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Charles Connelly (c. 1787–1826)

Charles Connelly (c.1785-1826) was found guilty on 12 September 1804 at the Old Bailey, London, of stealing clothing and a snuff box from a house. Sentenced to 7 years transportation he arrived at Sydney aboard the Fortune and Alexander in July 1806. He was sent to Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania) on the Sophia. By 1811 he was a builder, publican and grazier. He married Margaret Connelly on 17 February 1819 and adopted her three children. The couple also had a daughter Ann, born in 1819. Charles had a daughter with his housekeeper Sophia Wood who was born after Connelly's left for England in 1825 with a cargo of wool, sealskins and mimosa bark. He died in London on 3 April 1826.

Connelly wrote a detailed will before departing for England. He left the Briclayers Arms and 700 acres to his daughter Ann, Mary/Maria Watts his stepdaughter was left a weatherboard house on a substantial allotment. His brother Henry, who was transported for forgery in 1820, and his daughter were provided with a house each and Henry's son was given a flock of sheep and Henry's younger daughter 40 acres at Bagdad. His stepson John received a building known as the Invalid Hospital, a cart and six bullocks, and his mistress (the housekeeper) was given a house and support should be pregnant when he died.

information from

  • Bourchier, Steve and Leader-Elliott, Ian, 'The metamorphoses of John Eddington Jr', Papers and Proceedings: Tasmanian Historical Research Association, vol 43, no 4, Dec 1996, pp 201-16
  • Biographical Database of Australia — https://www.bda-online.org.au

Additional Resources and Scholarship

Citation details

'Connelly, Charles (c. 1787–1826)', People Australia, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://peopleaustralia.anu.edu.au/biography/connelly-charles-31257/text38645, accessed 9 November 2024.

© Copyright People Australia, 2012

Life Summary [details]

Alternative Names
  • Connolly, Charles
Birth

c. 1787
England

Death

3 April, 1826 (aged ~ 39)
London, Middlesex, England

Cause of Death

unknown

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.

Passenger Ship
Occupation or Descriptor
Convict Record

Crime: theft (house)
Sentence: 7 years