yaa: May 2015

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

On Jane Murphy (1825-1902): social history

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Jane Murphy

Born: dd/mmm/1825 (or ~1823-26-27) Ref: 2824 / 2194. Note: From death certificate, indicates she was born in Athlone, Westmeath, and that she had been in Australia for about 50 years suggesting arrival around 1852, if so age at arrival would have been around 29y.

Married: dd/mmm/~1858 or 59 (age: 36) Ref: 407129 – Emu Bay, Tasmania – (link). To John Higgins. n.b. the date given for a marriage is derived from the date of the first identified birth of a child to the two people and therefore may not be accurate. In such cases the place is derived in the same way and may not be accurate.

Died: 09/Sep/1902 – at Tamborine Mountain – age: 79 years 1 month 24 days.

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In the Irish Newspapers Archive (see http://archive.irishnewsarchive.com/) for the Tuam Herald (the newspaper serving Galway, Tuam and Co. Galway at that time) issue Saturday, August 28, 1847.

On page 2 column 6
“CONCLUSION OF THE ASSIZES”
(His Lordship Judge Baron Richards was the only judge referred to by name in this section although the other Judge presiding at the August Assizes was Mr Justice Ball)

At paragraph 6
“Several poor women implored the Court to alter the sentence of imprisonment to that of transportation, stating that upon the expiration of it they had no means of support, and would be driven to the commission of crime for a temporary subsistence. The humane judge appeared to be deeply affected and having warned them of the consequences directed their request to be complied with.
The business of the Assizes being terminated at 12 o’Clock, both judges shortly after left town for Dublin."

On page 3, column 3, section titled
“RULE OF COURT”
"The following are the convictions that have taken place in the late Assizes for this county –“

And the 14th person referred to is…
"Jane Murphy, larceny, to be transported for 7 years."

A record of Jane's trial in Galway, and also a possible suggestion that she may have been one of those "several poor women" who implored the Court. Clearly some women made a deliberate act to seek transportation. Such cases became increasingly common in famine era Ireland; whereas the usual narrative surrounding transportation was one of punishment, for some, it may well have been one of liberation.
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From Galway to Grangegorman.
From records in the National Archives of Ireland in Dublin. Two records for Jane Murphy in "The Registry of Female Convicts,Grangegorman (Richmond Convict Depot – Female). Dublin, Ireland."
Some small difference between Jane's record in Dublin and subsequent in Tasmania, that of her trial date in Galway, 14th August rather than 17th August. Different reporting and lists of prisoners from Galway Prison covering the period were made. The courts dealt with prisoners in two ways, the usual where a sentence was discharged through Hard Labour (recorded in the general Galway Prison register), and the route for prisoners to 7 years transportation. The court effectively routed people into two parallel systems, jail or transportation. Sometimes these people self-selected to be transported to Australia due to crop failures, poverty and famine in Ireland.

Notes:
A record of the arrival and eventual disposition of Jane Murphy on Nov 18th 1847. She arrived that day with 28 other women, nearly all of whom continued with her on the John Calvin to Van Diemen's Land. Eleven or so of the other women were, along with Jane, convicted in Galway at the same date for the same office "Larceny Clothes". Jane arrived at Grangegorman with 28 other women, ages ranging from 15-50; the oldest Esther Reed, 50, for stealing potatoes.

Using Finding Aid "Department of Justice Prison Registers 1798-1936"

PRIS 1/09/07 Sheet 142 on MFGS 51/028 (NAI microfilm call number)
Registry of Female Convicts Grangegorman Depot
Children of Convicts: nil
When received: Nov 18th 1847
Hour: 12 noon
No. 6
Name: Jane Murphy
Age: 20
Crime: Larceny Clothes
Years of Transportation: 7 Ditto (years)
Convicted where: Galway
When: 14 Aug st
Height: 5
Inches: 4
Hair: Brown
Complexion: Fair
Married or Single: S
Read or Write: R
Religion: RC
Trade: None
Whether convicted before: Never
Disposed of when: 17 Jan 1848 same (Sailed on ship "John Calvin")

