My name is Paul Milton, Sydney, Australia. My mother was Irene Toomey from Tasmania, Australia,her Father was John Joseph Toomey and his father John Toomey. John Toomey we understand was born in Cork around 1837. Family history has him coming to Australia as a Convict on the ship "Ratcliffe". However this does not match with timings of other data we have. Some say he came out a Convict, went back to Ireland and came back a free man. John was one of the first Police Constables in Northern Tasmania around the 1860s. He married a Julia Curtis who was 16 at the time and had 11 children. John died in 1905 at Wynyard, Tasmania.
One family member has John the son of Jeremiah Toom(e)y and Ellen Murthy and was born at Greagh, Inchigeelagh Parish, Cork in 1837.
So, would be very interested in some confirmation on when John Toomey left Cork or orger Family information.
Thanks.
Thursday 13th Feb 2014, 10:26PM
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Dear Paul
Welcome to Ireland Reaching Out and thanks for your query
As you may know, the start dates for parish records vary depending on the parish. As you do not know where in Co Cork Joseph lived, it could be quite difficult to pin-point him in a search. You do have a date around which to search and possible names for his parents. On that basis you could search www.familysearch.org or www.irishgenealogy.ie for a record of his baptism.
Have you checked and cross-referenced your known information with the Australia convict sources? Transportation from Ireland for crimes committed in Ireland, lasted from 1791 to 1853, ending 15 years earlier than transportation from England. The records of the Chief Secretary's Office, which had responsibility for the Penal system, are the major Irish source of information on transportees. Not all of the relevant records have survived, particularly for the period before 1836, but what does exist can provide a wealth of information. The records were formerly housed in the State Paper Office in Dublin Castle, which is now part of the National Archives of Ireland (NAI).
The principal classes of relevant records are as follows:
Prisoners' Petitions and Cases, 1788-1836: these consist of petitions to the Lord Lieutenant for commutation or remission of sentence, and record the crime, trial, sentence, place of origin and family circumstances.
State Prisoners' Petitions: these specifically concern those arrested for participation in the 1798 rebellion, and record the same information as the main series of petitions.
Convict Reference Files, from 1836: these continue the earlier petitions series and can include a wide range of additional material.
Transportation Registers, from 1836: these record all the names of those sentenced to death or transportation, giving the name of the transport ship or the place of detention, are sometimes given as well.
Male Convict Register, 1842-1847: in addition to the information supplied by the Transportation Registers, this volume also gives physical descriptions of the convicts.
Register of Convicts on Convict Ships, 1851-1853: this gives the names, dates and counties of trial of those transported to Van Dieman's land and Western Australia for the period covered.
Free Settlers' Papers, 1828-1852: after serving a minimum of four years, male convicts had the right to request a free passage for their wife and family to join them. The Papers contain lists of those making such a request, along with transportation details and the names and addresses of the wives. A number of petitions from husbands and wives, and prisoners' letters, are also included.
These records were microfilmed and a database was presented to the Australian government and can now be found in many State archives. The NAI retains copies and the database, in particular, can save a great deal of time and effort. www.nationalarchives.ie Early convict arrivals records, making up some of the gaps in the NAI material, are also online at www.pcug.org.au/~ppmay/convicts.htm (Irish Convicts to Australia 1791-1815).
As an aside, you may also be able to find a record of Jeremiah on the Tithe Applotment Books 1823-1837. Although only the heads of household are mentioned it can be useful:
http://titheapplotmentbooks.nationalarchives.ie/search/tab/index.jsp
Best of luck with your search
Clare Doyle
Genealogy Support
Wednesday 19th Mar 2014, 02:42PM