Ellen Hill “mystery woman”

www.rootsireland.ie/ has 19 Ellen Hill baptisms 1824 + - 10 years; none from Galway & this is the only Kilkenny one:

Name:Ellen HillDate of Birth:
Date of Baptism:25-Apr-1826Address:Not RecordedParish/District:ST. JOHN'SGender:FemaleCountyCo. Kilkenny
Denomination:Roman Catholic
Father:Edmund HillMother:Bridget RyanOccupation:
Sponsor 1 /
Informant 1:William Delany Sponsor 2 /
Informant 2:Ellen Ryan 

Col

Do you think that would be her?

Hello:

You might try the Ireland Australia Transporation Database which is available on the National Archives of Ireland  site.

Here is the link that shows an Ellen Hill who was transported:

http://www.nationalarchives.ie/genealogy1/genealogy-records/ireland-australia-transportation-records-1791-1853/

http://findingaids.nationalarchives.ie/index.php?simpleSearchSbm=true&category=18&subcategory=147&searchDescTxt=Ellen+Hill&simpleSearchSbm=Search#searchfocus

She was aged 19 and from Kilkenny.  You may find further information about her conviction in Irish newspapers.  You can view the Irish Newspaper Archives (which is a subscription site) for further reference.

Let me know if you need further assistance. 

Kind regards,

Jane.

Yes I think this is her, she was caught with a silk hanky that was given to her by her employer, I just wish I could find out more about her family, that’s where I have been hitting brick walls

I am Kathy and live in Tasmania (originally called Van Dieman’s Land) and have been sent your query as I am interested in Co Galway.  Even though it has now been established that your family appear to have come from Kilkenny, I am willing to help you if I can.  I have recently found convicts in my own line so I am only just getting into the convict info.

The following is the site which has the baptism of Ellen Hill, daughter of Edmd Hill and Bridget Ryan on 25th April, 1826 at St John’s, Kilkenny City, Co Kilkenny. 

Unfortunately it is only images and no index is available, so you will need to browse the film to locate any other family members.  Let me have the names if you find anyone.  They may have also come to Australia, one way or another.

https://registers.nli.ie/registers/vtls000635361#page/107/mode/1up

On the basis of the baptism located by Ireland Reaching Out being the correct Ellen Hill, I followed this path.

I have chosen not to provide images, only the web addresses, so that you can cut or crop to suit your own needs.

https://www.linc.tas.gov.au/   (State Library of Tasmania)

                Family History

                Tasmanian Names Index

                                Ellen Hill

                                                Click on Convicts

                                                Select

2 Results

The first one is too early and is from Manchester.

The second I believe is your Ellen Hill.

Click on the image next to her name.

Her ship “Waverly” departed on 19 July 1847.

There are three images below the text.

The Indent shows her on the third line and covers both pages, showing where and when she was tried.

At the top of the screen you are on Image 150. Click the arrow to advance to the next page. 

Under Relations, The M, I presume to be mother Bridget and the B is a brother Michael Thomas.

She was tried for stealing 3 cloth capes, (not a hanky), the property of John Ryan. (Same surname as her mother).  Note: There is no mention of her father, who may already be dead, but this was too early for registration and the Catholic Church back then did not record deaths very often.

Could be worth seeing if there was a will.

Close that tab.

Next is a Description List which gives us a Physical description, although for some reason no age or height.

Close that tab.

Next is a conduct report.  Her height is shown as 5 ft 2 ½ inches and she was 20 years old and a ? Maid.

I didn’t bother reading through this but let me know if you find anything that needs checking.  The names in brackets are possibly people she was assigned to for labour.  She seems to have been quite a live-wire!

She arrived on 25th October 1847.  I note that there is a very short time between her trial on 9th March 1847 and her arrival here.

She was freed on 10th March 1854 in Launceston.

Her children:

I searched my copy of Birth Deaths and Marriages and found

Bridget (presumably named after her mother) who was born in Hobart 18th September 1849.  On the conduct report there seems to be a second name which I couldn’t read but she has only one name in the index.

Bridget died 23rd April 1850.

Go back to the Tasmanian Names Index and type in Bridget Hill and search.

Click on the image next to Bridget’s birth in 1849.  You will have a copy of her birth registration.

From the death image for 1850 you will find she died of Hooping Cough. (sic) at seven months.

Go back to the Tasmanian Names Index and type in Joseph Hill and search.

Joseph was born in Launceston on 3rd February 1854.  A search in Tasmania up to 1899 has not found a death for Joseph born in Launceston in 1854. There was a Joseph Hall with a mother Ellen in Hobart but she was a widow whose husband had died the year before Joseph.

There are 5 marriages for Josephs in Tasmania 1878-1894 but I cannot distinguish between them.

Ellen made 2 applications for permission to marry

1. 17th February 1852, to Robert Fawcett, convict, who arrived aboard the Maria Somes.
2. 26th April 1853 or 1855 to John Keating, Free.

There is no record of either of these taking place.

The other Ellen Hill, who arrived on the Woodbridge, made an application to marry 15th May 1851 to William Crowther, Free.  This also did not appear to have been approved.

Next week I will go to the library to see if I can find anyone on the Electoral Rolls.

I hope I have been of some help and I wish you a happy and successful trip to Ireland if I do not hear from you earlier.

My contact is k-atkins@live.com

Kilkenny Journal, and Leinster Commercial and Literary Advertiser - Wednesday 31 March 1847

OBTAINING GOODS UNDER FALSE PRETENCES. 

Ellen Hill was indicted for having obtained three cloth capes, the property of John Ryan the elder, from John Ryan the younger, under false pretences. From the evidence of Mr John Ryan, sen., it appeared that three of his children went Mr McDonnell’s school, on the morning of the 22nd inst, with three cloth capes on them; and that he had not given anyone instructions to call to the school on that day for said capes. John jun., a very intelligent little boy, about ten years old, was next examined. He deposed that he and his two brothers went to school on the morning mentioned in the indictment, having cloth capes on: and that the prisoner at the bar called at the school, and got these articles from him, having represented that his father sent her, for them. Another little boy proved having seen the prisoner at the school on the 22nd, and her having asked him to send down Johnny Ryan to her. The prisoner was found guilty and sentenced to transportation for seven years.

Thank you Rua, would you have any information on her parents and brother? 

Sorry, that's all I could find on BNA.

From what I understand, Tom Britton "adopted" Joseph, He became Joseph Britton of Ulverstone