Library Guides: Roses from the Heart Reginald's Tower 17th to 25th August 2024: Mary Fennelly

Mary Fennelly Biography

Mary Fennelly, Bonnet Made by Elsie Danaher, Waterford Women’s Centre Bonnet Project funded by WWETB.

Mary Fennelly: While much of the later information is shared ideas from different resources, it cannot 100% be certain that it pertains to Mary Fennelly. However, much of the timeline and names appear to converge, suggesting that it does. Moreover, on Mary Fennelly’s convict records she applied to marry a James Ferrar, although he is later recorded as being her de facto partner. This name (Mary Ann Farrer) is the name on the marriage certificate for Jesse Fairchild, in Melbourne Australia, where it is known Mary travelled to, as according to her convict records, she was recommended for a conditional pardon for the Australian colonies on 22^nd July 1845.

Mary Ann Fennelly (Convict Number 5751) resided in Arundel Square, Waterford and was baptised on the 19^th November 1825 in church of Trinity Without (Ballybricken). She was daughter of Richard Fennelly born 1805, and Margaret Connors (Roots Ireland).

She began working, as a servant for Mr John Atkinson, Liverpool, England, aged only 14 years in May 1839. On the 27^th August 1839, Mary was accused of stealing from” her master” and she subsequently absconded. Her father, Richard Fennelly, appears to have been in Liverpool at the same time. Information about the robbery was given to the police and it was found that Mary had returned to Ireland and was followed by her father. She, along with her father, were apprehended” a short distance from Waterford” The Liverpool Mail 1839 (cited in Female Convicts in Van Diemen’s Land).

They were both tried in Liverpool 21^st October 1839. Mary had shown sovereigns to an old woman in Waterford and her father had exhibited a bill of exchange for 72 pounds to a publican in the same city, both items being the goods that were stolen. This evidence was seen as proof of their guilt and both received sentences of 10 years transportation, despite Mary having no prior convictions. On hearing this Mary exclaimed “Oh have mercy on my father! He knows nothing of my affairs. He has a large family, and I will serve his time as well as mine”. She was dragged from the bar screaming out for mercy for her father Liverpool Records Office 1839 (cited in Female Convicts in Van Diemen’s Land).

Further research shows that Richard Fennelly and Margaret Connors had 5 other children, 2 of whom were older than Mary, William and John, and 3 younger, Bridget, Alice and Sara Mary (Roots Ireland). This would account for her distress at her father being taken from his family, but also demonstrates Mary’s empathic nature and thoughtfulness and kindness towards her family. While she proclaimed that the robbery was her idea alone, it could be very possible that in fact the opposite were true.

Aged 15 on arrival in Hobart Tasmania, Mary is described as 5ft.1, having a ruddy complexion, with red hair and hazel eyes. Her convict trade was that of a house servant. She received a ticket of leave in 1844, a conditional pardon on the 12 June 1846 and was free of servitude on the 21^st October 1849. She married Roger Parkinson on 14th January 1846 and moved to Melbourne to work as a housekeeper for Mr. Jesse Fairchild, whom she subsequently married on 21^st July 1849.

During the land boom fever of the eighties her husband, Jesse Fairchild, lost considerable money and he himself subsequently remarked that “he might have been disastrously reduced in circumstances but for the foresight and business tact of his wife”. When he died Mary erected the imposing drinking fountain that still stands in St Kilda today.

Mary died 6th Aug 1907, aged 85 in St Kilda, Australia. Her life in Australia was a very fruitful one and she was well thought of in her community. She was seen as a businesswoman in her own right. This is shown in her obituary: “The deceased lady’s benevolence had for many years won her the esteem of the community and her death will be regretted. She left an estate of 37,500 pounds. Among her benefactors was a gift to the Old Colonist’s Homes, for the erection and endowment of cottages for those in need (TROVE). The complex consists of several brick and stone cottages erected from 1870 until recent times. Each cottage has been privately donated and is marked by a memorial stone (Old Colonists Homes).

Mary Fennelly, from Waterford - A woman who achieved great things, both in her personal and business life - Australia’s fortune. But a young girl, who made one mistake, was punished severely for it and which proved to be Ireland’s loss. Did the crime fit the punishment?

Research by Eleanor Murphy Roses from the Heart, Waterford.

References:

Female Convicts Research Centre (FCRC) Female Convicts in Van Diemen’s Land [online], available: https://itsfilemaker4.its.utas.edu.au/fmi/webd/Female_Convicts_in_VDL_database [accessed 18 October 2020]

Old Colonists Homes Our History [online], available: https://ocav.com.au/150-years/our-history/ [accessed 27 October 2020]

Roots Ireland Church Baptism Record [online], available: https://rootsireland.ie/ifhf/view_detail.php?recordid=345713&type=bch&recordCentre=waterford&page=1 [accessed 21 October 2020]

Trove – National Library of Australia. “Death at St Kilda”, Prahran Telegraph [online], 13 April 1907, available: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/144508678?searchTerm=death%20at%20st%20kilda%20mrs%20mary%20fairchild [accessed 1 November 2020].

Victoria Gov Births Deaths and Marriages Victoria [online], available: https://my.rio.bdm.vic.gov.au/efamily-history/5f9fe9d10ae78424125cd478/record/5c6553d44aba80ac3149b2bf?q=efamily&givenName=Jesse&familyName=FAIRCHILD [accessed 1 November 2020].

Church Baptism Record

Name: Mary Ann Fennelly

Date of Birth: Unknown

Date of Baptism: 19-Nov-1825

Address: Unknown

Parish/District: TRINITY WITHOUT

Gender: Female

County: Co. Waterford