,  The notes of the interview have been mislaid according to my daughter so we never received them..  Diane Snowden did the interview for one of her books (White Rag Burning) I think it was called.  Anyway paperwork has been mislaid.  Do you know where Eliza Kelly lived at Richmond TassieFran?  My brother was under the impression that after the death of James, Mary went to live with her daughter in Richmond.  I have found that at the time of Mary's death she owned the property that was called Saddlers Court, an art gallery (now a medical centre) and am wondering if she was living there when she died and not with her daughter who would have been Eliza Mary.  Have baptism certificate of Eliza Mary and will post it for you in a couple of days. Di   

Hello Di,

Sorry to hear that the interview notes were mislaid.  I emailed Diane Snowden when 'White Rag Burning' came out and she was very helpful.  
 

Merrilyn

Hello Distant Cousins

I tried to upload a comment yesterday but it doesn't seem to have worked. Apologies if you see it twice!

Mary Askew (nee Keefe)'s daughter Eliza was married to Tom Kelly and they lived with their tribe of 9 surviving children at 4 Bridge Street, Richmond. I presume they rented. The property is now a very impressive Air BnB but would have been not so flash when the Kellys lived there. Tom was only a labourer. I'll again try to upload two photos of the house in a minute.

I'm not aware of any connection to what is now called "Saddler's Court".  James was a farmer at Bridgewater and died a couple of years before Eliza. I think it was only then that she moved to Richmond. 

I currently have the library copy of White Rag Burning. Diane is always a very thorough researcher. She could have obtained all her information about Mary Eliza Keefe in the book just from a combination of her convict records and James Askey's will. 

I'm sorry. The address of the place my family has always called "The Kelly House" is 4 Franklin Street (NOT Bridge Street)!

And I meant "Askey" (not Askew)! It will serve me right for rushing!

Am about to send the baptism record for Eliza for you TasssieFran.   Good to have another address for the life of Mary. "Saddlers Court" was bought by James in 1885. A Mr Thomson (saddler) was running a business in the shop section when it was advertised for sale in 1894 after Mary's death.  He later bought it.  As her death notice said she died at HER residence in Richmond (it would indicate that it was likely "Saddlers Court" but may have been Franklin Street but you would have expected the notice to say at her daughters residence and was buried at Bridgewater (Hestercome I presume although no headstone and not mentioned on James' head stone). Mary also still owned the property at 629 Main Road Berriedale which was bought in 1881. James did very well for himself having been transported here at the age of 14. Have you seen the stone cottage with 3 attic windows at the front when coming over the Bridgewater Bridge from the North TassieFran. That is where Mary and James lived.  James had nearly 25 acres there bought from the Crown in separate lots.  The cottage was the original Commandants Cottage when the causeway was formed.  Keep in touch and keep searching.   Find Trove through Google for newspaper cuttings you will find the marriage notice for Eliza and Thomas.  Di 

This is wonderful, Di! I had no idea about the houses and I fully intend to head to Bridgewater as soon as I can. There’s nothing quite like being in the same place as my ancestors! I found an article on that old Commandant’s Cottage and have a strong urge to go there (with camera). I’ll also look more closely at Saddler’s Court. That’s very interesting about the wording of Mary Eliza’s death notice. I mentioned her on my Facebook page as an Irish ancestor of interest on St Patrick’s Day last week and included a copy of her newspaper death notice. It stated that she was 52 but all my work shows she was actually 62. I guess it was a misprint.

The other day while I was attempting to read the handwriting in James Askey’s will I decided I’d learn a lot if I actually transcribed it into readable typing letters. It’s on my list.

I’m a big fan of Trove. I’ve done a lot of research over the past 7 or 8 years on east coast families in the WW1 era and beyond. I’m also grateful for the Tasmanian Names Index. I’ve only just started to look at my own non-east coast family. We’re Tasmanian to the core. I keep track on my Ancestry tree and put as many newspaper snippets, documents and photos that I can find in the gallery section. So much on Ancestry is to be taken with a grain of salt. Got to check and re-check. One day I’ll put something together for my grandchildren about the stories of their fascinating ancestors.

Thanks for continuing the information trail Di and TassieFran.

Hi Jeanette, 

do you happen to still have the research on Mary Keefe and James Askey’s family? I am related to the family via the female side of my family right up to Alfred James Askey (all the daughters appear to have had daughters that flow down to me) and we have brought my mother to Cygnet for a visit for the first time in over 40 years. Have only just started researching and your post has made it much easier to track!!!

Thanks :)

And given this thread hasn’t been active for over a year - wondering if Di is still viewing it?

Hi Nic, 

Sadly Di (my mother) passed away January 2023.

I was helping her research our family history so I maybe able to help if you have a question.

Kind Regards 

Leanne

Hi Leanne

I am sorry to hear about your mum's passing. She contributed so much. I assume you are a descendant of James Alfred Askey and Jack Askey. I am guessing you would know who has the James Askey Mary Keefe bible? I am in the process of researching the family histories of James Askey, James Askey Junior and his son John Alfred Askey-Doran. When I was trying to verify details about Mary Keefe, I stumbled upon this thread. I would love to make contact for more information. I live in Tasmania, as do most of the other Askey-Dorans, mostly in Hobart.

Kinds Regards

Bernd