Byrnes-Twist Family Mysteries

Location: Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia
Surnames/tags: Twist Byrne Byrnes

Here are open questions about our family. Please edit this text, upload unidentified pictures, add your questions to the bulletin board, post fuzzy memories you want to clear up, etc.

This page has been created to record research in determining when and how my great, great grandparents came to Australia, where they were born, etc:. They are:

Bridget (Byrnes) Large (abt.1810-1880)

William Twist (1805-)

Facts we know

Bridget Byrnes gave birth to a daughter, Marian Twist, on 26 December 1846 at Liverpool, in the Colony of New South Wales. Marian was baptised on 26 January 1847 at Saint Luke's, Liverpool, Cumberland County, in the Colony of New South Wales. The father was William Twist, although the family name was recorded as Twiss, and both were servants. ^[1]

Almost four years later, William Twist, a widower, married Bridget Byrnes, a spinster, by Banns, on 18 March 1850, at St Luke's Church of England, Liverpool, County of Cumberland, New South Wales. They both signed the register with their mark. ^{[2] [3]}

Bridget died, aged 70, in 1880 at Young, New South Wales. This would give her date of birth about 1810. ^[4]

Research Notes

Some questions are posed under Research Notes on William Twist's Profile.

Was Bridget Byrnes a convict, free settler or born in the Colony?

Look for Bridget Byrne/s as a convict, or free settler, arriving before 1846, living at or near Liverpool, New South Wales, or born in the Colony.

To date (24 October 2021), I haven't found the answer, and the four Options below don't fit what we know.

Option 1: Bridget Byrne, age 23, was tried in Dublin, Ireland, on 13 April 1840 for stealing clothes and was sentenced to seven years transportation. She arrived in Sydney on 17 August 1840 on the Margaret (3), Master Canney, with 130 other female convicts.

She could not read or write, was a widow, mother of two children, a native of County Meath, country servant, and had no former convictions.

She obtained a Ticket of Leave, on 2 May 1844, at Liverpool, New South Wales.

Bridget, a widow, obtained Permission to Marry William Coppard in 1843 at West Maitland. ^[5]

Convicts Applications to Marry 1825-1851: COPPARD, William and BYRNE, Bridget ^[6]

Place: West Maitland

Date of Permission: 28 Aug 1843

BYRNE, Bridget; SHIP Margaret (3); Age: 26; Sentence: 7 years; Condition: Bond

COPPARD, William; SHIP Katherine Stewart Forbes; Age: 31; Sentence: 7 years; Conditon: Free

Conclusion: This one doesn't fit.

Option 2: Bridget Byrne, aged 26, was tried at Dublin City, Ireland, on 12 January 1837 for stealing lace veil and sentenced to transportation for seven years. She was one of 162 convicts put on board the Diamond, Master James F. Bissett, on 15 November 1837. They arrived in Sydney on 28 March 1838.

Bridget was four foot ten and a half inches tall (approx. 150cm), and described in two ways: blue eyes, brown hair and fair complexion; and grey eyes, light brown hair and ruddy and freckled complexion, with a few scars on her face. She could not read or write, was Roman Catholic, married with two female children, a native of County Wicklow, country servant, and had a former conviction of six months.

Her brother, William Byrne, also a convict, arrived on the Neptune. ^{[7] [8]}

She obtained a Ticket of Leave at Campbelltown, New South Wales on 17 October 1842. This was altered to Parramatta 9 December 1842, and cancelled for disorderly conduct on 28 December 1842. ^[9]

Conclusion: This one doesn't fit. She is Bridget (Byrne) Rowley (abt.1808-aft.1842).

Option 3: Bridget Byrne, 1811–1875 (aged 64 years), daughter of Irish political prisoner, Hugh Byrne, who was transported on the Tellicherry, in 1806 with his wife. By the 1828 Census Bridget was living with her parents and siblings at Airds, near Campbelltown, New South Wales. Bridget was born in the Colony of New South Wales and married Samuel Bowler on 28 July 1829. ^{[10] [11] [12]}

Conclusion: This one doesn't fit.

Option 4: In the 1828 Census, Bridget Byrne, age 18, came free on the Elisabeth in 1818, Catholic, housekeeper to Charles Gregory of Castlereagh Street, Sydney. ^[13]

In the same Census, Charles Gregory, age 20, came free on the Brosanbury in 1814, tailor of Castlereagh Street, Sydney. ^[14]

Bridget and Charles were married in 1827 at St Mary's, Roman Catholic, Sydney. ^[15]

Conclusion: This one doesn't fit.