Catherine Cavanagh
Peter Cavanagh > Catherine Cavanagh > Charles Merrin > Noreen Merrin > Michael Bent
Updated 1 June 2023
Catherine Mary Cavanagh (also Kavanagh) was my great-great-grandmother.
Catherine was born in about 1834 in Clonee, Wexford County, the daughter of Peter Cavanagh and his wife, Mary, née Murphy [1,2,3]. Mary was the daughter of Laurence Murphy and Catherine O'Brien [2].
Catherine was born in about 1834 in Clonee, Wexford County, the daughter of Peter Cavanagh and his wife, Mary, née Murphy [1,2,3]. Mary was the daughter of Laurence Murphy and Catherine O'Brien [2].
Emigration to New South Wales
Catherine and her brother, John, arrived in New South Wales on 2 July 1857 aboard the Glen Isla. Catherine was 22 years old and her brother was 24. The siblings were sponsored by Moses Synnott (1812-1888), their maternal uncle by marriage who was a farmer near Bathurst. Moses had come to New South Wales in 1840.
Moses Synnott paid the deposit for John and Catherine on 2 May 1856 and the two arrived on 3 July 1857, along with Thomas, Bridget and Elizabeth Synnott, Moses's nieces and nephew, the children of his brother, John [4].
Moses Synnott paid the deposit for John and Catherine on 2 May 1856 and the two arrived on 3 July 1857, along with Thomas, Bridget and Elizabeth Synnott, Moses's nieces and nephew, the children of his brother, John [4].
List of sponsored passengers who travelled on the Glen Isla:
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/64987685
Information about the Glen Isla's arrival in NSW, the employment situation and disbursement of passengers:
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/12998004
Upon their arrival in Sydney, Catherine and John Cavanagh went to work for Moses at his farm at Kirkconnell, about 20 miles from Bathurst. The farm was located on the site of what is now the Kirkconnell Correctional Centre. The 1872 Greville’s Post Office Directory gives Moses’ address as Kirkconnell, Yetholme, and his occupation as farmer [3].
The early days of Bathurst: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/110555819
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/64987685
Information about the Glen Isla's arrival in NSW, the employment situation and disbursement of passengers:
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/12998004
Upon their arrival in Sydney, Catherine and John Cavanagh went to work for Moses at his farm at Kirkconnell, about 20 miles from Bathurst. The farm was located on the site of what is now the Kirkconnell Correctional Centre. The 1872 Greville’s Post Office Directory gives Moses’ address as Kirkconnell, Yetholme, and his occupation as farmer [3].
The early days of Bathurst: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/110555819
The notice on the left, which was published in the Sydney Morning Herald on 10 December 1857, is interesting.
It looks as if a friend Catherine made on board the Glen Isla may have been looking to reconnect with her.
By this time, Catherine would have been living at Kirkconnell which was, in those days, remote from Sydney so she would have been hard to contact.
It looks as if a friend Catherine made on board the Glen Isla may have been looking to reconnect with her.
By this time, Catherine would have been living at Kirkconnell which was, in those days, remote from Sydney so she would have been hard to contact.
Marriage and Children
Catherine married John A Merrin on 9 February 1860 at the Church of St Michael in Bathurst, signing the register with her X mark, indicating that she could not write. The witnesses to the marriage were Annie Merrin, who was either John's sister or his cousin, and William Murphy [5]. William Murphy was most likely Catherine's maternal cousin, the son of her mother's brother [3].
Although Catherine and John both came from County Wexford, they were born in different parts of the county and it's likely they met for the first time in Bathurst. There was a large Irish community in Bathurst from its earliest days and a Catholic church which dated from the 1830s so there would have been many opportunities for young Irish couples to meet.
Catherine and John went on to have 11 children together. The children were all born between 1860 and 1877 in various towns around Mudgee where John was stationed as a police officer:
1. Mary Ann (Minnie) - born 1860 in Bathurst. Married Hugh Bridson (1883, Sydney) and lived in Port Macquarie. Had six children. Died in 1920 in Port Macquarie.
2. Caroline (Carrie) Winifred - born 1862 in Carcoar. Never married. Had an illegitimate son, John (1898-1927), in Sydney. Died in 1921 in Sydney of cancer.
3. John George - born 1863 in Carcoar. Married Eliese Clark (1894, Carcoar) and lived in Bondi. Had five children. Died in 1927 in Sydney.
4. Catherine Helena - born 1865 in Carcoar, died 1866 in Carcoar.
5. James - born 1867 in Carcoar. Married Matilda Lonsdale (1897, Sydney; divorced 1906) and lived in Mudgee, Newcastle, Braidwood, Trangie, Sydney and Queensland. Had two sons. Died in Brisbane in 1931.
6. (Peter) Arthur - born 1869 in Carcoar. Married Florence Fitzpatrick (a twin) (1900, Sydney) and lived in Newcastle, Sydney and Mudgee. Had five children, including twins (one died in infancy). Died in 1938 in Newcastle.
7. Catherine Helena (Lena) - born 1871 in Carcoar. Married George E Roberts (1899, Sydney) and lived in Sydney. Died in 1899 in Sydney, possibly in childbirth.
8. Mary Gertrude - born 1873 in Cowra. Married John Gunnell (1899, Sydney) as Gertrude Mary and lived in Sydney. Had three children. Died in 1912 in Sydney.
9. William Joseph - born 1875 in Cowra. Married Florence Randell (1901, Mudgee; divorced 1912) and lived in Mudgee. Had one child. Also married Lily C Robinson (1913, Paddington) and lived in Sydney. Had at least three children.
