Orphan Profile: Catherine Tierney from Cashel, Tipperary

Snapshot:

 One of 40 orphans selected from Cashel Workhouse

 Arrived per Lady Peel in Catherine Tierney July 1849, Aged 18 – Photo believed to be of Catherine Tierney both parents dead (age 55-60) provided by great

granddaughter Mary Stanley (nee Whelan)  Married aged 20 to William Thompson of Liverpool, England Family in Ireland  Camped in tents with husband and family Believed to be born in Toureen, John Tierney and Mary O’Carroll. following construction Clonoulty/Rossmore in 1831, Catherine On her death certificate Catherine’s of the Great Southern was the youngest of six children (older father was recorded as a weaver. Railway through the siblings all born in Cashel, Tipperary) to Southern Highlands to Goulburn

 Lived in isolated Cashel Workhouse Fettlers Hut just north Side view of Cashel Workhouse taken of Goulburn in 2005 by Karen Semken

 Husband run over by train, accidentally killed whilst trying to remove fettlers trolly from track

 Lived to age 77, died in Alexandria, At some point during the height of the famine, Catherine was admitted to  11 children, 39 the Cashel Workhouse. We are not grandchildren sure if she entered alone or with  Son Charles was first other members of her family. teacher in ACT, taught Completed in 1841, the workhouse nearly 50 years (22 had been built for a maximum of 700 years at Hall School) inmates – yet at the time of Old Photo, Admission Building, Cashel

Catherine’s departure in March 1849, Workhouse  Grandson Charles over 7130 inmates were housed there Taken in 2005, Karen Semken appeared in 1925 silent film Around the Boree It is believed that Catherine’s Log filmed in the admission details may still exist. area Eamonn Lonergan’s book on St Patrick’s Hospital (the old Cashel Workhouse) refers to an admission register covering the year 1848. This register was provided to the Department of Health for the 150th commemoration exhibition in 1995 – however the register has since been Entrance Gates, Cashel Workhouse misplaced. Taken in 2005, Karen Semken

Page 2 of 9 Catherine Tierney per Lady Peel

‘Special Business’ We know Catherine was residing at Lieutenant Henry’s system of selection the Workhouse on 8th Feb 1848 when was based on the personal appearance the Colonial Immigration Agent of the girls, and as they sat in the Lieutenant Henry visited and selected workhouse wards he simply picked 40 inmates for emigration to . them out at random. Given the numbers of inmates at the time and The Minute book records details of the Immigration Agent’s random Lieutenant Henry’s visit including his approach to selection, Catherine’s instructions that an outfit ‘according inclusion in the Scheme seems to the printed list of the Emigration incredibly fortunate. Whether she Commissioners’ be prepared ‘without perceived it as such, we’ll never know. delay’ under the direction of the matron.

Entry in Cashel Minute Book noting Lieutenant Henry’s visit. Photo taken 2005 by Karen Semken, Thurles Library

Cashel to Plymouth On receipt of further instructions from the Board a detailed account of the Lieutenant Henry around the 1st March, disbursements’. the Cashel Committee resolved that The Matron having reported that the ‘conveyences be provided to carry the outfit was complete ordered ‘that the emigrants to Thurles on Wednesday boxes be packed and corded as directed morning the 7th instant at 8 o clock to be by the Emigration Agent’. in time for the early train and that the Master and Assistant Matron be directed With Thurles rail station opening to proceed to Dublin in charge of them’. nearly 12 months before – it’s fair to assume that this trip would have been A cheque was drawn for £16 to cover one of many ‘first’ experiences for the the costs of the emigrant’s travel from girls. The route from Cashel to Dublin Thurles to Dublin with the Master under is illustrated below. instruction upon his return to ‘submit to

