|
|
|
|
BERTLING GENEALOGY AUSTRALIA |
Brisbane Weather |
|
Robert Kirkwood and Family |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Robert Kirkwood and Sarah Simpson |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Robert Kirkwood Jnr, the son of Robert Kirkwood and Margaret Lewis, was born in (or near) Belfast, Antrim, Ireland in 1782. Sarah Simpson was born in (or near) Belfast, Antrim, Ireland three years later in 1785 to James Simpson and Jane Lewis. The Lewis connection is interesting but it has not been established if Margaret Lewis and Jane Lewis were related. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Sarah Simpson (1785-1858) and Robert Kirkwood (1782-1859). Photo supplied by Dr Neville A. Kirkwood (great, great grandson)
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Robert and Sarah were married in Carnmoney, Belfast, Antrim, Northern Ireland on the 16th March 1806. Four years later their first child was born. In all, they had seven children between 1810 and 1826. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The Irish Flax Growers List of 1796 (supplied by the Ulster Historical Foundation, Belfast), shows “Robert Kirkwood – ID 17192” living in County Down. It is not known if this was Robert, Jnr, his father or perhaps another unknown Kirkwood. Robert Jnr did spend time in Liverpool, Lancashire, England doing business.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
1831 - Crown Cases Times were hard in Ireland in the early 19th century so Robert moved to England. Early in 1831 he was charged with several counts of forgery and intent to defraud. Two trials were held in the Spring Assizes for the county palatine of Lancaster, in the year 1831. During the trials, Robert was held at the Lancaster Castle. Rex v. Robert Kirkwood, James Collyer and William Calvert Jonathon Dade, was also in the same indictment, but had made his escape from the castle at Lancaster before the trial started. Before Mr Justice Littledale it was claimed that the accused had: · Forged a bill of exchange for £150 10s · Intent to defraud by issuing a bill of exchange drawn by Benjamin Heywood & Co. · Intent to defraud Wm. Masterman and others by forging an acceptance to the bill Defrauded Samuel Cooke by forging an endorsement of said bill A bill was procured from Benjamin Heywood’s bank (Manchester Bank) to be used as a master. Robert Kirkwood cut the bill plate and printed the 27 bills which were given to a person called Wilson who had concocted a plan with Collyer and Calvert. Kirkwood was paid 20/- for his efforts. At the trial, the case was based on: “If several make distinct parts of a forged instrument, each is a principal, though he does not know by whom the other parts are executed, and though it is finished by one alone, in the absence of the others” Counsel for the prosecution proved the bill in question No. 477 for £150 10s, dated 17th December 1830, drawn on Manchester Bank, was a forgery. All the prisoners were convicted but after the trial the Judge respited the judgement until the next assizes. The case was reconsidered at a meeting of all the Judges and they were unanimously of the opinion that the ignorance of Kirkwood of those who were immaterial, it was sufficient if he knew it was to be executed by somebody, and the conviction was reaffirmed. On the 8th August 1831 Robert was convicted at Lancaster Assizes for forging a bill of exchange for £150.10s. His sentence was for life.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Manchester Times, Saturday 27 August, 1831 read: LANCASTER ASSIZES: “Robert Kirkwood 46, convicted at the last assizes, of forging a bill of Exchange for £150. 10s and sentenced for a term of life” Rex v. Jonathon Dade, Robert Kirkwood, John Stanfield and Others
The prisoners, except for Dade who had escaped from Lancaster Castle before the trial, were tried before Mr Justice Littledale, at the last Spring Assizes, 1831. The charges against Kirkwood were: · Forging a promissory note for £5 - Wirksworth and Ashburn · Forging a promissory note for £5 – Richard Arkwright and Co. · Intent to defraud Richard Arkwright and others · Intent to defraud Samuel Smith and others · Intent to defraud George Sykes
The bills in question were: · No 3534 - Wirksworth and Ashburn, £5. “I promise to pay the bearer on demand five pounds, here or at Messrs Smith, Payne and Smith, bankers, London, value received. Wirksworth, 12 December 1929 · No 3534 – Richard Arkwright and Co, Charles Arkwright. Entered William Peat, £5
In August, 1929, Collins and Campbell wanted forged notes drawn on the Wirksworth Bank, Matlock, Derbyshire. Stanfield agreed to make the bottoms (slang for paper used for making notes), and about 200 were made and delivered to a person called Wilson. Wilson went to Liverpool to see Robert Kirkwood and asked if he was the engraver. Kirkwood said he was and showed Wilson the plate. The next day, Wilson, Kirkwood and Campbell were together and agreed Kirkwood should have 40/- per 100 notes. Wilson took 150 notes and paid Kirkwood 60/- and the following day Kirkwood delivered a further 350 notes to Wilson. These were finally delivered and finished off by Dade who filled up the note with a pattern. It appears that neither Dade nor Kirkwood had anything to do with the transaction or that Kirkwood knew that Dade or Stanfield were involved. The trial was based on: “The makers of the paper and plate respectively for the purpose of forging a note, afterwards filled up by a third person, are principals in the forgery with that person, though each executed his part in the absence of the others, and without knowing by whom the other parts are executed” Counsel for the prosecution proved the note in question was a forgery. The engraving was proved to be impression of the plate made by Kirkwood and the filling up of the note to be the writing of Dade. The jury found Kirkwood, Stanfield, Collins and Campbell guilty. Again the judge deferred sentence until the case was considered at a meeting of all judges. They were unanimously of opinion, that Kirkwood was a principal, and that the conviction was right. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
1832 - Transportation to Australia Following his conviction of life, Robert Kirkwood was transported from Plymouth, Devon, England, 22 November 1831, on the convict ship “Isabella” to Australia. The “Isabella” arrived on the 15th March 1832 at Port Sydney, New South Wales, almost four months later. The “Isabella” convict list shows Robert was assigned to Mary Raine at Parramatta. Also, an entry in The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser had the following entry: NEW SOUTH WALES Return of all convicts assigned between the 1st day of January and the 31st day of March, 1832. 662. Kirkwood, Robert, Isabella (4), millwright, to Mary Raine, Parrametta.
