Hi Rob,
Great to find your contribution here. I am descended from John McNamara and Margaret Walsh. John McNamara was born in County Clare in 1813. His parents were Patrick McNamara and Mary Walsh.
John married Margaret Welsh in Ennis, County Claire in 1845. Margaret was the daughter of Michael Welsh and Mary O'Loughlin.
They had two children in Ireland. Patrick was born in 1847 and John in 1849 in the Parish of Flagmont.
In 1850, the McNamara family emigrated to Australia. They travelled on board the Bussorah Merchant, leaving Plymouth 3rd February, 1850. They arrived in Port Phillip, Melbourne on the 26th June, 1850 - 144 days later.
John McNamara became a tenant farmer on Dr James Murray's Woden property, along with a number of other Irish families from County Clare.
The McNamaras first lived at Rosedale. Their lease lands extended down the river to the Red Hill property of William Beatty. In 1863, John McNamara purchased Badgery's 651 acre block on the Queanbeyan River as well as 517 acres at Black Siding block. The latter purchase included London Bridge and the original huts and house erected for Hutchisons employees. The McNamaras built another homestead at London Bridge, which was occupied by John McNamara Senior, while John Jnr continued to live at Rosedale.
You are probably familiar with this family.
I have recently come across a new Queenbeyan McNamara connection, while researching Irish Famine Orphan Girls. There were two McNamara sisters who came out to Australia. Here are the details:
Surname : McNamara
First Name : Catherine
Age on arrival : 18
Native Place : Innes [Ennis], Clare
Parents : John & Catherine (both dead)
Religion : Roman Catholic
Ship name : Thomas Arbuthnot (Sydney 1850)
Workhouse : Clare, Ennis
Other : shipping: house servant, reads, no relatives in colony, sister Bridget also on Thomas Arbuthnot. Empl as house servant by J. McVitey, Primrose Valley, Molonglo, £8, 1 year; married John Lambkin, Queanbeyan, 18 Feb 1856; 10 children; died Molonglo 1884 [Reid & Mongan, 'A Decent Set of Girls']
Surname : McNamara
First Name : Bridget
Age on arrival : 16
Native Place : Innes [Ennis], Clare
Parents : John & Catherine (both dead)
Religion : Roman Catholic
Ship name : Thomas Arbuthnot (Sydney 1850)
Workhouse : Clare, Ennis
Other : shipping: house servant, reads, no relatives in colony, sister Catherine also on Thomas Arbuthnot; empl as house servant by F Tumbrell, Marengo, Burrowa, £8, 1 year; married George Terry, Arkstone, 28 Jul 1851, witnessed by her employer; possibly 2 children in 1858.
I hope you will see this message and get in touch.
Best wishes,
Rowena