Page 2 of 9 Catherine Tierney per Lady Peel

Cashel to Plymouth, continued There is no further information regarding station and was moved by their the Cashel girls’ journey to Dublin, but ‘exemplary conduct, healthy an insight can be revealed from the appearance and cheerful disposition’. similar excursion taken by the orphan Anxious for their spiritual and girls selected from the Carlow general welfare he wished them well Workhouse. for their journey to Australia and commented the girls should be There, a party of 22 girls also set out on grateful to the Board of Guardians the morning of 7th March, 1849 for their care and attention. accompanied by the Workhouse Matron. The Bishop of Kildare, Dr. Haly also According to Eamonn Lonergan, once travelling to Dublin that morning, recalls in Dublin the girls would have encountering the girls at the railway departed by Steamer from the North Wall in Dublin to Plymouth. Plymouth Emigration Depot

Widely reported at the time, Surgeon the “unions” on their way to Port Phillip Superintendent Strutt of the Thomas and Sidney. They were nearly all Roman Arbuthnot provided a detailed report on Catholics, and spending the Sunday on conditions at Plymouth in relation to shore, went to mass: as they passed accommodation for the girls. through the town, everyone was struck In a letter to The Times, on 22nd Mar with their tidy, orderly appearance. I saw them the next day on board and was most Pheonix Wharf – Part of Plymouth 1849, an anonymous clergyman wrote Emigration Depot about his inspection of the Emigration pleased to find the pains taken to give Depot at Plymouth, which included the them a thorough good outfit in every way Lady Peel: I went on board the Lady Peel, a few hours after she had embarked 180 Irish girls bound for Sydney. I had, therefore, every opportunity of examining into every detail of their economy. I was most kindly assisted by every officer of Her Majesty’s Commissioners whose duties were connected with the inspection of the ships and the embarkation of the emigrants. … I was much struck with the cleanly, healthy Pheonix Wharf – The only remaining building associated with Plymouth Emigration Depot appearance of a cargo of Irish girls from Sea Voyage From newspaper reports it appears the report of the ship being sighted and ship had been expected to depart on ‘spoken to’ on the 18th March at Lat 48 the 28th February however it didn’t N., long 14 W, in the sea just south leave Portsmouth until 14th March 1849. west of Ireland, at about the level of On arrival in Sydney it was reported Paris. that the ship had sailed 110 days but by In the days following arrival in Sydney, 27th July 1849 this was corrected to 98 the ship’s Surplus Stores and Emigrants days. Fittings were progressively sold. These References: The Surgeon Superintendents Report for included Cabin Bread, Ship Bread, Split A Workhouse Story – A History of St. the voyage of the Lady Peel has not Pease, Tea, Sugar, Rice, Butter, Patrick’s Hospital, Cashel 1842- survived. Raisins, Port Wine, Sherry, Brandy, Ale 1992,1992, Eamonn Lonergan & Porter, Vinegar, Barley, Preserved There are however several surviving "A Visit To Emigrant Ships." Times milk & Tripe, also Water Closets, [London, England] 22 Mar. 1849: 8. accounts from other Earl Grey Scheme Water Cisterns, and One medicine The Times Digital Archive. Web. 19 ships to indicate what the journey may Nov. 2012. chest, emigrants fittings and 100 tuns have been like. We also know from one of Dantsic Oil Butts.

Page 4 of 9 Catherine Tierney per Lady Peel

A Winter Arrival On Tuesday 3rd July, the Lady Peel brother John was ‘supposedly living arrived in Sydney Harbour with 29 crew, near Yass’. It is not known if Catherine 174 orphans, 9 married couples and ever met up with her brother – as no seven children; with local papers records for John Tierney have been reporting the weather calm and a cool found to date. 60°F (15°C). Of the 40 girls supposedly selected by Upon arrival in Sydney, the colonial Lieutenant Henry for the journey – only immigration agent boarded the ship to 36 appear to have arrived on the Lady record the details of the orphans. A Peel. It’s possible that some decided kitchen maid, who could neither read not to take the journey or came on the nor write, Catherine’s ‘native place’ later ship John Knox, which carried 22 was recorded as Cashel, Tipperary with girls from Cashel arriving in Sydney in parents, John and Mary, both dead. A April 1850. Into Service After a further 2 days stay on board the Cummins, her second cousin who had ship, Catherine and her fellow written to the Colonial Secretary passengers were rowed from the mid- shortly after the ship arrived harbour moorings of the Lady Peel to requesting the services of Catherine as the edge of the harbour where they a servant at the rate of £10 per would have walked up toward Macquarie annum. James lived at Brickfield Hill, Street with their trunks. situated near the ‘old Mark Foys’ where World Square stands today. Their destination was Hyde Park Barracks, which housed the orphan girls According to NSW State Archives, the until placed into service with original letter from James has been prospective employers who came to ‘weeded’ by an enthusiastic but interview them. Some of the girls were nevertheless inconsiderate researcher forwarded on 5th July to Depots in and hence its contents and possible Bathurst and Goulburn. clues have been lost. It is not clear why it took 6 weeks before Catherine Catherine stayed at the Barracks for 6 went into service given the early weeks, prior to being appointed into application by her cousin. service – believed to be with James

