Author Topic: Matfen Murder 1855 - Conroys & Allens alias Andersons  (Read 7308 times)

Offline maddys52

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Re: Matfen Murder 1855 - Conroys & Allens alias Andersons
« Reply #9 on: Tuesday 02 January 18 03:44 GMT (UK) »
Actually, I see from the article in the Newcastle Guardian where Michael mentions he wants to return to England that he was in Fremantle, Western Australia. So possible not the one who died in NSW in 1885.

Offline maddys52

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Re: Matfen Murder 1855 - Conroys & Allens alias Andersons
« Reply #10 on: Tuesday 02 January 18 04:02 GMT (UK) »

This is a long shot but I was wondering if anyone out there may be related to the co-accused in this trial and may know what became of all of them - that is how life continued/ended for them.  Their names were Michael Allen alias Anderson; his Mother Isabella Allen alias Anderson; and his sisters Jane Anderson and Eleanor Anderson.  Their was also someone called John Simm who turned Queen's evidence.


You may have seen this - also about Michael's life in WA, and mentions his mother "Tibby Anderson" and what she was up to in 1861
Newcastle Journal (Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England), Friday, March 22, 1861, Vol. XXX, Issue 1669, p.2.

Offline maddys52

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Re: Matfen Murder 1855 - Conroys & Allens alias Andersons
« Reply #11 on: Tuesday 02 January 18 04:33 GMT (UK) »
Michael ALLEN was given Ticket of Leave 14 Oct 1861, and Conditional Pardon 11 Oct 1866.

http://fremantleprison.com.au/history-heritage/history/convict-database/

Modified to add: he was transported on the Nile, arriving 1 Jan 1858, some more info here, including  a description if you follow the link in "note 1":
http://members.iinet.net.au/~perthdps/convicts/con-wa21.html

Offline maddys52

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Re: Matfen Murder 1855 - Conroys & Allens alias Andersons
« Reply #12 on: Tuesday 02 January 18 04:52 GMT (UK) »
A possibility - there is also a marriage for a Michael ALLEN to Mary Ann McLOUGHLIN in 1866 in the Bowes District (sort of near Geraldton), and a birth to them of Isabella in 1868 at Gwalla Mine (some 800km east of Bowes).

There is a death for Michael ALLEN aged 39 in 1873 in Western Australia, parents and place of birth unknown.


Offline River Tyne Lass

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Re: Matfen Murder 1855 - Conroys & Allens alias Andersons
« Reply #13 on: Tuesday 02 January 18 13:13 GMT (UK) »
Hi Radcliff and maddys52,

Thank you both for your help with trying to find out what happened to the co-accused after the trial.
I really appreciate this. 

Do you know how much money Dorothy actually left to her relatives?  I know in one newspaper article my ancestor James was written about as having loaned Dorothy money.  I think this shows that he knew she was not a rich woman and therefore I doubt theft would have been a motive on his part.  As Michael committed future robberies, I still have my suspicions about him.  In the 1841 census when Michael was living with his family in Newgate Street Morpeth he is recorded as age 8 and therefore his birth year may have been around 1833. 

I am very interested in finding out what became of each member of this family as they were so closely related to the fates of my own ancestors.
 
I suspect that the additional Jane Anderson on the 1841 census was related in some way, possibly a niece of Isabella/Tibby.  I believe she may have been the person of the same name who was later to become the mother of the wife of my ancestor Thomas who was the brother of my Great Grandfather Simon Peter.

Thanks for the newspaper attachment.  I have come across the article relating to Michael expressing that he would like to come back to England.

Wow! So it looks like Michael was given a conditional pardon and may have married!  It is amazing what RootsChatters can find out!  Thank you - you are amazing! :D  I wonder if someone might know if there is a marriage record which may still exist.  I think his father may also have been called Michael.

By the way, I found my notebook in which I recorded the information I got with regard to Dorothy's burial which I found at Newcastle library.  Unfortunately, I am not at home now and have forgotten to bring this out with me.  However, I was mistaken when I posted on here that Dorothy was not buried until 1856.  The burial record shows that she was buried a day or two after death.  I am almost sure that this was at St Wilfred, Kirkharle and the entry records that she was murdered.  The next burial which took place at this Church was her sister Jane who died in 1856.   Jane Robson nee Bewick's husband remarried.  I will confirm burial dates on here tomorrow when I am back on here and in possession of my notebook. :)

Thanks so much Radcliff and maddys52 - I am so grateful. :)
Conroy, Fitzpatrick, Watson, Miller, Davis/Davies, Brown, Senior, Dodds, Grieveson, Gamesby, Simpson, Rose, Gilboy, Malloy, Dalton, Young, Saint, Anderson, Allen, McKetterick, McCabe, Drummond, Parkinson, Armstrong, McCarroll, Innes, Marshall, Atkinson, Glendinning, Fenwick, Bonner

Offline maddys52

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Re: Matfen Murder 1855 - Conroys & Allens alias Andersons
« Reply #14 on: Tuesday 02 January 18 21:42 GMT (UK) »
  I wonder if someone might know if there is a marriage record which may still exist.  I think his father may also have been called Michael.


Apologies, I should have told you that this comes from the Western Australian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages. You can search the index for free:
http://www.bdm.dotag.wa.gov.au/_apps/pioneersindex/default.aspx
and order certificates - the Michael ALLEN marriage in 1866 reg no is 2495. An uncertified copy costs $20 AUS. In 1866 WA marriage certs should include groom's father's name and occupation.

