Mary Gillespie : Short Biography

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE

ARRIVALS.

From Cork, on Thursday last, which port she left on the 6th February, the ship Southworth, 350 tons, Captain Coombs, with 133 female prisoners. Surgeon Superintendent, Dr. Forrister. Passengers J. Plunkett, Esq. Solicitor-General; Mrs. Plunkett, Miss Plunkett, Mr. Kean, Rev. Mr. M'Enroe, Roman Catholic Clergyman ; Mary Gillespie and four children, Ann Kingston and four children, Mary Fleming and four children, and the Solicitor - General's female domestic.  he Sydney Herald (NSW : 1831 - 1842), Monday 18 June 1832, page 2

Death by Burning at Branxton. On Tuesday forenoon Mr. J. J. Riley J. P., held a magisterial inquiry at the residence of Mr. Hughes, Branxton, into the circumstances attending the death of the unfortunate woman Mary Sweeny, who was found dead in a fire at her house on the previous morning. The following evidence was taken :- Constable Ritchie staffed : About half-past eleven o'clock yesterday morning, the 21st instant, in consequence of information I received from John Corbett, the deceased's son, I went to his house, and found the deceased lying on the floor dead ; her arms and cheek were burned, as were also the articles of clothing about her shoulder and neck; I noticed a pipe lying close to the fireplace ; there was a small piece of wood in the fireplace, and the end of it was smouldering ; I reported the matter by telegraph to the coroner at Maitland ; I have known the deceased for about seven years ; she was addicted to drink. John Corbett deposed : I have seen the body upon which an inquiry is now being held, and recognise it as that of my mother, who resided with me ; I last saw her alive about 7 o'clock yesterday (Monday) morning ; she was then in bed ; I left home about that hour to get some firewood, and gave her her breakfast in bed ; on returning home about 11 o'clock I found my mother lying in the fire-place, face downwards; the upper portion of her body was on the fire, and her arms were resting on her breast underneath her ; there was only a small piece of wood burning in the fireplace, and my mother was lying on top of this ; I removed her, threw some water over her clothes, and reported the matter to the police and to the neighbours ; my mother was 85 years of age; she was in the habit of taking a glass of ale occasionally, but was ordinarily a temperate woman ; so far as I know she had nothing to drink on Sunday evening, and was quite sober when I left home yesterday morning; my mother has been a widow for about twenty years, and has during these twenty years resided with me ; her right hand was paralysed, or partially so ; I am a single man, and when I was away from home there was no one to look after my mother. Mary Ann Nixon deposed that the deceased was at her father's store at Branxton on Monday morning, about nine o'clock, purchasing some articles, and she was then perfectly sober. Bridget Freel deposed : I am a married woman, residing at Branxton ; the deceased, Mary Sweeny, was my mother ; I last saw her alive about half-past nine o'clock yesterday (Monday) morning, in a paddock near her house ; she was gathering some firewood, and remarked to me that John, her son, had gone for a load of wood ; I could not smell any drink on her ; I do not think she had any that morning ; I did not again see her alive ; she was feeble through old age, but was able to move about, and visited my house frequently. George Collins stated: I am licensee of the Sportsman's Arms Hotel, Branxton ; I knew the deceased, Mary Sweeny ; I last saw her alive about half-past nine o'clock yesterday morning at my licensed house ; she had a glass of rum there, and took glasses of that spirit away with her; I have known the deceased for twenty years ; generally speaking, of temperate habits, Answer stated : I have examined the body of the deceased ; it presents several marks of burning to the face and ears are severely injured, the eye lashes are singed ; the tip of the tongue is also burnt ; both arms and hands and the right side from the shoulder to the hips have been severely injured ; I am of the opinion that death was caused by burning. Mr. Riley found that the deceased died from injuries by burning, accidentally received.  The Maitland Mercury & Hunter River General Advertiser (NSW : 1843 - 1893) Thursday 24 May 1883 p 7 Article