Anne (Agnew) Bell (abt. 1817)

Born about 1817 in Dundalk, Louth, Ireland

Wife of Henry Bell — married 9 Jul 1847 in Launceston, Tasmania

Anne (Agnew) Bell was a convict after the Third Fleet.

Biography

Anne Agnew was a convict convicted of the felony of stealing a gold watch in Dublin on 17 July 1845 aged 28 and sentenced to seven years transportation ^[1]. Prior to transportation, Anne was imprisoned in Grangegorman Female Prison in Dublin^[2]. In her testimony, Anne confirmed she had been convicted once before, and it is possible that the reference to an "Ann Agnew" in Grangegorman Prison in 1836 is her^[3] although another Ann Agnew (also from Louth) had been convicted of larceny at the same time and sent to Australia. It is possible that the two women were related.

Anne travelled to Tasmania from Dublin on 2 September 1845 on board the ship Tasmania arriving on 3 December 1845^[4]. According to her conduct record, Anne's gaol report and surgeon's report was good^[5][6].

According to her description records, Anne could read and write. She was a dress maker and milliner at the time of her conviction. She had a sallow complexion, oval face, black hair, high foreheard, grey eyes, small nose and round chin. Her native place was "Dundoch", probably Dundalk in Louth^[5]. Anne was single at the time of her conviction, had no children and was a Protestant^[7]. These records stated that her mother was also called Ann and that she "had lived with Curtin five years".

Anne was put on six months probation on board the Anson^[5], a prison hulk that was used to house female convicts to ease pressure on the Cascades Female Factory in Hobart^[8]. In August 1846 Anne was found guilty of misconduct "in having slept with Mary Swain" and received fourteen days hard labour at the Factory in Hobart^[5].

In May 1847 Anne received permission to marry Henry Bell, a fellow convict^[9]. The marriage took place in Launceston on 9 July 1847^[10]. They were both still convicts at this time although Henry was working as a prison tailor. The couple married in a Church of Ireland service and the witnesses were J.D. Wood and William McCartney. Anne gave her age as 27 (the same as her husband) and it is possible she deliberately glossed over the truth of her true age.

Anne achieved her ticket of leave in July 1849 and her certificate of freedom on 31 August 1852^[5].

Research Notes

Anne's surname is sometimes spelled AGNES so be alert to this if carrying out research on her.

Sources

1. ↑ National Archives of Ireland, Irish Transportation Database, PDF compilation database of records contained in the National Archive of Ireland; entry for Anne Agnes, page 14, Record reference code: CRF 1845 M 29; Record reference code: TR 6, P 271;
2. ↑ "Ireland Prison Registers, 1790-1924," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KMSR-6KS : accessed 5 February 2016), Anne Agnes, 1845; from "Irish Prison Registers 1790-1924," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing Grangegorman Female Prison, Dublin, Ireland, Grangegorman Female Prison Prison, item 3, book 1/9/7, images provided by FamilySearch International; FHL microfilm 2,356,625.
3. ↑ Van Diemen's Land Women: An Irish History of Transportation to Tasmania, reference to Anne Agnew coming from "Dundoch" and her prior prison sentence.
4. ↑ Archives of Tasmania, overview page for Anne Agnew
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4} Archives of Tasmania, original facsimile convict conduct record for Anne Agnew
6. ↑ Archives of Tasmania, facsimile copy of original convict description record for Anne Agnew
7. ↑ Archives of Tasmania, original facsimile copy of the convict indent record for Anne Agnew
8. ↑ Anson Probation Station, background to the prison hulk.
9. ↑ Archives of Tasmania, original facsimile copy of convict marriage permissions entry for Anne Agnew and Henry Bell
10. ↑ Archives of Tasmania, marriage entry for Henry Bell and Anne Agnew

See also:

• Tasmanian Colonial Convict, Passenger and Land Records. Various collections (30 series). Tasmanian Archive and Heritage Office, Hobart, Tasmania. Register entry for Anne Agnes.
• Founders Storylines, overview of Anne Agnew.