Rachael Emily (Ewing) Hardy (abt. 1823 - 1902)

Born about 1823 in Liverpool, Lancashire, England

Wife of William Michael Corney — married 8 Jan 1843 in Hobart Town, Van Diemen's Land, Australia

Descendants

Died 1 Nov 1902 at about age 79 in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

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Biography

Rachael (Ewing) Hardy was a convict after the Third Fleet transported to Van Diemen's Land

Rachael was born in Liverpool, England in about 1823. Nothing is known of her earlier life, or how she came to be "on the town" for 12 months before being tried in Lancaster Quarter Sessions on Oct 25 1841 for stealing cheese, along with Mary Cogle. She was transported via the "Emma Eugenia (1)" which left Woolwich, England a month later (Nov 24) with 190 female convicts on board, arriving in Van Diemen's Land 136 days later, on Apr 8 1842. Her "Conduct Record" notes her family in her "Native Place" of Liverpool as "F: Jno; 4/B Jno, James, Wm, Rcd, 4/S Mary, Ann, Ellen, Jane".

At 20 years of age, on June 8 1843, Rachael married William (or Michael) Corney in New Norfolk, Tasmania. ^[1] William was a 36 year old widower with a 7 month old daughter (Maria Frances - daughter of William and Mary, nee Jones ^[2]).

William and Rachael had at least five children. So far records have been located for George - born about 1843 (no birth record located yet, but he died in 1902 and probate was granted to his brother-in-law, William Thomas Powell Purkiss and to George's wife Catherine Corney ^[3]), Emma - born about 1844/45 (no birth record yet, but her death record shows her step-father as Peter Hardy, carpenter ^[4] , Mary Jane - born 1846 ^[5], Elizabeth Margaret - born 1848 ^[6], and Ellen (not named on the record) - born 1850 ^[7].

William Corney died at Port Arthur on Feb 16 1873,^[8] so he was still living when Rachael and Peter Hardy started a family together, with Martha being born on Oct 27 1853 ^[9]. No marriage record has yet been located for Peter and Rachael. Records for 5 more children have been found so far - Sarah, Nov 18 1855 ^[10], Samuel, Jun 5 1857 (male child, not named on record) ^[11], Mary Louisa (female child, not named on record), Apr 9 1859 ^[12], Peter, Jul 29 1861 ^[13], and Amelia (either a twin of, or also known as, Matilda Eleanor, who doesn't appear on the birth register so more likely to be the latter), Feb 26 1863.^[14] The parents of these children were registered as Peter Hardy (a carpenter from New Norfolk) and (variously) Rachel Corney, Caroline Corney, Caroline Ewing and Rachel Ewing, so it seems that Rachael went by either of these two Christian names, and her maiden and/or married name.

In 1855, Rachael and Peter were noted for donations to the "Patriotic Fund" in Tasmania. ^[15]

Peter Hardy died in 1890, and his will was "proven" 2 years later, noting Rachael as his beneficiary. ^[16]

Rachael died at her son-in-law's residence at 46 George Street, North Hobart, Tasmania on Nov 1 1902, in her 79th year. Death notices were posted in The Mercury newspaper on the 3rd and 8th of November 1902. ^[17]

Sources

1. ↑ Tasmanian Names Index, LINC Tasmania; Record ID: NAME_INDEXES: 827006; Resource: RGD37/1/3 no 552 [1]
2. ↑ Tasmanian Names Index, LINC Tasmania, Record ID: NAME_INDEXES:1067675, Resource: RGD33/1/1/ no 1219 [2]
3. ↑ Australian Newspapers; The Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 - 1954) Sat 26 Apr 1902 Page 5 Family Notices DEATHS. [3]
4. ↑ Tasmanian Names Index, LINC Tasmania, NAME_INDEXES:1200896, RGD35/1/28 no 608 [4]
5. ↑ Tasmanian Names Index, LINC Tasmania; NAME_INDEXES:1070309; RGD33/1/2/ no 2049 [5]
6. ↑ Tasmanian Names Index, LINC Tasmania; NAME_INDEXES: 991902; RGD33/1/28/ no 22 [6]
7. ↑ Tasmanian Names Index, LINC Tasmania; NAME_INDEXES:991952; RGD33/1/28/ no 72 [7]
8. ↑ Australia, Death Index, 1787-1985, Registration Number547, as well as being noted on his convict record (citation to be added later)
9. ↑ Tasmanian Names Index, LINC Tasmania; NAME_INDEXES:995494; RGD33/1/31 no 905 [8]
10. ↑ Tasmanian Names Index, LINC Tasmania; NAME_INDEXES:1002156; RGD33/1/35 no 1597 [9]
11. ↑ Tasmanian Names Index, LINC Tasmania; NAME_INDEXES:1002155; RGD33/1/37 no 1642 [10]
12. ↑ Tasmanian Names Index, LINC Tasmania; NAME_INDEXES:1006533; RGD33/1/37 no 1642 [11]
13. ↑ Tasmanian Names Index, LINC Tasmania; NAME_INDEXES: 1011209; RGD33/1/39 no 1704 [12]
14. ↑ Tasmanian Names Index, LINC Tasmania; NAME_INDEXES: 1015594; RGD33/1/41 no 1071 [13]
15. ↑ Australian Newspapers, Colonial Times (Hobart, Tas. : 1828 - 1857) Wed 13 Jun 1855, Page 3, Advertising [14]
16. ↑ Australian Newspapers, Launceston Examiner (Tas. : 1842 - 1899); Tue 26 Aug 1890, Page 2, TASMANIAN NEWS [15]
17. ↑ Australian Newspapers, The Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 - 1954), Mon 3 Nov 1902, Page 1, Family Notices, Deaths [16]

• Convict Records - LINC Tasmania [17]

• Conduct Record - Archives Office of Tasmania – Item: CON40-1-4, digitised record [18]

• Convict Indent: Archives Office of Tasmania – Item: CON15-1-1, digitised record [19]