ELLEN NEENAN (c1829 – 1873)
also known as ELLEN MUNDAY and ELLEN LYON
WILLIAM MUNDAY (c1808 – 1857)
THOMAS LYON (c1810 – 1895)
Ellen Neenan was born circa 1829. No record of the birth. Birth place is currently unknown, but probably in the St. Marys’ region, west of Parramatta. Ellen married William Munday at All Saints Church of England, Sutton Forest 2nd June 1843. Ellen could read and write, but William was illiterate. No consents given for that marriage. The marriage record does not reveal any of their parent’s names.
Witnesses at the marriage were John Wales and Mira Waite, both of Mittagong. (The Waite family owned property at Sutton Forest).
William Munday was from Somersetshire in England and arrived in Australia as a convict on the ship “Burell” 19th December 1830. He had been convicted for housebreaking and also had a previous gaol term of 3 months. On the 30th March 1828 at Taunton England, he was sentenced to transportation to Australia for life.
He was described as age 20, 5 feet 7 inches tall, ruddy complexion, brown hair, hazel/grey eyes, no education, protestant, blacksmith for 3 years. He had tattoos of a sailing ship on the upper part of body, anchor on lower part, anchor on right arm, the initials WMMMWM on left arm.
An 1837 NSW General Return of Convicts describes William Mundy in the service of Willmott Jasper of Berrima NSW. He was later granted his freedom and soon after, apparently enlisted in the NSW colonial army. He died 15 May 1857 at Goulburn hospital and was buried 17 May 1857 at Goulburn. On his death certificate it states that he was 45, married to Ellen Neeman. Upwards 20 years in NSW. Farmer – soldier – then nightwatchman.
Six known children to the marriage.
MARTHA MUNDAY born 14 July 1844 at Mittagong.
WILLIAM MUNDAY born 26 December 1846 at Bumbolloway.
JOHN MUNDAY born 19 March 1849 at Bombarlow.
JAMES MUNDAY born 14 November 1851at Bombarlow.
MARY MUNDAY born 2 August 1853 at Bombarlow.
ELLEN MUNDAY born 3 July 1855 at Bombala. (Probably meant to be Bumballa).
A research of land records does not reveal a property or parish called Bumbolloway. In 1822, a Mr. Jenkins and his family were the residents and land owners of a large property called Bumballa (in the county of Camden), which was located south of Sutton Forest. Old land maps reveal Bumballa parish joined onto the parish of Marulan in the county of Argyle. In the parish of Marulan, there was a large property called Bombarlow and in 1828, the landholder’s name was William Chisholm. William Munday probably was a labourer or farmer employed by William Chisholm.
Prior to 1857, all references to the above Munday family reveal them located in areas between Mittagong and Marulan. Research by Berrima Family History Society in 2004, revealed that Bumbolloway and Bombarlow were the same large property known as Bumballa.
Ellen Neenan (the widow of William Munday snr) was recorded as 39 years of age when she had a 2nd marriage to a Thomas Lyon at the C of E Queanbeyan 30th January 1868. Those marriage records show Ellen’s surname recorded as Mundy and her parent’s names were recorded as Denis Neenan (a sergeant) and Margaret Scully.
