Rachael Alexander (abt. 1819 - abt. 1860)

Born about 1819 in County Armagh, Ireland

Died about 1860 at about age 41 in Goulburn, New South Wales, Australia

Biography

Rachael Alexander was a convict after the Third Fleet transported to New South Wales

Rachael Alexander was 17 years old when she was tried in Armagh in 1836 and found guilty of the crime of larceny (stealing potatoes). Her trade prior to conviction was "nursemaid".^[1]. She received a sentence of seven years transportation and was imprisoned in Kilmainhaim Gaol, Dublin^[2], prior to commencing her journey to Australia^[3].

Rachael travelled to New South Wales on board the Pyramus arriving in December 1836. On arrival Rachel was dispatched to the Female Factory in Parramatta. According to Newcastle gaol description records, she was Catholic, four feet ten inches tall, stout, with a ruddy complexion, brown hair and grey eyes^[4]. Rachel was sent to gaol there in August 1837 from Merton for at least fourteen days due to some transgression. She was returned to the gaol in October of that same year and was dispatched back to the Female Factory in Parramatta as a result. Her presence in the Newcastle Gaol at this time is also confirmed in the 1837 Convict Muster records.^[5] Rachel was admitted to gaol several times in Sydney, Newcastle and Parramatta in 1840^[6]. On at least one occasion she was found guilty of being "at large" and received ten days in the cells^[7].

Rachael obtained a pardon sometime during the period 1842-1845^[8]. Her certificate of freedom was achieved on 20 December 1843. Rachael's trade in these records are "servant", her height is five foot one inch, her complexion is ruddy and "much freckled", with some scars above her left eyebrow and on the right hand^[9]. Rachel's ticket of leave had been obtained the prior year on 13 July 1842. She was originally required to stay in the district of Berrima but this was later changed to Goulburn^[10].

There are some records of a Rachel Alexander being found guilty of using offensive language in 1854/1855 in Sydney, but these do not appear to be the subject of this profile. There was at least one other Rachel Alexander who had emigrated to Australia from London and who had been imprisoned in Sydney (Darlinghurst) in the 1850s. There is a record of this Rachel Alexander having a fight with her sister-in-law in the street. This does not seem likely to be the convict Rachel.

There is a record of a Rachel Alexander dying in Goulburn in 1860. No record of her marriage has been found (to date) so it seems likely that this is the same woman as the convict Rachael Alexander. The death records stated that her father's name was Samuel J and her mother's name was Mary^[11].

Sources

1. ↑ Irish Convicts to New South Wales, entry for Rachael Alexander.
2. ↑ "Ireland Prison Registers, 1790-1924," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KM3W-8CX : accessed 9 May 2016), Rachael Alexander, 1836; from "Irish Prison Registers 1790-1924," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing Kilmainham, Dublin, Ireland, Kilmainham Prison, item 1, book 1/10/3, images provided by FamilySearch International; FHL microfilm 2,356,717.
3. ↑ National Archives of Ireland, Irish Transportation Database, PDF compilation database of records contained in the National Archive of Ireland; entry for Rachael Alexander page 27; Record reference code: TR 1, P 11.
4. ↑ New South Wales, Australia, Gaol Description and Entrance Books, 1818-1930; Newcastle, State Archives NSW; Roll: 137
5. ↑ Home Office: Settlers and Convicts, New South Wales and Tasmania; (The National Archives Microfilm Publication HO10, Pieces 5, 19-20, 32-51); The National Archives of the UK (TNA), Kew, Surrey, England.Class: HO 10; Piece: 32.
6. ↑ ew South Wales, Australia, Gaol Description and Entrance Books, 1818-1930; State Archives NSW; Roll: 853
7. ↑ The Sydney Monitor and Commercial Advertiser, 9 March 1840.
8. ↑ Home Office: Settlers and Convicts, New South Wales and Tasmania; (The National Archives Microfilm Publication HO10, Pieces 31, 52-64); The National Archives of the UK (TNA), Kew, Surrey, England. Class: HO 10; Piece: 53.
9. ↑ New South Wales Government. Butts of Certificates of Freedom. NRS 1165, 1166, 1167, 12208, 12210, reels 601, 602, 604, 982-1027. State Records Authority of New South Wales, Kingswood, New South Wales. Entry for Rachael Alexander.
10. ↑ New South Wales, Australia, Tickets of Leave, 1824-1867; State Archives NSW; Series: NRS 12202; Item: [4/4165]; Reel: 945
11. ↑ Australia, Death Index, 1787-1985, Ancestry.com. Entry for Rachel Alexander