James McGiveron (1823-1889) and Sarah Jane Goodyer (1846-1927)
James McGiveron, sometimes known as McGivern, arrived in the Australian Colonies as a convict, reaching Norfolk Island on 11 January 1846.
He departed from London on 29 August 1845 aboard the 528-ton convict transport, “Mayda”, captained by Master May and was carrying 195 male prisoners. The voyage took 4 months and 14 days, or 136 days, covering 13,257 miles before reaching Norfolk Island via the Cape of Good Hope.
James, after completing the mandatory period of confinement on Norfolk Island was transported to Hobart by the “Pestongee Bomangee” arriving on 19 May 1847, where he would serve out the rest of his sentence. A conditional pardon was granted on 23 May 1855.
Eleven years later on 21 February 1866, he would marry Sarah Jane Goodyer at St. Peters Church of England, St Leonards, with them producing 12 children. Another child was brought into the family, Louisa Goodyer, born 23 November 1862, the daughter of Sarah from a previous relationship. She was renamed Louisa McGiveron.
Children-
Mary Ann Susannah b. 1 Mar 1867
John James b. 27 Aug 1868
Sarah Jane b. 14 Jan 1870
Jane Abby Matilda b. 15 Nov 1871
Ellen Editha b. 12 Nov 1873
Martha Ann b. 15 Sep 1875
Emily Matilda b. 24 Sep 1877
Florence Gertrude b. 15 Aug 1879
Thomas b. 9 Dec 1881
Alice Rebecca b. 8 Aug 1883
Henry Thomas William b.31 Mar 1886
Lillian b. 21 Nov 1889
Sarah was the eldest child of John and Susannah Goodyer of Ravenswood and was born on her grandfather’s property near Distillery Creek on the outskirts of Launceston.
James, under the surname of McGivern, was born on 7 August 1823 at Drumnabreeze, County Down, Ireland and had at least two brothers and two sisters.
Drumnabreeze is a small town with a post office and mill pond, surrounded by flat farmland and some wooded areas.
By September 1844 James had reached Glenluce, Scotland about 50 miles across the waters from Belfast.
It was a time of poverty and hardship throughout Ireland, becoming worse by the potato blight which struck in 1845 followed by the Great Famine starting in 1846. The 1841 census gives a picture of conditions of the time stating the County consisted of 953.57 square miles of which 893.41 square miles being arable land supporting a population of 323,807 or an average of 403 persons to the square mile. Of these people 52% were employed in agriculture, 40% in manufacturing or trade with the other 8% in other pursuits.
Due to the potato blight, famine resulted and by 1851, a million people had died from the effects of starvation, a further 1.6 million had emigrated to the USA, with others moving to other countries including Australia. When the 1861 census was taken for County Down, it was found that the population had reduced by 60,000 since that of the 1841 census.
Records tell that James, now aged 21 years, had taken up residence at a lodging house owned by James Clugson and his wife, when he was charged with an offence, that of attempted bestiality with a cow.
He was sent to Edinburgh, Scotland with a trial scheduled in the High Court on the 15 May 1845.
Even though there was much evidence to suggest that it was not James who was guilty of the crime, he pleaded guilty so that he would be convicted and be sent to Australia as a convict. The sentence, 14 years. Throughout his life he maintained that he did not commit the offence.
So why did James plead guilty? Hard times possibly influenced his decision, being a convict would be better than starving and possible death from hunger.
Sarah was principally a mother and housewife and reared a large family most probably with some help from nearby family after the death of James on 26 October 1889 from heart disease. He was buried in the General Cemetery in Howick Street, Launceston.
In the early 1880s, the family moved to Lyttleton Street, Launceston, where James was described as a wood cutter. During subsequent years, Sarah had a number of moves, addresses included 6 Arthur Street (1892), 28 Victoria Street (1896), 41 Gunn Street (1898), and 5 Bedford Street (between 1902 and 1906).
Later her son Harry went to work at Russell’s mill at Patersonia with Sarah joining him there as his housekeeper. It was during this time she cared for her granddaughter, Ila Griffiths, who had been left motherless at the age of 5.
Sometimes she would reside in town with her daughter, Ellen Butcher, while at other times Sarah would stay with her son Harry.
Over the years she became very resourceful and an able caring mother, this evident in the raising all her children to adulthood. To help she had a sewing machine and made many clothes for the family. The making of doll’s clothes for the girls is particularly remembered.
In her last years, Sarah grew small and was cared for in the Butcher household, dying there at 112 Gunn Street, Invermay in 1927.
By Ivan Badcock – 12 July 2024