Ellen (Trenwith) Duncombe (abt. 1813 - 1879)

Born about 1813 in Ireland

Wife of Matthias Duncombe — married 7 Jun 1838 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Descendants

Died 9 Mar 1879 at about age 66 in Brundee, New South Wales, Australia

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Biography

Ellen was born about 1813 in Ireland. She came to Australia on the Duchess of Northumberland as an assisted immigrant, arriving 27th of February 1835. Her age was given as 22 ^[1]

A transcript on The Ships List website's information for Duchess of Northumberland has Ellen recorded as 19 years old soon after her arrival and engaged to work for Mr Kentish as a nursery maid in Kent-street, Sydney.^[2]

Ellen married James Neive or Neves in Sydney, on the 26th of October, 1835. ^[3] James' arrival in Australia and date of death have not been established.

In 1838 Ellen "Trenway" and convict Matthias Duncombe were given permission to marry. Her age was given as 24, and she was recorded as a widow, alias 'Eves.'^[4][5] Ellen and Matthias had at least 6 children together.

In about April of 1856 their son John died in an accident at Numba, and the following year Matthias accidentally killed Ellen during a domestic dispute when she struck him with a bridle, he retaliated by taking it and striking her, and she died the next day of a puncture wound from a sharp point on the bit. 'The prisoner called no witnesses, but in his defence has said that during the last eighteen months his wife had not been in a right state of mind, owing to the accidental death of one of her children. The result was... that she drank whenever she could get liquor, and, when intoxicated, was accustomed to assault him...' He was sentenced to three months in Darlinghurst jail.^[6][7][8]

Further Research

Couldn't find marriage in microfilm parish records for St Mary's. Need to try again now I have exact date.(Watson-15643 03:43, 5 November 2020 (UTC))

Sources

1. ↑ New South Wales, Australia, Assisted Immigrant Passenger Lists, 1828-1896. Retrieved from Ancestry.com.au.
2. ↑ Duchess of Northumberland, 1835 correspondence and passenger list. http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/duchessofnorth1835.htm
3. ↑ NSW BDM: Marriage 212/1835 V1835212 126 NEIVE JAMES, TRENWITH ELLEN, LD (LD = St Mary, Sydney, Roman Catholic)
   Transcript from NSW BDM: Roman Catholic marriages, no. 212 vol 126. James Neive, of Sydney, marital status not stated, Ellen Trenwith, of Sydney, marital status not stated, married 26 October, 1835, when married: not stated, where married: not stated, by: not stated, consent: not stated, minister: J. McEncroe, witnesses: John Neive of Sydney, James McNeil of Sydney.
4. ↑ New South Wales, Australia, Registers of Convicts' Applications to Marry, 1826-1851.
5. ↑ NSW BDM: Marriage 468/1838 V1838468 90 DUNCOMBE MATHEW, NEVES ELLEN, LD
6. ↑ Manslaughter. Illawarra Mercury. 8 June 1857. p. 2.
7. ↑ NSW BDM: Death 4437/1857 DUNCOMBE ELLEN, father JOHN, DIED SHOALHAVEN, SHOALHAVEN
8. ↑ New South Wales, Australia, Registers of Coroners' Inquests, 1821-1937. Retrieved from Ancestry.com.au. Inquest date: 11 Mar 1857