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Francis Moran (c. 1830–1899)

Francis Moran (c.1830-1899), the son of Michael Moran, stonemason, and Mary Ann Moran, née McManus, was found guilty on 8 April 1850 of housebreaking at the Lancaster Borough of Manchester Quarter Sessions. Sentenced to 7 years transportation he arrived at Hobart Town, Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania), aboard the Oriental Queen in June 1853.

Moran was described in his conduct record as being 164 cms (5 feet 3¾ inches) tall, with a fresh complexion, light brown hair, and brown eyes. He was a Catholic, could read and write, and his 'native' place was Manchester.

Conduct Record

  • 28 July 1854 — Misconduct in disturbing the peace — fined 5 shillings and £1
  • 8 January 1855 —Breach of 6th Sec? 18 Vict? no 8 — to forfeit £2 of his wages
  • December 1865 — Tried Hobart for unlawfully wounding — acquitted
  • 13 December 1867 — Hobart, larceny under £5 — 3 months hard labour

Moran married Mary Ann Ormisher (or Ormshaw) on 24 April 1854 at St Joseph's Catholic Church in Hobart; they had at least eight children. On 8 December 1865 Moran was found not guilty of having struck his wife with a tomahawk. She had had to be hospitalised. 

On 14 November 1867 Moran was fined 5 shillings for disturbing the peace. The next month he was sentenced to three months hard labour for stealing a coat & measuring rule. On 28 August 1869, at Hobart Police Court, a charge of assault against Moran was dismissed. He was fined 5 shillings at the Hobart Police Court on 17 January 1870 for being drunk.

Moran departed Hobart late in February 1875, aboard the Tamar for Melbourne.

At the City Police Court, Melbourne, on 6 March 1876, Moran, and his wife, now calling herself Eliza, were each sentenced to six months hard labour for vagrancy. They had been arrested with their three young daughters, the eldest two being sent to Industrial Schools for seven and three years respectively. The youngest child went with her mother. Moran was sent to the Castlemaine Penal Settlement. The couple were sentenced to a further three months gaol the following year, this time for insulting behaviour and vagrancy.

Francis Moran died on 6 August 1899 at Collingwood, Melbourne. His occupation was given as stone mason; his age as 78 and his cause of death as 'senile debility'.

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Citation details

'Moran, Francis (c. 1830–1899)', People Australia, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://peopleaustralia.anu.edu.au/biography/moran-francis-31571/text39036, accessed 28 April 2024.

© Copyright People Australia, 2012

Life Summary [details]

Birth

c. 1830
Manchester, England

Death

6 August, 1899 (aged ~ 69)
Collingwood, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Cause of Death

general debility

Cultural Heritage

Includes subject's nationality; their parents' nationality; the countries in which they spent a significant part of their childhood, and their self-identity.

Religious Influence

Includes the religion in which subjects were raised, have chosen themselves, attendance at religious schools and/or religious funeral rites; Atheism and Agnosticism have been included.

Passenger Ship
Occupation
Key Places
Social Issues
Convict Record

Crime: theft (house)
Sentence: 7 years
Court: Manchester
Trial Date: 8 April 1850
(1850)

Pre-transportation

Occupation: stonemason

Post-transportation

Children: Yes (8)