John 'Mangles' Sheedy and Mary Dinan
Preface by Jenny Fawcett
please note: these families are still under research and no information
should be regarded as authentic unless confirmed by official sources.
John Sheedy, per Mangles is alledged to be one of six brothers
who came to New South Wales as transported convicts, generally
attributed to their activities in political crimes in Ireland.
The brothers have been the subject of a study by Mr Sydney
Sheedy,a descendant of one of the brothers. This resulted in
the lodgement of a manuscript at the Mitchell Library of what
is generally referred to as the "Sheedy Diaries"
Sydney Sheedy claims to have had access to the diaries of
James Sheedy, one of the brothers, who was a member of a secret
united irishman political group, and held the position of secretary.
Sydney has compiled the manuscript which is supposedly a history of
the United Irishmen in Australia, and includes a section relating
to the Sheedy families in New South Wales.
There is confusion reigning about the accuracy of Syd's attempts
to relate known information on Sheedy families with those people
mentioned in the diaries.
Syd Sheedy claimed that John Sheedy who arrived per Mangles
was married to a Mary Farraday.
In 1828, John Sheedy Mangles, petitioned the governor of
New South Wales to allow for his family to come to Australia. In
the course of this document he states his wife was Mary Sheedy nee
Dinan, that he married her during Shrovetide, in Feb 1809
at Kilfinan Co Limerick.A copy of the petition can be found
at the Mitchell Library, and has been transcribed below.
Syd alledged that Mrs John Sheedy returned to Ireland after the
death of John, via Melbourne,on the Shamrock, having been
accompanied to Melbourne by her son Thomas. There is also no
evidence of this to date. A Mr and Mrs Thomas Sheedy did arrive
in Melbourne from Sydney but this was
Thomas Sheedy m Catherine Costello.
Syd Sheedy claimed that Thomas Sheedy [m Cath Costello] was the
son of John per Mangles and Mary Farraday, and that he
arrived per Blenheim in 1834. Research indicates that
the Thomas Sheedy who did arrive on the Blenheim was
indeed John per Mangles' son, but the Thomas Sheedy who
married Catherine Costello is not the same man. Thomas m
Catherine Costello was a shoemaker by trade, he arrived on the
Aliquis in 1839 to NSW, then moved to Victoria, he was
well known to police and his gaol records confirm the name
of the ship he arrived on as the Aliquis
There are other Thomas Sheedy's that may fit with being the son of
John,especially being Thomas m Johanna Jordan/Elizabeth Dempsey.
For distanglement of the Thomas Sheedy's.
see the Profile Section and research
is still underway on those families.
John Sheedy's wife,Mary Dinan, arrived in New South Wales per
Andromeda in 1834, accompanied by her children Eleanor,
Michael and Mary. Her other sons had previously arrived on
the Blenheim as free immigrants.
For this biography, I am using contemporary records, but there
is room for more research to be done to document this family
correctly.
John Sheedy wrote in 1828 that character references could be
obtained from Mr Oliver JP, of Kilfinnane. He is also believed
to be associated with the United Irishmen. Therefore, he would
have had knowledge of the Staker Wallace incident near Kilfinnane,
which also mentions that the Olivers were the major landowners
in the region.It might be an uncle/relative of John Sheedy who
was with Oliver when they went to arrest Staker Wallace.
Click Here
John Sheedy -
born c: c1786.Ireland. [convict indent.age 40]
c1786 if John Sheedy died 1835.
c1778. [1828 cencus.age 50]
parents: not known.
religon: Roman Catholic [convict indent]
occupation: 1826.Farmers Labourer.Ireland. pre 1826.
[convict indent]
c1828.wood carter.South Head .NSW.
also working for W.Taylor.[petition]
1834.working at the dockyards, Sydney [petition]
.working for Dennis Walsh, York St Sydney.
[wife's emigrant arrival]
literacy: convict indent states no literacy, though
petition in 1828 is written in an educated
hand and signed the same by John Sheedy.
death: either,John Sheedy,born c1786,
died 26 August 1835.[49y]
Buried Old Windsor Cemetery
source: McLellands Books. Vol 4 Bk 9
or
John Sheedy died 27/9/1842 buried under
Faraday Sheedy Windsor Cemetery ?
burial:
shipping arrival:
convict per Mangles,[fourth trip,]
to N.S.W.
arrival date: 18th Feb 1826.
CONVICT NO___29
AGE__________40years
CRIME________Fogery Notes
note that there was also an Edward Sheehy
on this vessel as a convict.
married: Mary Dinan [*petition ]
date: February [Shrovetide] 1809,by the
the Reverend Mr Dilane .Parish Priest of Kilfinan.
[*petition]
History:
1826. transported to New South Wales per Mangles, on a
charge of forging notes.It would be ideal to obtain from
the newspaper in Ireland an account of his trial, charges
and etc.
1828 Census: John Sheady [50] per Mangles
at Telegraph .Sth Head. [ref 0596]
John Sheedy per Mangles - Lighthouse.
