Mary Ann (Stanley) Featherston (1859 - 1930)

Catherine’s arrival however was to be very dramatic. Early on the morning of 13 may 1855, her ship the Nashwauck having entered St Vincent’s Gulf, the crew mistook land for clouds the ship run aground off Moana below the mouth of the Onkaparinga. The waters that morning were rough however all on-board manage to make it to shore.

The passengers on the Nashwauck included 130 single Irish girls (mostly “domestic servants”) – included two girls called “Catherine Stanley” one 20 the other 23, presumably cousins.

The locals go out of their way to rescue and feed the young girls however their wild behaviour cause a scandal: “By the exertions of several inhabitants the passengers were lodged in the mill cottages and other empty houses; and a quantity of bread was baked, 8 or 10 sheep were killed, and tea was prepared by bucketsful.

In short, everything was done that the kindest hospitality could suggest, but the conduct of the emigrants has led to much remark. Many of the girls behaved in a most discreditable manner, showing plainly that they were either unfit to have been sent as emigrants, or that they had been sadly corrupted on the voyage.”

Calls are made to change the selection processes and enquiries held into the selection process.

Many of the girls were too terrified to take to the sea again and drays were finally brought to convey them to Adelaide. This shipwreck luckily for most involved only one death and that was onshore.

Sadly, for us however the 23-year-old Catherine Stanley was admitted to the Adelaide Hospital on 17 May, where she died five days later of fever. It is presumed that the Catherine Stanley that will play a part in our lives was Edward’s sister, however it is possible that she was a cousin.

On 5 October 1856 Edward Stanley marries Margaret Shea at Cuffes Grange, Kilkenny. Looking at the NLI records around this date gives the following record which appears to be Edward’s parents, but may indeed by a one of his cousins marrying into the numerous Ryan families possibly a cousin?

At the top of this page is a record for James Stanley.

On the 11 September 1858 25-year-old Edward and 28 year old Margaret arrive on the General Hewettt. Edward is listed as a “labourer”.

On 13 May 1860 Catherine Stanley marries into the McNamara family by marrying brother James McNamara.

On 15 February 1865 Laurence’s sister Mary Stanley marries Roger “Manogue” in Knocktopher County Kilkenny. The Minogue (sometime pronounced Mannix) family are from Callan.

Edward and family are there to meet them. Roger works as a millhand at the John Randall's flourmill they settle in the Kenton Valley.

The Featherston, Stanley’s and Keane families make a collective decision to move to the Napperby area in the 1870’s. There Edmund’s daughter Mary Anne Stanley marries James Featherston with Mary McNamara as witness.

James in extremely clear well written handwriting signs his name as "Featherston" - the "e" arises to this day from record keepers, BDM, newspapers etc who use the English spelling and not the Irish spelling.

James's mother Ellen Evans and her young friend Mary Donnelly from Cavan arrived on the Mary Dugdale in 1840. Mary married James McNamaraz's brother thus establishing the family friendship.