Christopher Harper
Christopher was an Irish convict who arrived in Sydney in 1814 aboard the Three Bees.
Born in about 1794 in Meath, Ireland, Christopher was Catholic and working as a labourer when he was tried in 1813 in Dublin City for 'Insurrection Against the Crown'. He was sentenced to seven years transportation and departed Falmouth aboard the Three Bees on 8 December 1813. He was 20 years old when the ship arrived in New South Wales on 6 May 1814. His brother, Patrick, also arrived aboard the Three Bees.
Christopher received his Certificate of Freedom in 1817.
Born in about 1794 in Meath, Ireland, Christopher was Catholic and working as a labourer when he was tried in 1813 in Dublin City for 'Insurrection Against the Crown'. He was sentenced to seven years transportation and departed Falmouth aboard the Three Bees on 8 December 1813. He was 20 years old when the ship arrived in New South Wales on 6 May 1814. His brother, Patrick, also arrived aboard the Three Bees.
Christopher received his Certificate of Freedom in 1817.
Marriage and Children
Christopher married Martha Sharpe on 15 June 1818, when he was 24 years old and she was 17. They were married at St Philip's Church of England in Sydney.
Christopher and Martha had six children together []:
Edward (1821-1895)
Ellen (1822-1907)
Mary (1823-1896)
Jane (1825-1907)
Ann (1825-?) [5]
Patrick (1827-1901)
Christopher and Martha had six children together []:
Edward (1821-1895)
Ellen (1822-1907)
Mary (1823-1896)
Jane (1825-1907)
Ann (1825-?) [5]
Patrick (1827-1901)
Life in NSW: 1822 -
At the 1822 Muster, Christopher was listed as being Free by Servitude and a carpenter, living in Parramatta. In September 1822, he and Martha were living in Prospect and in 1824 in Upper Minto.
By 1825, Christopher was a free man employed by the Reverend George Middleton and living with his family in the district of Newcastle. By the time of the 1828 census, he was listed as being 33 years of age and working as a labourer for F Mitchell at a place called Melville, Luskintyre, near present-day Maitland in the Hunter Valley region of New South Wales. Living with him were his wife, Martha, and their five children.
By 1825, Christopher was a free man employed by the Reverend George Middleton and living with his family in the district of Newcastle. By the time of the 1828 census, he was listed as being 33 years of age and working as a labourer for F Mitchell at a place called Melville, Luskintyre, near present-day Maitland in the Hunter Valley region of New South Wales. Living with him were his wife, Martha, and their five children.
Breakdown of Marriage to Martha
By 1828, Robert Magrane Reily had been assigned to Peter McIntyre at Bulwarra, Patersons Plains, near Maitland, NSW. Patersons Plains is approximately 20km from Luskintyre and it seems that Christopher's wife, Martha, met Robert Magrane Reily around this time.
Martha was still legally married to Christopher when she began a relationship with Robert Magrane Reily, probably in 1829 or 1830. Christopher and Martha were witnesses at the marriage of Patrick Quin and Catherine Walker in Newcastle in March 1829 so they were clearly still together then.
Martha and Robert had a number of children together, beginning in 1830 so it seems that Martha and Christopher split up around this time.
I don't know why Martha left Christopher but a number of incidents are recorded which indicate that Christopher may have been a violent man.
Martha was still legally married to Christopher when she began a relationship with Robert Magrane Reily, probably in 1829 or 1830. Christopher and Martha were witnesses at the marriage of Patrick Quin and Catherine Walker in Newcastle in March 1829 so they were clearly still together then.
Martha and Robert had a number of children together, beginning in 1830 so it seems that Martha and Christopher split up around this time.
I don't know why Martha left Christopher but a number of incidents are recorded which indicate that Christopher may have been a violent man.
At a trial on 17 March 1828 Christopher was charged with having assaulted William Warren and Susan Lynch on Saturday 8 March 1828 at Hunter River. William Warren was 'working trees' for Susan Lynch and her husband and she told him to fire a shot so that the pigs that were there might move away. Unfortunately, when he fired the musket, he hit one of Christopher’s pigs. Christopher then knocked Warren to the ground and gave him a rather vicious beating with a waddy (piece of hardwood). Mrs Lynch called out for mercy for fear he might kill him and must have picked up the musket, which Christopher forcibly removed from her grip, broke into pieces and hit her with.
Christopher was released on a bond of 40 pounds and reappeared at the Quarter Sessions on 19 August 1828, where he was found guilty of the assault of Warren and not guilty of the assault of Lynch. He was sentenced to a week’s imprisonment in the gaol at Newcastle. On the day before he was sentenced he also assaulted William Foxley at Newcastle, so, at the same Session, he was sentenced to another 3 weeks in gaol.
On 29 October 1832, Christopher appeared at the Quarter Sessions in Sydney, again for assault. On 30 July 1832 he gave Hugh Murray, a publican whom he had done out of a pot of beer, a beating and when Thomas Weaver, a constable, tried to arrest him, he gave him a beating as well.
Christopher was released on a bond of 40 pounds and reappeared at the Quarter Sessions on 19 August 1828, where he was found guilty of the assault of Warren and not guilty of the assault of Lynch. He was sentenced to a week’s imprisonment in the gaol at Newcastle. On the day before he was sentenced he also assaulted William Foxley at Newcastle, so, at the same Session, he was sentenced to another 3 weeks in gaol.
On 29 October 1832, Christopher appeared at the Quarter Sessions in Sydney, again for assault. On 30 July 1832 he gave Hugh Murray, a publican whom he had done out of a pot of beer, a beating and when Thomas Weaver, a constable, tried to arrest him, he gave him a beating as well.
Life After Martha Sharpe
Christopher's brother, Patrick, held the licence of The Currency Lass Hotel in Shannon Hill in the District of Broulee in 1853. Christopher held the licence for the same hotel in 1855-56.
Death
Christopher died on 1 April 1862 at the age of 68 in Broulee/Moruya, on the south coast of New South Wales [5].
References need work
[1] https://convictrecords.com.au/convicts/harper/chrsitopher/130707
[2] Marriage Certificate (copy on file): NSWBDM 2200/1818 V18182200 3A & 316/1818 V1818316;
[3] 1825 & 1828 Convict Musters:
https://australianroyalty.net.au/tree/purnellmccord.ged/individual/I5405/Christopher-Harper
[5] NSW BDM 3195/1862;
[1] https://convictrecords.com.au/convicts/harper/chrsitopher/130707
[2] Marriage Certificate (copy on file): NSWBDM 2200/1818 V18182200 3A & 316/1818 V1818316;
[3] 1825 & 1828 Convict Musters:
https://australianroyalty.net.au/tree/purnellmccord.ged/individual/I5405/Christopher-Harper
[5] NSW BDM 3195/1862;