Marriage at St Mary’s Catherine is next recorded as getting Thompson’ arrivals recorded in the married in October 1852 at St Mary’s immigration registers. Cathedral to William Thompson of Descendant John Thompson has Liverpool, England. One of the researched another possibility. A witnesses to the marriage was Catherine William Thompson, native of Liverpool Carroll, who may have been related to was transported aged 14 in May 1838 Catherine on her mother’s side. per Minerva to Van Diemans Land. If the details on his death certificate Freed in July 1847 there is then a are accurate – then William arrived in record of a William Thompson, Australia in 1841 aged 14. There are no Seaman, departing Tasmania in Dec records matching his name/arrival 1848 on the Shamrock for Sydney. year/age under the assisted immigrant Whist the above timing fits, without schemes. If William was in fact a few further conclusive clues, the date and years older and was not an assisted method of his arrival is yet to be immigrant, then there are no clues to distinguish William from the 100s of ‘Mr confirmed. Page 2 of 3

Page 5 of 9 Catherine Tierney per Lady Peel

Toward the Southern Highlands Shortly after the birth of their first child along the freeway south toward John in Sydney in 1853, William ). Thompson secured a labouring job, building the recently approved Goulburn All children were baptized at St Pauls to Sydney Railway. The construction was Presbytery in Moss Vale and their births widely reported in the papers with a registered at the Berrima Courthouse. workforce of hundreds of ‘navvies’ Two boys aged 5 weeks and 2 years died toiling at digging foundations, bridge early from whooping cough and building and tunneling with little more inflammation of the bowels. The final than a pick and shovel. two children were born and baptised in The family would have lived with fellow Goulburn after the railway was labourers, in tents pegged in virgin bush completed in 1869. - periodically uprooting to follow the track as it evolved through the Southern Highlands. We have records of the next 8 children being born at Sutton Forest which at the time encompassed the entire area between the Bong Bong River (a few kilometres north of Moss Vale) and Paddy's River (about ten minutes' drive Illustration of typical Fettler tents Goulburn After completion of the Railway at The doctor stayed with Patrick until he Goulburn in 1869, William took a job as died at 3am the following morning from a Fettler living near the Goulburn rail congestion on the brain, caused by taking station. In 1870-71, the Electoral roll a quantity of gin in ignorance of the records the family’s abode as ‘Railway consequences. William indicated that Line Goulburn’. Catherine occasionally gave way to William’s work would have entailed drunkenness, which the Coroner AW hard physical labour replacing worn Betts censured her for. sleepers and rails, and shovelling The inquest on Patrick was held at ballast. Albert Prior’s house located in Grafton Each Fettlers gang would have been Street, otherwise known as the Carrier’s assigned a stretch of line up to 13 miles Arms. As nearby pubs doubled as venues long, which was constantly checked for for inquests we can assume that the wear, tear and obstructions, using family had been living relatively close ‘human powered’ hand trikes or trolleys to the main Goulburn Station. for transportation. This is also supported by the record for In April 1871, Catherine’s eight year old Sarah Anne’s birth in November 1871, Location of (1) Shelly Street, (2) Robert where the place of birth is noted as Street, (3) Grafton Street – near The son Patrick tragically died after drinking Carriers Arms, a pints worth of gin from a bottle Shelly Street, Goulburn with a later Catherine kept in a box in an outhouse. living abode of Robert Street, recorded Called home from work at 10am, at the time of her baptism in January William (‘an abstainer’) found his son 1872. Both streets are close to the lying on a stretcher speechless and railway line and Albert Prior’s premises senseless. in Grafton Street.