10. Charles Michael Andrew - born 1877 in Gulgong. Married Lavinia Laws (1905, Sydney) and lived in Sydney. Had one child. Died in 1909 in Sydney.
11. Amelia/Emily May/May - born in 1881 in Gulgong. Married Myles Lynch (1914, Sydney) and lived in Sydney and Narooma. Had one child. Died in 1919 in Narooma.
Catherine and John went on to have 11 children together. The children were all born between 1860 and 1877 in various towns around Mudgee where John was stationed as a police officer:
1. Mary Ann (Minnie) - born 1860 in Bathurst. Married Hugh Bridson (1883, Sydney) and lived in Port Macquarie. Had six children. Died in 1920 in Port Macquarie.
2. Caroline (Carrie) Winifred - born 1862 in Carcoar. Never married. Had an illegitimate son, John (1898-1927), in Sydney. Died in 1921 in Sydney of cancer.
3. John George - born 1863 in Carcoar. Married Eliese Clark (1894, Carcoar) and lived in Bondi. Had five children. Died in 1927 in Sydney.
4. Catherine Helena - born 1865 in Carcoar, died 1866 in Carcoar.
5. James - born 1867 in Carcoar. Married Matilda Lonsdale (1897, Sydney; divorced 1906) and lived in Mudgee, Newcastle, Braidwood, Trangie, Sydney and Queensland. Had two sons. Died in Brisbane in 1931.
6. (Peter) Arthur - born 1869 in Carcoar. Married Florence Fitzpatrick (a twin) (1900, Sydney) and lived in Newcastle, Sydney and Mudgee. Had five children, including twins (one died in infancy). Died in 1938 in Newcastle.
7. Catherine Helena (Lena) - born 1871 in Carcoar. Married George E Roberts (1899, Sydney) and lived in Sydney. Died in 1899 in Sydney, possibly in childbirth.
8. Mary Gertrude - born 1873 in Cowra. Married John Gunnell (1899, Sydney) as Gertrude Mary and lived in Sydney. Had three children. Died in 1912 in Sydney.
9. William Joseph - born 1875 in Cowra. Married Florence Randell (1901, Mudgee; divorced 1912) and lived in Mudgee. Had one child. Also married Lily C Robinson (1913, Paddington) and lived in Sydney. Had at least three children.
10. Charles Michael Andrew - born 1877 in Gulgong. Married Lavinia Laws (1905, Sydney) and lived in Sydney. Had one child. Died in 1909 in Sydney.
11. Amelia/Emily May/May - born in 1881 in Gulgong. Married Myles Lynch (1914, Sydney) and lived in Sydney and Narooma. Had one child. Died in 1919 in Narooma.
Death
Catherine died on 22 December 1903 at the home of her daughter, Minnie Bridson, in Port Macquarie. She was 63 years old. Her son-in-law, Hugh Bridson, registered her death and she is buried in Port Macquarie.
From The Port Macquarie News and Hastings River Advocate of 26 December 1903:
"Obituary.
We are sorry this week to have to record the death of Mrs. Merrin, mother of Mrs. H. R. Bridson, which occurred at her daughter's residence at Port Macquarie, on Tuesday night last. The deceased lady, who leaves a large family of sons and daughters to mourn her loss, had been in delicate health for some time past, suffering from an affection of the heart. She came to Port Macquarie about two months ago for the benefit of her health but, owing to the sea trip then experienced, she became somewhat prostrated, and was almost immediately confined to her bed. Dr. Dudney's services were sought, and all that kind hands and loving hearts could do was done for the sufferer. This, however, proved of no avail, and the patient gradually sank. We extend to the bereaved family our sincere sympathy in their sad loss. The funeral took place on Wednesday afternoon, the Rev. P. M. Ryan performing the last sad rites."
I'm not sure if the doctor's name is correct as it was hard to read.
From The Port Macquarie News and Hastings River Advocate of 26 December 1903:
"Obituary.
We are sorry this week to have to record the death of Mrs. Merrin, mother of Mrs. H. R. Bridson, which occurred at her daughter's residence at Port Macquarie, on Tuesday night last. The deceased lady, who leaves a large family of sons and daughters to mourn her loss, had been in delicate health for some time past, suffering from an affection of the heart. She came to Port Macquarie about two months ago for the benefit of her health but, owing to the sea trip then experienced, she became somewhat prostrated, and was almost immediately confined to her bed. Dr. Dudney's services were sought, and all that kind hands and loving hearts could do was done for the sufferer. This, however, proved of no avail, and the patient gradually sank. We extend to the bereaved family our sincere sympathy in their sad loss. The funeral took place on Wednesday afternoon, the Rev. P. M. Ryan performing the last sad rites."
I'm not sure if the doctor's name is correct as it was hard to read.
References
[1] NSW Marriage Certificate (copy on file). Note that her father's name is given by her son-in-law as John Cavanagh on her death certificate but I think this is incorrect;
[2] age is given by her husband as 37 when registering the birth of their son, Charles, in 1877;
[3] email dated 31 May 2023 from Sue Alderton;
[4] Moses Synnott was married to Ellen (née Murphy). Ellen's sister, Mary, married Peter Cavanagh (email dated 31 May 2023 from Sue Alderton);
[5] NSW Marriage Certificate (copy on file);
[2] age is given by her husband as 37 when registering the birth of their son, Charles, in 1877;
[3] email dated 31 May 2023 from Sue Alderton;
[4] Moses Synnott was married to Ellen (née Murphy). Ellen's sister, Mary, married Peter Cavanagh (email dated 31 May 2023 from Sue Alderton);
[5] NSW Marriage Certificate (copy on file);