Linking Families Kenneally and Hodgins
By Andrew McKinlay
Michael Kennealy was a twenty-two-year-old clerk, but had three years experience as a shoemaker, when he was tried in Tipperary on 20 October 1843 for embezzlement of ten shillings (10s 0d or $1) from Patrick Littleton at Cashel, Co. Tipperary. He was sentenced to seven years transportation, embarking on the Emily (second convict voyage) on 13 July 1844, and arriving in Van Diemen’s Land on 30 October 1844.
Native to Tipperary, Michael left family behind. His father and mother, Edward and Mary, lived in Clonmel, about fifteen miles from Cashel, together with his brothers James and William and his sister Mary.
A stoutly built man, standing 5’7¾” (172 cm), he had black hair and was clean shaven. He had a speck on his right eye and was nearly blind on this side. It would seem likely that he became a clerk after injuring this eye as a shoemaker, and, of course, to be a clerk, he could read and write.
Michael spent a year in a probation gang at Westbury. During this time only one offence is recorded; he was reprimanded for losing his shirt on 26 November 1844, shortly after he arrived. Probably it was stolen by a fellow convict. Emerging from the gang on 14 November 1845, he moved to Longford, working for Mr J. Gibson for a month, then Mr A. Walker for six months, followed by William Murphy, and finally James Peters. A ticket-of-leave was granted on 29 August 1848, and he received his free certificate on 29 October 1850.
Shortly after receiving his ticket-of-leave, Michael Kennealy applied for permission to marry. This was granted on 24 October 1848, and, on 9 November, he married Catherine Hodgins. The permission to marry was granted to Michael Kennedy, off the Emily, and Catherine Hodges—another example of the inaccuracy of records. Michael and Catherine had five children: Mary Ann, born 20 January 1855; James, born 12 June 1857; Catherine E., born 31 July 1859; Alice, born 3 January 1862; and Emily, born 11 December 1867. The six-year gap from marriage to first child is unusual, but they seem not to have had problems after that.
What do we know of Catherine Hodgins? The Kennealy family believe she came from Nenagh, Co. Tipperary, about twenty-five miles north of Cashel.
In 1841, the Hodgins family from the Nenagh area of Tipperary decided to migrate to Australia. Many members of the family had already left Ireland and migrated to Canada. We believe this particular Hodgins family decided to move to Australia because the father, Thomas, had served a twelve month prison sentence for sending a threatening letter to a steward on the estate where he had previously held land until dispossessed. Thomas Hodgins had been, we believe, an under-steward and farmer on the estate. Well-educated, it is possible he was related to the estate owners in some manner we do not yet understand.
Describing himself as a labourer, Thomas Hodgins, with his family, came as a Bounty Immigrant, sponsored by Mr Jonathon B. Were of Melbourne, arriving at Port Phillip on the Mary Nixon on 30 November 1841.
The family consisted of Thomas aged thirty-six years, Eliza aged twenty-six years, Adam aged seven years, William aged four years, Anne aged nine years, Maria aged six years, Margaret aged eleven months, and Catherine aged eleven years. Catherine is described on the ship’s passenger list as ‘daughter’, but why the oldest child should be listed last we do not know unless she was a courtesy daughter like a cousin. All the family, according to the ship’s listing, could read and write, but this was obviously impossible for Margaret at eleven months, and later Catherine signed her marriage certificate with a cross.
The family did not do well in Port Phillip and moved to Van Diemen’s Land after a few months, living first in Smith Street, North Hobart while Thomas worked supervising a gang, probably of convicts, at Government Gardens. They moved to the Brighton area where Thomas was constable at Pontville. We know the history of all members of the family with the exception of Catherine, who disappears after the family arrived in Van Diemen’s Land, only to reappear, we think, in Longford.
Acknowledgement
Mary Woods, a descendant of Michael Kennealy and Catherine Hodgins, who prompted the search for connections with our family.
Note
Thomas Hodgins was my great great grandfather-in-law.
A family of
Hodgins from the same area of Ireland died on the Catarqui
shipwreck on King Island in 1845.
Sources
AOT, Convict records, Parish records, and BDM registers.
Mary Woods,
personal communications.
Family papers.
This story was originally published in 2004 by the Writers Group of the Hobart Branch of the TFHS Inc. in the publication PROS and Cons of Transportation A collection of convict stories.
Not only does this publication celebrate the cessation of transportation of convicts to Van Diemens Land, it also celebrates the work of the Family History Writers Group. This group was formed in 2003 to assist members who wanted to write their family histories. The monthly meetings stimulated great interest and enthusiasm.
The original introduction may be found here.