PRIS 1/09/40 Sheet 546 on MFGS 51/037 (NAI microfilm call number)
Prisoner No. 956
Name: Jane Murphy
County: Galway
Crime: Larceny Clothes
Sentence of Transportation for: 7 years
Convicted where: Galway
When: 14 Aug 1847
Age: 20
Height Feet: 5
Inches: 4
Colour of Eyes: Grey
Hair: Brown
Complexion: Fair
Married or Single: Single
Read or Write: Read
Trade: None
Religion: RC
When committed: 18th Nov 1847
Disposed of When: 17 Jan 1848
How: John Calvin
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Transportation on the John Calvin, see background information
http://viking305.hubpages.com/hub/Grangegorman-Female-Penitentiary-Stoneybatter-Dublin-7-female-convicts-transportation-to-Australia

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From the Tasmanian LINC database

http://search.archives.tas.gov.au/ImageViewer/image_viewer.htm?CON41-1-16,245,118,S,70

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The station of gang "Anson" was the Anson hulk. Link below
http://www.femaleconvicts.org.au/index.php/convict-institutions/probation-stations/anson

Tralee Chronicle and KIllarney Echo, Saturday, July 31, 1847

Page 2/3
The Crown Court - Wednesday:
At half past four o'clock Baron Lefroy took his seat on the Bench. His Lordship immediately gave orders that all the passages leading into court should be kept clear, and the doors permanently open : that all the gentlemen in the court should sit down, and those not provided with seats should retire. His Lordship also directed that the bar box should be kept clear.
The Commission was then read : and the grand jury having been called into court, were re-sworn before his Lordship.
Baron Lefroy then said - Sir William Godfrey and the gentlemen of the grand jury of the county of Kerry, I regret that the view of the calendar does not enable me to congratulate you, as on former occasions, on its lightness. The calendar presents a very increased number of prisoners, and a greatly increased amount of crime - much greater than I have lately met with in this county. There are altogether 118 prisoners for trial : of those 28 are on bail, and the remainder in custody. The offences with which they stand charged are not, however, I am happy to say, of an aggravated character. They are such as naturally arise out of the unhappy state in which Ireland has been placed this past season - which afforded the temptation and excuse, say, rather the pretence for the commission of the greater number of the crimes that form the present calendar. There are 24 men charged with cow stealing ; 35 stand charged with sheep stealing. Other larcenies are on the calendar to the number of 36. I am happy to say that of crimes of a more aggravated character very few instances appear on this calendar. Four persons stand charged with burglary, and two with robbery. There is also the novel charge, that against a person for attempting to bury alive. His Lordship then referred to the state of the jail, and said that it was wonderful how it was kept even in such order as it was when they considered the large number of prisoners confined in it. Built for 130, it had now no less than 396 prisoners. The sick list amounts to 56 ; but some were of a mitigated character. It was deplorable that the prison should be thus crowded beyond its capacity ; the grand jury should, therefore, proceed in the first instance to dispose of custody cases ; so that if there were any among them who should not be confined, they should, as well for their own sakes as for the other prisoners, be discharged. He took it for granted that the fiscal business was disposed of ; and if one or two gentlemen would attend him he would take the presentments, while the body of the jury could dispose of the criminal business. As the calendar presented nothing requiring particular notice from him he would not delay them any longer.
Sir William Godfrey said that the fiscal business was not concluded.
Baron Fefoy observed that this was directly contrary to the act of parliament.
Sir Wm. Godfrey replied that the business had been heavy, and that they had attended closely since Monday when they were summoned.
The Court - The Sheriff should have given the grand jury sufficient time to dispose of the business.
Here Mr Jeffcott, as counsel for the subscribers to the Ballylongford Fever Hospital, brought before the Court the presentment for that work, which the grand jury had rejected.
It was sent back to the jury for reconsideration.
The court soon adjourned.

Saturday, May 2, 2015

Grade 3 Musical Theory Notes

Requirements for Grade 3 Musical Theory

scales (major, 3 minors)
semitone/tone and intervals

Self-practice songs in solfa, ta-titi and word.

Confirm title, key, key signature, and time signature.
Lil Liza Jane
Miller of Dee
My Bonnie Cuckoo

e.g. for Li'l Liza Jane:
Allegro : fast, Lively
con brio : with spirit
scherzando : playfully
senza : without
rall : getting slower
(senza rall = without getting slower)

Practice Sight Singing and Sight Clapping

Using IMSLP (International Music Score Library Project).
Sight Singing and Sight Clapping for Aural exam. For self-practice as follows:
1. Download a music score from IMSLP e.g. Search "Bach Invention 3 IMSLP"
2. Study the music. You may play the first note for your reference.
3. Try sing pitches with solfa and/or clap the rhythm with ta-titi
4. Use Youtube to confirm