Mary Green was born in Tuam, Galway in 1834. Her parents were John and Margaret Green. Mary's father died while she was still a child, leaving her mother to raise the family. Mary grew up in a turbulant time in Irish history, the potato famine was devastating. By 1848, Mary was living in a workhouse in Tuam. Also in 1848 Earl Grey developed the Irish Orphan Girl Immigration Scheme, which provided the Colony of New South Wales with single females. Earl Grey's Scheme was also intended to reduce the Irish workhouse population. In 1848, at age 14 yrs, Mary was shipped to Sydney as part of this Scheme.
She made the voyage onboard the Inchinnan with 170 Irish girls. It left Plymouth on 4th November 1848 and docked in Sydney 13th February 1849. Mary was quickly assigned to work for the family of James Rutledge in Parramatta. She was a maid for Mrs Rutledge and nanny to their children. When James Rutledge secured a teaching position on the Darling Downs, Toowoomba, Queensland, the family and Mary moved to Drayton. It was there she met Thomas Davis. Mary and Thomas were married 19th January, 1852. They were parents of 13 children, the youngest being Harry Davis, my grandfather. Mary was one of Australia's true pioneering women. She spent periods in lonely bush outposts, befriending local indigenous people and carved a home out of virgin land. This was achieved while raising her family. One of her sons Arthur Hoey Davis became an Australian author, Steele Rudd, who wrote the On Our Selection (Dad & Dave) Series of books.
Mary died on 8th September 1893 aged 59yrs. She was buried in the Toowoomba cemetery.
| Additional Information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Date of Birth | 1st Jan 1834 | |
| Date of Death | 1st Sep 1893 | |
| Associated Building (s) | Tuam Workhouse | |
| Mother (First Name/s and Maiden) | Margaret | |
| Father (First Name/s and Surname) | John Green | |
| Spouse (First Name/s and Maiden/Surname) | Thomas Davis | |
| Number of Children | 13 | |