It's up to you whether you want to spend the $  ;)

Offline River Tyne Lass

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Re: Matfen Murder 1855 - Conroys & Allens alias Andersons
« Reply #15 on: Wednesday 03 January 18 10:16 GMT (UK) »
Hi Maddys52,

Thanks for all your help with my query - I really appreciate this a lot. :)
I may hang fire just now in ordering the certificate as it can be expensive enough ordering certificates just for my own family.  I suppose we don't know 100% if this would be the right Michael but my gut feeling is that this is the right Michael which you have located.
 
I am sure this will be the right Michael which you have found who was given the Conditional pardon in 1866.  What a discovery you have made!  That man seems to have had more lives than a cat!
However, although I 100% believe you about the pardon I can't seem to see this myself on the link - how can I locate it?  It is probably just me and I am not clicking on something which I need to but can you advise me?   
If Michael died in 1873 he died 3 years before my Great x 2 Grandfather James who died in Durham on 24 August 1876.  After 1881, when as a widow, she was living with her eldest child, called Mary Watson, I have never been able to find out what became of my Great x 2 Grandmother Elizabeth.

This is Dorothy Bewick's burial record and her sister Jane's at St Wilfred, Kirkharle:

'Dorothy Bewick buried 23 October 1855 age 66
Waterloo near Blyth, murdered'

1856
'Jane Robson  Sweethope  9th February 72 yrs'

Jane's burial was the next one immediately following Dorothy's burial.  The place where my Grt x 2 and Dorothy lived was called Waterloo Cottages.  Some newspapers say my ancestors had two children at that point and some say six.  They actually had five children at that time and may have had their niece living with them too.  After the murder of Dorothy they went on to have four more children, two of these children died very young and are buried in Hexham.

Although, it appears that my Great x two Grandparents were married I have bought copies of my Great Grandfather's (Simon Peter) birth certificate and what I believe is my ancestors' marriage certificate and I believe they did not actually marry until 30 May 1859 - James Conroy and Elizabeth Fitzpatrick Bachelor and Spinster at the RC Church at Stella in Gateshead.  On the marriage certificate his age is given as 30 and hers as 31.  Their son Michael was also baptized at this Church in 1857.

As for Jane Anderson, Tibby's daughter who was implicated in the murder, the newspapers say she became a 'Best' on marriage.  I have not been able to find her marriage as yet.

Conroy, Fitzpatrick, Watson, Miller, Davis/Davies, Brown, Senior, Dodds, Grieveson, Gamesby, Simpson, Rose, Gilboy, Malloy, Dalton, Young, Saint, Anderson, Allen, McKetterick, McCabe, Drummond, Parkinson, Armstrong, McCarroll, Innes, Marshall, Atkinson, Glendinning, Fenwick, Bonner

Offline maddys52

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Re: Matfen Murder 1855 - Conroys & Allens alias Andersons
« Reply #16 on: Wednesday 03 January 18 10:56 GMT (UK) »
Hi Maddys52,

Thanks for all your help with my query - I really appreciate this a lot. :)
I may hang fire just now in ordering the certificate as it can be expensive enough ordering certificates just for my own family.  I suppose we don't know 100% if this would be the right Michael but my gut feeling is that this is the right Michael which you have located.
 
I am sure this will be the right Michael which you have found who was given the Conditional pardon in 1866.  What a discovery you have made!  That man seems to have had more lives than a cat!
However, although I 100% believe you about the pardon I can't seem to see this myself on the link - how can I locate it?  It is probably just me and I am not clicking on something which I need to but can you advise me?   


Fully understand not spending the $ ! It's an expensive enough hobby just to find out about our own families let alone those they were connected with.

If you follow the link to Fremantle Prison History
http://fremantleprison.com.au/history-heritage/history/convict-database/
and search by surname under "a", Michael ALLEN appears on the bottom of page 9 (if you display 10 results per page), then click on his name for more info.

Conditional pardons were not that hard to obtain (I think).  Here's a quote from the National Library of Australia research guide:
"If they were well behaved, convicts were not usually required to serve out their full term and could apply for a:
    ticket of leave
    certificate of freedom
    conditional pardon; or
    an absolute pardon.
With good conduct, a convict serving a seven year term usually qualified for a ticket of leave after four or five years, whilst those serving 14 years could expect to serve between six to eight years. 'Lifers' could qualify for their conditional pardon after 10 or 12 years."




Offline River Tyne Lass

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Re: Matfen Murder 1855 - Conroys & Allens alias Andersons
« Reply #17 on: Wednesday 03 January 18 13:58 GMT (UK) »
Many thanks, Maddys52,

I have followed your instructions and have found it. :)

I think this is most certainly Michael as he is described as a horse dealer.  That was part of the quarrel that Dorothy was having with my ancestor James - that he kept bringing ponies back to the cottages - presumably to sell.

I am so grateful to you for finding this site for me.  I know I would never have found this myself.  I now believe that I now have the end story for Michael.  Thanks to you! :)  My gut feeling is that he is the one who died in 1873.  It has been great to find this all this out - for all his failings Michael was at one time a friend of my Great x 2 Grandfather.  I can't help feeling sorry for his Mother Tibby who lost him for good.  What a character she appears to have been too!

Many, many thanks! :) :)
Conroy, Fitzpatrick, Watson, Miller, Davis/Davies, Brown, Senior, Dodds, Grieveson, Gamesby, Simpson, Rose, Gilboy, Malloy, Dalton, Young, Saint, Anderson, Allen, McKetterick, McCabe, Drummond, Parkinson, Armstrong, McCarroll, Innes, Marshall, Atkinson, Glendinning, Fenwick, Bonner