Goulburn, 1870s

Page 6 of 9 Catherine Tierney per Lady Peel

Goulburn, cont Two years later in May 1873, Catherine time of this incident. and William had ‘a few words together’ At some point after 1873, William, resulting in Catherine tossing a 14lb bag Catherine and the family moved to the of flour in to the fireplace at which vicinity of , Murrays Flat, Goulburn – 1870s point William threw a brush at her, Carrick and , about 12 hitting her in the head. kilometers north of Goulburn where the In front of the police magistrate, family would have lead a more isolated William declared they had been married existence. one and twenty years, during eighteen of According to On Wooden Rails*, life as a which he had never had an angry word fettler more often than not, involved with his wife until she had lately taken to isolation, rough conditions and lack of drinking. amenities, with fettlers and their In response, Catherine confirmed she families camping by the line in tents or sometimes did take a drop too much; and rough mobile dwellings and shanty added she had not been in the habit of camps. quarrelling with her husband. She further This is likely to have been the case for stated I am abusive with my tongue to him the Thompsons’ as youngest son at times; I was provoked on account of his Frederick was recorded as actually hitting me with the brush; I gave him some being born on the railway line. impudence… Image of a Fetler, trike and In what seems a ridiculous rationale hut around the same era as today, Catherine acknowledged her William Thompson. State husband would not have been provoked Library of South Australia

into an argument had she had the dinner cooked when he arrived home about mid-day.

It is hard to gage from the report what

actually happened. The police officer refuted that Catherine was drunk when reporting the incident, finding her

perfectly sober. The magistrate felt sure she had concealed a great deal of the truth Frederick, in later years told his and tried to shield her husband. children that his father use to periodically come along the track, and On account of William admitting the peer through a small window to make assault, and due to being provoked (by sure everybody was behaving! the uncooked dinner?), William received a 6 month bond to keep the peace and a Frederick also told his daughter 7 day gaol sentence that as the judge Kathleen that when going to school, he pointed out, would except for the decided to spend his train fare on provocation have resulted in him going sweets and ended up walking many to trial. Catherine would have been 5 miserable hours in the dark until months pregnant with Frederick at the reaching home at Carrick.

Ref: On Wooden Rails-150 years of Work on the NSW Railways http://rtbu-nsw.asn.au

Sloane Street, Goulburn, 1870s Catherine Tierney per Lady Peel Page 7 of 9

Children of Catherine & William Children: Catherine and William married in a died at Kanimbla Station, Holbrook in Catholic ceremony at St Mary’s 1924 from cancer of the throat. Cathedral in Sydney. 1. William John b.1853 Daughters Ellen Mary and Mary Ann in Sydney, died 1910 Interestingly, Catherine’s surviving married two cousins of the Nettleton in Liverpool children seemed to marry within a family. variety of religious denominations. 2. Ellen Mary b.1855 Ellen Mary lived in the Goulburn, Sutton Forest, died Mary Ann, Charles, Sarah Annie and Fred , Bungendor regions. 1928 Waterloo all got married in catholic ceremonies. Ellen Mary died in 1928 at Waterloo. Ellen married in a Church of England Mary Ann lived at Cootamundra 3. John Thompson b. ceremony, William in a Wesleyan and between 1893 and 1902 and 1856 Sutton Forest, John in a Presbyterian. died 1924, Holbrook thereafter at Waterloo in Sydney. Both Edward and Frederick worked all Mary Ann died age 70 in 1935 at 4. James b.1858 Sutton their lives on the railway. Redfern. Forest, died Age 2, Sutton Forest Frederick started as a cleaner in 1890 at Daughter Sarah Ann or ‘Annie’ after Goulburn station, worked his way up to marriage moved to Queanbeyan and 5. Henry b. 1860 Sutton Engine Fireman and then Driver. then Picton finally moving to Redfern Forest, died Age 5 Frederick’s only son Charlie also joined where she died in 1933. weeks, 1861 Sutton the railway and was the assistant Charles worked his entire life for the Forest stationmaster at Goulburn. On education service. He began teaching retirement Frederick and his family in 1886 at age 18 as a House to House 6. Patrick b. 1862 Sutton moved to Manly where six days later – Forest, died Age 9, Teacher at Naas and Gibraltar. This Frederick died of a heart attack. The involved riding sixteen miles between Goulburn family believing that it had been the these isolated schools (no school train’s engine that had kept him ticking 7. Mary Ann b. 1863 building existed) where children were Sutton Forest, died all these years. gathered on designated days to be 1935 Redfern Edward joined the railway as Fettler and taught basic subjects.

