Summaries of the Lives of Four Convicts in Australia
Mary Hurley,
John Copas,
William Guthrick, and,
Mary Carey
Information from the History Services
NSW Databases contained in the following genealogical summaries of the four
convicts and their immediate families is shown in italics.
Mary Carey
Mary Carey was born in approximately 1816, in County Clare,
Ireland to a John and
Honorah Carey. Her parents were Irish farmers. She was an illiterate Irish
country servant
who was transported to the colony with her aunt Mary McMahon. Mary Carey and
Mary
McMahon were destined to both serve their sentences in the colony of New South
Wales.
In January 1837 they were both herded aboard the convict transport the
`Margaret'.
On the 24 January 1837 the `Margaret' left Cork in Ireland and set sail for the
colony.
The `Margaret' arrived at Port Jackson on 30 May 1837.
An
indication of the harsh life style that was lead by both Mary Carey and her aunt
can
be gleaned from the convict ship’s Indent According to the Indent, Mary McMahon,
was
a widow with one child. The Indent further reveals that both women had scars on
their
bodies.
The following information is contained in the ship’s Indent of
the `Margaret' on
Mary Carey:
| Age: 21 Education: None Religion: Roman Catholic Marital Status: Single Native Place: County Clare Trade or Calling: Country Servant Offence: Sheep Stealing Tried: Clare; 5 July 1836 Sentence: Life Former Convictions: None Height: Five feet, one and a quarter inch Complexion: Ruddy and freckled Hair: Brown Eyes: Dark Grey Marks: Small scar right side of forehead, scar on right hand, near the little finger Remarks: Niece to No. 37/164 - Mary McMahon |
An
examination of the `Register of Convicts Applications to Marry' reveals that
Mary Carey was granted approval to marry on three occasions. From the register
it appears that Mary, prior to her first marriage would have resided in the
Sydney
area.
On
31 March1838, Mary who was described as a spinster aged 22, was granted
approval in Sydney to marry Thomas Jones, a convict who arrived on the
`Champion. It appears that this marriage never took place.
On
17 July 1843 Mary Carey, now aged 27 years and having been in the colony for
six years (she did not hold a Ticket of Leave) was granted approval to marry a
48 year old emancipated convict William
Gutherick. The marriage ceremony was
conducted by Rev. J Murphy in Sydney.
[Source: History Services NSW Convict Database].
History Services NSW will consider undertaking further searches of its databases to accommodate any special research requests. Please email your request.
Kevin McGuinness
© HISTORY SERVICES NSW