Harriet McCarty (Beadsley, Beazley, McCarthy) was born a year after the arrival of her First Fleet parents Marine Private John McCarty of 'Friendship' and convict Ann Beardsley of 'Charlotte'. She was baptised Harriet Beadsley, 1 Mar 1789, Reg #34 at Sydney Cove. It was required that all children born to convict women be recorded under their mother's convicted name in colonial records, whether the parents were married or not. Hence, Harriet was recorded on Norfolk Island as Beazley, Bezley and other variants. On her marriage certificate she was recorded as Harriet McCarty. The English rendering 'McCarthy' only ever occcurs in her father's Military records and was never understood by family to be the correct spelling.
Dwindling food supplies at Port Jackson required the colony to be divided between Sydney and Norfolk Island in 1790, with approx 500 persons assigned at each settlement. Ann Beardsley was dispatched to the newly formed Norfolk Island settlement, departing 4th Mar 1790 on HMS Sirius, along with her infant daughter Harriet. Ann was already expecting another child (Diana) at the departure. Her Marine husband was to remain in Sydney until he joined them on the Island in Nov 1791 after discharge from the military.
By 1805 the British Government had decided to abandon the island as it was too difficult and expensive to maintain. In the following few years the family departed seperately. Eldest daughter Harriet had already formed a relationship with convict John Devereux on the Island. Harriet departed Norfolk Island on 25 Dec 1807 aboard the Porpoise bound for the Derwent River, Van Diemans Land. She and John Devereux were married in Hobart at St Davids CofE on 13 Jun 1808, which was the first time she was recorded as McCarty. They went on to have 8 children in Hobart and Later Bridgewater between 1808 and 1825. It appears that by the 1830's the couple had seperated, with no further colonial record of Devereux aside from a possible transit to Port Phillip in 1838, afterwhich we have no idea of his fate
By 1844 Harriet was living as housekeeper to William Campbell whom she later married. Under British law remarriage was allowed after estrangment of 7 years, so the remarriage is no proof of John Deveareux's death. Harriet remarried in 1847 at St Josephs RC, Hobart. William Campbell was formerly of Co Armagh, and died only 2 years later in May 1849 at Brighton. Harriet married a 3rd and final time to newly arrived William Mulligan formerly of Co Down, at St Marks CofE at Pontville on 7 Oct 1850
Harriet lived a further ten years as Harriet Mulligan at North Bridgewater, passing away on 21 June 1860 aged 69. She is likely buried locally at St Marys Anglican Cemetery Bridgewater, where a Mulligan headstone exists but is too worn to read any detail
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M > McCarthy | M > Mulligan > Harriet (McCarthy) Mulligan
Categories: Norfolk Island, First (Colonial) Settlement 1788-1814