worked the tracks from Goulburn to Charles went on to teach at 8. Edward, b. 1865 Mitagong and Picton. Four months after Sutton Forest, died Claremont, Run of Water (renamed Catherine died Edward transferrd to 1934, Woy Woy Yarra), Ginninderra and Gungahleen Hornsby-Gosford region and was before settling at Hall school where 9. Charles William b. promoted to Ganger. Edward retired in he taught from 1911 to his retirement 1868 Sutton Forest, d. 1828, he never married and died in Woy in 1933. Woy in 1934. 1948 Manly Charles was closely involved with the

Eldest son William John was a labourer local community, Ginninderra 10. Sarah Anne b. 1871 farmers union and wrote regular Goulburn, d. 1933 and remained in Goulburn most of his Redfern life but died in the Liverpool Asylum a articles and stories (especially nature year after Catherine in 1910 from sun stories) for the Queanbeyan Age. 11. Frederick Thompson cancer. Charles reluctantly retired on the day th b. 1873, Railway Line, Son John married in Goulburn in 1880 before his 65 birthday as required Goulburn. Died 1933 and then disappeared after the birth of by the Education Department. He Fairlight his 5th child. At his children’s marriages moved to Manly where died age 80 in from 1906 onward, John is recorded as 1948. unknown or deceased, although he is Charles has been widely written noted as living on Catherine’s death about in books on , certificate in 1909. Via Kim Blundell, the Ginninderra and Yarra and Hall descendants of John have only recently schools. discovered his fate. John, a rabbiter

L to R: Ellen Mary [photo Max Kingsley], Charles William [photo John Thompson, Edward ‘Ned’ and Frederick [photo Karen Semken]

Catherine Tierney per Lady Peel Page 2 of 9 Final Years Once again for the Thompson family, compensation also included the coronial service of AW Betts was William’s position being transferred called upon. On 2nd May 1888, struggling to his son Charles Thompson. to get his trolley wheels off the track in However, Charles is noted as being a advance of an approaching train - house to house teacher from 1886 at William was accidentally killed. Naas and Run of Water and in December 1888 he was based at Yarra. It is more likely that Edward

Thompson took over this position as his railway employment record commences on 28th May 1888 in the

position of Fettler.

Catherine remained in the Goulburn area with the last known record of her living at Carrick in the 1903 Electoral Roll for Werriwa (Towrang William Thompson’s grave at Old Polling Place) records. Her son Goulburn cemetery. Photo Karen Edward is also recorded on the same Semken 2005. roll indicating they still may have

been living in property associated with the railway.

His body was taken to the nearby Cookbundoon Hotel for the inquest, the Coroner lambasted the railway for not finding more ‘sedate employment for elderly men like Thompson’. He was 60 years old. A substantial headstone was paid for by his colleagues. The Cookbundoon Hotel near the old Towrang Station – now a private residence. Photo taken by Site of demolished Carrick Railway Station. Gordon Thompson in 2002 Catherine’s cottage would have been located in this area. Photo taken by Gordon Thompson 2002.