Sarah and Family With her husband transported to Australia, Sarah, and her seven children soon followed. They arrived as free settlers six months later on board the sailing-ship, “Mountaineer”, docking in Sydney, Australia on the 7th September 1832. Their possessions included steam milling equipment. From Sydney Town, they made their way to Newcastle then by coach to Musselbrook in the Hunter Valley. Their equipment arrived a few weeks later by bullock team. Nothing is known of the family from 1832 until the 1840s. Robert was granted ticket of leave in 1840 in the town of Muswellbrook, NSW after twelve years of his life sentence. A study of early settlement in New South Wales reveals that it was fairly common practice for the wife of a 'well-off' convict to come out as a free settler, and to have her husband assigned to her as a labourer while he served his term. This may have been the case with the Kirkwood’s. In Musselbrook they set up equipment for milling flour and timber. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
1841 NSW Census The 1841 New South Wales – Census of the Year 1841 shows Robert Kirkwood Snr living at St Heliers, Musselbrook with his wife and 5 others. Robert is shown as holding a “Ticket of Leave” [granted Muswellbrook 1840] and Sarah as a free settler.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
1841 NSW Census The 1841 New South Wales – Census of the Year 1841 shows Robert Kirkwood Snr living at St Heliers, Musselbrook with his wife and 5 others. Robert is shown as holding a “Ticket of Leave” [granted Muswellbrook 1840] and Sarah as a free settler.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
1847 Conditional Pardon Robert was granted a conditional good conduct pardon which was signed at Government House by His Excellency Sir Charles Augustus Fitzroy, Knight Companion of the Royal Hanoverian Guelphic Order, Captain-General and Governor-in-Chief in and over Her Majesty's Territory of New South Wales on the 15th October 1847. [Seal #47/926] The condition of the pardon was that it would take effect in all parts of the world except if Robert at any time shall go to, or be in, any part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, then it would become void.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
1844 - 1859 Armidale area, New England In 1844 Robert’s address was “Tilbuster” near Armidale. A master millwright, Robert established steam-powered mills in the region, the first person to do so, and in 1847 was granted permission by Commissioner MacDonald to erect a steam powered mill on William Dumaresq’s “Heifer Station”. The cost was 800 ponds. In 1849 Robert and Sarah moved to Armidale the centre of the New England Tableland. Here the family acquired land on Dumaresq Creek near the centre of Armidale. Robert established himself as a reputable citizen and pioneer and a street in Armidale in the 21st century still bears his name. Robert has the distinction of introducing the first steam powered machinery to the Tablelands. In Armidale he concentrated on Flour Milling. When gold was discovered at the Rocky River, Uralla some 30 odd miles to the south west of Armidale, he and some of the family started milling flour for the hordes rushing in to win their fortune. They obtained a sizable block of land on the corner of the main thoroughfare in Uralla, siting the mill at the bottom of the block near the creek. At the top of the on the main street he established a major general store (Goldfields General Store) which supplied hardware, clothing and food provisions for the mining community. Robert died on the 25 July 1859 at Uralla, New South Wales. He is buried with his wife Sarah in the Old Uralla Cemetery (also known as Uralla Square Cemetery). The inscription on the headstone reads: Sacred TO THE MEMORY of ROBERT KIRKWOOD who departed this life July 25th 1859. AGED 77 YEARS ----- o ----- ALSO SARAH, his wife Who departed this life June 26th 1858 AGED 75 YEARS ----- o ----- Fifty years lived they together (husband and wife) and in death they are not divided ----- 0 ----- Requiescat in pace ----- o ----- This Stone is erected to their memory by their children |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Head stone of Robert Kirkwood (1782-1859) and Sarah his wife (1785-1858) Photograph taken by Lorix J. Bertling, November 2014
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The Family of Robert and Sarah Kirkwood John (James) Paul Kirkwood (1810-1881) married Mary Ann Nolan at St Andrew’s Parish, Sydney in 1842. James and Mary had four girls. Jane Kirkwood (b1812) married Richard Painter. Margaret Kirkwood (b1814) married William Cooper at St James, Sydney in 1840. The Coopers had five children, Robert Kirkwood (1816-1866) married Elizabeth Daly at Scone, NSW in 1840. Records indicate Jane and Richard had twelve children between 1843 and 1865. Paul Kirkwood (1822-1859 - Paul married Amelia Taylor daughter of Richard Taylor at Armidale in 1853. The Taylors were affected by gold rush fever as they followed the rushes. The nature of their interest in the gold fields is not known although it is presumed it was in the business rather than the prospecting side of gold. Paul and Amelia had four children. Sarah Kirkwood (b1824) David Kirkwood (1826-1903) - The last of the family to marry was the youngest David Kirkwood to Emma Cooper in April 1853. David and Emma had twelve children. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
