Anne (Dillon) Clarke (abt. 1799)

Born about 1799 in Co Limerick, Ireland

Wife of William Clarke — married about 1830 in Sydney, New South Wales

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Biography

Anne (Dillon) Clarke was a convict after the Third Fleet transported to New South Wales

Anne Dillon was a housemaid before conviction. She was tried in Dublin on 6 June 1824 and was sentenced to seven years transportation for stealing money from a purse. Anne came to Sydney, New South Wales in 1825 on board the ship Mariner^[1].^[2].

Ann suffered from epilepsy and the medical journals from the Mariner recorded that while the condition had been in remission prior to conviction, she had suffered several violent attacks on board ship, no doubt brought on by the stress of her situation.^[3].

According to the records, Anne was 5 feet one and half inches tall with a fresh complexion, brown hair and blue grey eyes. She was not married at the time of her conviction and was a Catholic. Anne was probably born between 1797-1797.

In December 1826 Anne was given permission to marry an ex-convict Thomas Barry. It is not known if that marriage went ahead^[4].

In May 1829 Anne was living in Sydney and was admitted to the gaol there for "absenting improper conduct". She was sent to Parramatta for four, possibly six, months prison time^[5]. In December 1829 Anne was back in Sydney Gaol, this time convicted of being "drunk and absent". She was sentenced to one month's prison time in Parramatta.^[6].

In December 1829 Anne was granted permission to marry William Clarke^[7]. The couple had applied to marry in December 1829 at Saint James Church Sydney, New South Wales, Australia^[8]. The marriage took place in Sydney in 1830.^[9]

In 1831 Anne achieved her certificate of freedom^[10]. These records confirmed her year and place of birth, her physical description and the site of her trial. The document also recorded her marriage to William Clarke "per the ship Monorca".

In 1839 Ann Dillon (or Clarke) was admitted to the gaol in Sydney for onward examination at the Female Factory in Parramatta; it is not known why^[11]. There is a comment on the page where Ann's presence is recorded suggesting that all the prisoners listed on that page had been "received from Moreton Bay".

In 1846, Ann was admitted to the gaol in Darlinghurst, it is not known why^[12]. She claimed to be 40 years old at this time however earlier records suggest she was born around 1799.

Sources

1. ↑ Irish Convicts to NSW, entry for Anne Dillon
2. ↑ New South Wales, Australia, Convict Indents, 1788-1842; State Archives NSW; Series: NRS 1156; Item: [X33]
3. ↑ Admiralty and predecessors: Office of the Director General of the Medical Department of the Navy and predecessors: Medical Journals (ADM 101, 804 bundles and volumes). Records of Medical and Prisoner of War Departments. Records of the Admiralty, Naval Forces, Royal Marines, Coastguard, and related bodies. The National Archives. Kew, Richmond, Surrey.
4. ↑ New South Wales, Australia, Registers of Convicts' Applications to Marry, 1826-1851, State Archives NSW; Series: 12212; Item: 4/4511; State Archives NSW; Series: 12212; Item: 4/4508
5. ↑ New South Wales, Australia, Gaol Description and Entrance Books, 1818-1930, State Archives NSW; Roll: 851
6. ↑ New South Wales, Australia, Gaol Description and Entrance Books, 1818-1930, State Archives NSW; Roll: 851
7. ↑ New South Wales, Australia, Registers of Convicts' Applications to Marry, 1826-1851, State Archives NSW; Series: 12212; Item: 4/4511
8. ↑ New South Wales Government. Colonial Secretary. Returns of applications for the publication of banns, 1828–41. Main series of letters received, NRS 905. The State Records Authority of New South Wales, Kingswood, New South Wales, Australia
9. ↑ Australia, Marriage Index, 1788-1950 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Record of Marriage between Anne Dillon and William Clarke.
10. ↑ New South Wales Government. Butts of Certificates of Freedom. NRS 1165, 1166, 1167, 12208, 12210, reels 601, 602, 604, 982-1027. State Records Authority of New South Wales, Kingswood, New South Wales
11. ↑ New South Wales, Australia, Gaol Description and Entrance Books, 1818-1930, State Archives NSW; Roll: 1864, Roll 851
12. ↑ New South Wales, Australia, Gaol Description and Entrance Books, 1818-1930, State Archives NSW; Roll: 857, Roll:854

See also:

• Colonial Office and Predecessors: Alphabetical list of convicts with particulars 1788-1825; 1840-1842; (The National Archives Microfilm Publication CO 207/9); The National Archives of the UK (TNA), Kew, Surrey, England; entry for Anne Dillon.