Received a message from JOHN BURROWS looking for help with his brick wall.
Message: 1/2
I have recently discovered that my ggggrandmother's name was Mary Hogan
Mary was born of Irish parents and she was employed as the lady’s maid of the wife of a British merchant trader in Sicily. She had gone there as a child with the gentleman’s family. My calculations suggest birth in Ireland c1795
Mary left Sicily c1811 and became an inhabitant of Gibraltar
She married Samuel Forrest who was a master sergeant with the Scottish 26th Foot Regiment in 1816 in Gibraltar and they had 3 children there before the family returned to Scotland in 1825 etc. The eldest child was transported to Hobart TAS in 1836 and subsequently enjoyed a successful life there
I know this is a long shot but wondered if you or one of your members might see a connection?
Regards John Burrows Sydney AUS
Message 2/2:
TO BE SPECIFIC I AM TRYING TO FIND MARY HOGAN'S PARENTS AND I REALISE THIS IS A LONG-SHOT
I HAVE NOTHING ON MARY EXCEPT THAT SHE IS MENTIONED IN SOME FORREST FAMILY CORRESPONDENCE AS OF IRISH PARENTS, A LADY'S MAID TO A BRITISH GENTLEMAN'S WIFE IN SICILY
HISTORY SUGGESTS THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF BRITISH TRADERS WERE FORCED OUT OF SICILY 1811/2 WHEN NAPOLEON'S FRENCH EXERCISED PRESSURE ON ITALY
IT APPEARS LIKELY THAT MARY MOVED DIRECTLY TO GIBRALTAR 1811/2 AND SHE MARRIED, AS AN INHABITANT, SAMUEL FORREST MASTER SERGEANT WITH THE SCOTTISH 26TH FOOT REGIMENT WHICH WAS STATIONED THERE FROM 1812
I PICKED UP MARY HAGAN FROM THE MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE/BANN (COPY ATTACHED) I ALSO HAVE BIRTH CERTIFICATES FOR 2 OF HER 3 CHILDREN BUT UNFORTUNATELY NO DETAIL OF MARY'S PARENTS
AS FOR MARY'S BIRTH C1795 THIS IS AN ESTIMATE/GUESS AS I AM ASSUMING SHE CAME TO SICILY AS A YOUNG CHILD/WOMAN C1805 BUT ON REFLECTION PERHAPS SHE WAS BORN EARLIER SAY 1785/90?
ALL I AM HOPING FOR IS THAT ONE OF YOUR MEMBERS MAY HAVE SOMETHING IN THEIR FAMILY SEARCHES/PAPERS THAT SUGGESTS MARY HOGAN WAS EMPLOYED AS A MAID IN THE MED/SICILY FROM ABOUT 1800
AS FOR THE FORRESTS I HAVE A LOT ON THEM AS I DO ON MARY'S DAUGHTER JANET WHO WAS TRANSPORTED TO HOBART TAS IN 1836 FROM EDINBURGH SCT
JANET HAD 5 CHILDREN IN HOBART 1 OF WHOM MARRIED FREDERICK BURROWS MY GGGRANDFATHER
IF IT HELPED I COULD GIVE YOU THE STORY (IN MICROSOFT WORD) AS IT IS INTERESTING TO SEE HOW WELL SHE DID IN SPITE OF HER TRANSPORTATION
AS FOR POSTING THIS DIRECTLY TO THE WIKITREE FORUM BY ALL MEANS DO SO
I HOPE THIS MAKES SENSE AND I GET TO LEARN MORE OF MARY AND ONE OF YOUR MEMBERS GETS TO LEARN WHAT HAPPENED TO THEIR MARY HOGAN
REGARDS
