Bernard Fitzsimmons, from "shop man" to Aussie convict.

[gregperth]

I keep reducing my file sizes but it won't accept them. I surrender.

[majm]

Here is a live link to that Obit for Geo Henry Stephenson that was in the Manning River Times of 21 Feb 1951.    https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/173006831.   

Here is the live link to the National Library of Australia https://www.nla.gov.au/ and from there, to Trove which includes the Digitised Newspapers https://trove.nla.gov.au/  Trove is an excellent resource.

Information on NSW BDM certificates is quite detailed, and on marriages includes info about the origins, ages, occupations, usual address of/for the bride and the groom; plus info on their parents, including nee name for mum, occupation for dad ...

JM

[majm]

FITT

The surname is not unique. 

There was a Sarah FITT a passenger on the Asiatic arriving in NSW 23 May, 1855.   Here is a live link to the passenger list. http://indexes.records.nsw.gov.au/ebook/list.aspx?Page=NRS5316/4_4792/Asiatic_23%20May%201855/4_479200157.jpg&No=1

She was a single woman, aged 30, a General House Servant, Church of England, and a native of Shipsham, Norfolk.

And that's the lass who apparently in 1855 married James STEPHENSON, in NSW  as per NSW BDM Vol 43B line 1111.   Her surname was FITT on arrival.  The information on the NSW bdm d.c. from 1951 has Geo's mum as nee Fitzsimmons.   

So, a Sarah Ann FITT married a James STEPHENSON on 29 January 1855 in Dungog, NSW, and a Sarah FITT arrived in NSW 23 May 1855. ...   So, there's two women in NSW in 1855 who were Sarah FITT. ... What a co-incidence. 

A Sarah Ann Fitt STEPHENSON was buried Rookwood Cemetery NSW in 1913.  Date of Death 1 Sept 1913.  https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2DN-X1V8

PLEASE SEE LATER POSTS, STEPHENSON = FITT MARRIAGE IS 1856, NOT 1855

JM

[majm]

I hope I am not straying too far off track but ...

The NSW BDM’s records include the following marriage
James STEPHENSON of the Parish of Dungog, a Widower, and Sarah Annn PITT, of The Allyn River, Spinster, married by License by Arthur Wayn, with the Consent of the Parents.  The Witnesses were John Anerback of Altona, Hamburg and Hewitt Tate of Dungog. 
The above info is from the NSW BDM image that has been uploaded to a commercial website. The document was certified on 10 Nov 2004.  It clearly has PITT not FITT.  It is referenced 1111 Vol 43B. 

See later post, marriage is 1856, not 1855. 

I think James and Sarah Ann may have been in significant trouble with the police over the death of one of their children.   If you read the cutting carefully, you will find mention of Sarah Ann,  her husband, three children, including a child of seven years and the grandfather of the children too.  You can see that James (husband of Sarah) had died after the death of Charlotte and before the court case commenced. 

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/18701478 Maitland Mercury 11 April 1865.   I wonder about the Grandfather mentioned in this cutting …  Has he been identified by name anywhere?  What was his surname?  Charlotte's NSW birth cert should provide info about all her older siblings, and about her parents ... including of course where and when James and Sarah Ann were born... that info would help validate info already known to our OP. 

The NSW BDM online index has the death for James STEPHENSON, aged 67 years, died Dungog. Reference 3583/1865.   The index does not display his parents given names suggesting to me that perhaps … ‘Grandfather’ was not related to James STEPHENSON but to Sarah Ann FITT…

December 1868, Sheriff’s advertisement of a Sale of five allotments in Dungog, one with a brick cottage and outhouses,  Sarah Ann as Admon  … 
 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/13177127  SMH 10 Dec 1868

December 1872  I think Grandfather was Robert FITT ….  Sarah Ann Stephenson and Mrs Stephenson mentioned in the article … at Gostwyck, Upper Paterson
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/18769726  Maitland Merc 31 Dec 1872

I have not found a likely death for a Robert FITT.  The d.c. if in NSW, VIC or QLD should list the names of his offspring and his origins.   That family history info would be useful to our OP to help with further DNA findings…

ADD
This is from 1863.   Stolen from Wire Gully, near Dungog,  …. Reward … restoration of the horses to James FITZSIMMONS, Wire Gully, near Dungog … so I wonder how this James FITZSIMMONS is related to our OPs Benjamin FITZSIMMONS of Dungog.   I wonder if this James FITZSIMMONS is the husband of Mrs FITZSIMMONS of Wire Gully in the 1875 PO Directory.   
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/18702416 Maitland merc 18 June 1863 ….

Question if I may ... what dates for the embezzlement action brought by James STEPHENSON against Benjamin FITZSIMMONS ... or dates for when Sarah Ann STEPHENSON was in Maitland Gaol at same time as Benjamin Fitzsimmons ...

I have his arrival papers and ticket of leave (attachments too large). The arrival can be found online at the Australian Biographical database and other sources, including: https://convictrecords.com.au/convicts/fitzsimmons/bernard/132556. In NSW BDM he is registered twice, as Stephenson and Fitt, both with the same number (10234/1869). My mum's uncle Godfrey Stephenson said George Stephenson's nickname was "Fitzy". There are many coincidences, such as he and Sarah serving time together in Maitland Jail and the fact that Fitzsimmons was charged with embezzling Sarah's husband James Stephenson. No, I can't find a record of Louisa's death either but the birth is 8900/1867. I do not know if he was in Victoria.

   
Thanks,

JM

[majm]

FITT

Re the lass on the Asiatic arriving May 1855, looking at a Sarah PITT  (transcribed by others as PITT, but on the actual image it is clearly FITT, and it is between DILL and HEMINGTON in the alphabetical (by surname) listings...  so it fits as FITT in my book.   This image records the names of her parents and they are Robert & Maria.  It also notes in two places that her father was in NSW ... firstly as 'Father living at Gresford, Paterson River' and then as 'Father, Robert FITT, Farmer, Gresford, Paterson River'.   And he must have been expecting her for the remarks column reads £5 Remittance Regulated per Robert Fitt'.

So next i searched the Deposit Journal images for 1854, 14th June towards the cost of Passages ...  Robert FITT paid £10.0.0 for two lasses ...  Charlotte FITT (27) and Sarah FITT (25). 

Following up further ... the marriage to James STEPHENSON is 29 January 1856... so NOT 29 January 1855 ...    so possibly JUST the one lass named Sarah FITT. 

But as to who was Mrs Fitzsimmons of Wire Gully in 1875  when there was a James Fitzsimmons there in the decade earlier ... ? 

I realise you are searching for Bernard’s origins back in Ireland, but on the offchance that your NSW records are incomplete, may I share:

1875 Grevilles P.O. Directory DUNGOG
Bernard FITZSIMMONS, labourer, Lord St 
Mrs FITZSIMMONS, Wire Gully.

JM

JM