I am hoping someone may be able to head me in the direction of finding 'shoemakers' in Tasmania.
The research to date:
Joseph and Bridget O'Brien along with their 2 boys (Cornelius and Edward) sail on the Strathfieldsay from Dublin on 5 March 1833 and arrive in Hobart Town on 2 July 1833.
During their journey out to Hobart a Functionary working in Downing Street ( for the Colonial Secretary Office) writes to Lieutenant Governor Arthur (who rules Van Diemen’s Land VD Land) requesting the sum of £20 towards the cost of the O’Brien’s passage on the Strathfieldsay. Ironically Joseph and his family have arrived in Hobart before this letter is sent and it is unknown if Joseph paid the £20 himself or if it was paid in retrospect:
Downing Street
18 July 1833
Sir,
I am directed by Viscount Goderich
to request that you will cause to be
paid to the Master of the Strathfieldsay
the sum of £20 on account of
Joseph O’Brien; who is proceeding
to VD Land on board of that ship-
J. O’Brien is a Shoemaker aged
29 years; he will be accompanied
by the following family:-
Wife aged 27 years
Cornelius 5 yrs
Edward 1 yr
I have the honour to be
Sir
Your most obedient
Humble Servant
RW Hay
Lieutenant Governor Arthur
While in Tasmania they have a child called William born approx 1837. Being Catholic I believe the baptismal record would be written in Latin, but have not been able to locate a copy of this in Tasmania
- Any help would be appreciated with this.
Joseph was one of 17 shoemakers of ‘Free” status who arrives in Van Diemen’s Land under the Arrangements sanctioned by His Majesty’s Government from 1st January 1833 to the 31st December 1833. I have managed to find a number of Boot and Shoe makers by searching through Trove, and Tasmanian records however cannot fine a Joseph O'Brien
- is there likely to be a list of shoemakers or would this not have been recorded.
- I am curious about his work
- and where they lived, did they live in Hobart town or somewhere else in Tasmania. Are there any records which I should search.
The family left Tasmania on the 'Moffit' arriving at Port Jackson 27 April 1838. Joseph died aged 49 years at the Infirmary and was buried on 30 May 1852 in the Parish of St James County Cumberland by Revd DM O'Connell - Roman Catholic. The marriage certs of some of his children record his occupation as shoemaker. Joseph and Bridget went on to have a few more children which I have information on.
My questions this time are:
-did he continue to be a shoemaker in Sydney. Census records are too vague for me to consider he lived in Wilmot Street, Macquarie in 1852.
-where would the infirmary be.
Thank you for reading this long post, any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
Happy new year to you all.