We know from the letters of Charles Thompson to the Education Department that Catherine had been unconscious in 1907 and so seriously ill, the Doctor declared he had ‘given up hope’. At this stage Catherine was living at her daughters place in Alexandria where she We know Catherine was traumatised by eventually died aged 77 in February this event from a letter written by her 1909 from a cerebral hemorrhage. son Charles Thompson requesting Catherine never got to share the additional leave from his teaching grave with her husband at Goulburn duties due to ‘the present health of my as planned. Catherine is at rest at mother preventing me leaving sooner’. Rookwood Cemetery in an unmarked Telegram to Charles Thompson There is a newspaper account of local grave. advising the pending death of his MP E O O’Sullivan successfully mother, Catherine Tierney in Feb 1909 Several weeks after her death, one petitioning for compensation for the of her daughters placed the family in September 1888. It is likely following memorial…. a long and the family would have been residing in saintly life, truly successful; she now is railway property and with William’s reaping her reward in heaven. death they would have either been evicted or been facing eviction. The

Page 9 of 9 Catherine Tierney per Lady Peel

Family Legends In researching Catherine, many tall Dublin, near Dublin or Ireland when stories yet unproven have been passed she registered 9 of other the on by other descendants of Catherine children’s births. We would have to and William. accept England then as the place of birth, unless of course there was They met on the boat and went to some compelling reason for William Carrick…. to declare he was not from Ireland…. Grand-daughter Kathleen Hattrick (nee Son of an Irish Rebel hung at St Thompson) born 1909 - the year Mary’s… Catherine died, believed that Catherine and William met on the boat and went Which leads to the next story…..Kim straight to Carrick. Blundell, descended from John Thompson recalls several versions of a It is possible that William could have story relayed by her relatives that the been on the crew of the Lady Peel, but original name of William Thompson this has not been verified as crew (or his father or grandfather) was member names were not listed on the O'Trace, McTrace or McLoud. passenger list. This ancestor was associated with an There was however, an emigrant on the Irish rebellion or uprising and had to Lady Peel passenger list, Mary depart Ireland fast. He came to Thompson who was from Wicklow ‘near Australia and built a house (shack) at Dublin’. Mary was travelling with three St Marys where he was eventually daughters; her husband William caught (by whom?) and hung from the Thompson supposedly living in Port roof of this house. The name Phillip. If this lady was related to the ‘Thompson’ had been taken from a William that Catherine married, they boarder. may have met through this contact. Kim’s grandmother use to point out Either way, Catherine definitely did not this old shack to Kim when on the way go straight to Carrick, unless her to St Marys. Apparently the police at assignment with James Cummins took the time put his death down to her there. suicide “but the family new better”. The Tall Red Headed Tutor…. There was mention of a son and another version of the story where Ian Finlay, descended from Charles William was hung in a stockyard in St William Thompson had been told that Mary's. William was a tall red headed tutor from Descendants Researching Catherine Tierney & William Ireland who left the country because We have been unable to find any Thompson [@2012]: people in those times with an education records in the name of O’Trace or were frowned upon and he felt there was McTrace. Records in Coroners’ Karen Semken more for him in Australia. inquests from hanging have been Kjsemken[at]hotmail.com viewed but nothing appears relevant. Descended from Frederick Thompson We know from the marriage entry and There are no paper reports relating to birth registrations that William could Kim Blundell an incident of this nature. Descended from John Thompson write. However all records indicate an association with the railways – not with William Thompson (Catherine’s Ian Finlay ian.finlay.1969[at]gmail.com teaching. It is likely that the ‘tutor’ husband) supposedly arrived in 1841 Descended from Charles W reference may have been confused with aged 14. This is the only clue we have Thompson William’s younger son Charles who was for his arrival and it was provided by

John Thomspon a widely known teacher for nearly 50 the informant on his death certificate Cjjat[at]webone.com.au years in NSW/ACT. who was the coroner (and not Descended from Charles W related). Neither parents details were Thompson Re place of birth, William himself provided. declared he was from Liverpool, Alfred Blakers Researching wife’s ancestor Charles England when registering the births of Kim’s tale seems unlikely but the lack W Thompson two of his children. In contrast of detail surrounding William’s family Catherine stated that William was from and arrival in Australia doesn’t Max Kingsley exactly help us disprove it either. Written By: Karen Semken [Great great grand daughter] – Nov 2012