John Mangles,Mangles 1825, life - catholic -
age 50 occupation: Telegraph. South Head. no's 0584]
Petition:
states working as a wood carter for W.Taylor.[see next]
John petitions for family to be allowed to emigrate
"1828.21st May .
To his Excellency ,Lieutenant General Ralph Darling,
Governer and Commissioner in Chief [New South Wales]
The Petition of John Sheedy
Most humbly sheweth
that in 1826 your excellency's petitioner arrived in the
Colony by the Ship Mangles [4th journey]a prisoner
for life and has since been in Government Employ at South
Head and has always supported a fair character as servant
[to W.Taylor, to carry wood] that your Excellency's petitoner
being desirous of having his family which he will be well able
to support sent out to him here he most humbly solicits your
Excellency's permission for that purpose and shall as in duty
bound ever pray
John Sheedy
Sydney 6th march 1828."
Jas Mitchell, Liet. in N.S.W.Royal Veterans
as to Character at South Head under my charge.
Petiton goes on to list marriage date, and children's ages as
listed elsewhere here. Also states that references could
be obtained from The Revd Mr Neville, Rector of Kilfinnan and
C.D.Oliver,Equire,J.P at Kilfinnan.
[src:AONSW. Colonial Secretary's In Letters 28/4059]
a notation on the petition by government officials records:-
Nothing records [against John Sheedy] by May 19th 1828 .
Not At Present [meaning John may not have his family sent yet]
31st of May. informed for the purpose of communicating.
1834. Index to Conditional Parsons & Tickets of Leave 1810-1875
John Sheedy Mangles 1826. no 34/833 reel 938 shelf
922/4/4095
Stated in a letter to son Roger that he was working at the
dockyard at Sydney.
[AONSW Reel 2198. 4/2242.3 34/8275]
John's wife Mary Sheedy arrives per Andromeda
In a letter addressed to the Colonial Secretary which had
been written by Henry Kelsall, Surgeon Superintendant of
the convict ship Andromeda, he records a list of
women who had arrived FREE by that vessell, and this
includes the name of Mrs Sheedy,Mary stated that her
husband was working for Dennis Walsh, York Street, Sydney:-
Andromeda, Female Convict Ship. Port Jackson.
17th Sept 1834.
Sir,
I have the honor to transmit to you, a list of the
free women who are on board the Andromeda, accompanied
by all the information I could obtain from them, relative
to their husbands.
And am sir
your obedient servant
Henry Kelsall
Surgeon Superintendant.
List of Free Women & etc etc
Name. /Name of Ship her husband came in./In Whose Service
Mrs Sheedy. Does Not Know. with Dennis Walsh
York St. Sydney "
Children - 6: [src * petition]
note: evidence collated appears to confirm that the below mentioned
six children are all the children of John per Mangles
Roger Sheedy bc.1812. [src * petition ]
arrived N.S.W as free settler on the 14th Nov 1834
per Blenheim with brothers Thos and John.
supposed to have married Cath Creany
no marriage located NSW.
Thomas Sheedy bc.1814. [src * petition]
arrived N.S.W as free settler on the 14th Nov 1834
per Blenheim with bros Roger and John.
probably Thomas m Elizabeth Dempsey
Eleanor Sheedy bc.1816. [src * petition]
arrived N.S.W with mother on the Andromeda
alledged to have married Anthony Murray.
death date possibly:
d?. 1878 Burrowa.age 83. [no 4956]
d?. 1876 Burrowa. [no 5321]
parents: John and Mary.[not stated if Sheedy on index]
issue: [not confirmed]
1.Bridget b 1839.Sydney. [no v1839 311 133]
2?.Mary A b 1864.Windsor. [no v1864 3046 71]
John Sheedy bc.1818. [src * petition]
arrived N.S.W as free settler on the 14th Nov 1834
per Blenheim with bros Thos and Roger.
married Bridget Shea
Mary Sheedy bc.1820. [src * petition]
arrived N.S.W per Andromeda with mother.
supposedly married 1837 at Windsor.
m. 1837.Windsor. [no V1837 7323-90]
Michael Sheedy bc.1824.Kilfinan? [src * petition]
arrived N.S.W in 1834.with mother per Andromeda
probably Michael m Margaret McIntyre
Family Researchers/Informants:
Eileen Williamson
Catherine Burke
Notes
* = sighted original record.
arrived: per Mangles 1826.
tried: Cork. 26/8/1825. Life Sentence.
crime: forging notes.
no previous convictions.
age: 40 [born c 1785]
native of: Limerick
religon: Roman catholic
status: married with 6 children.
occupation: farmers labourer.
height: 5'8.
complexion: ruddy
hair: brown/grey
eyes: grey
remarks on indent: well.
con: Fiche no: 660. file no: 397. shelf no:4/4011 page 028
note: also Edward Sheehy on this vessel.
fiche no:660 file no: 397. shelf no:4/4011 page 029
|