Its now been a lot of years of searching to find the missing pieces, some that have been very rewarding like meeting some of my Roche cousins. Like the times I have rung people here in Melbourne, Hello my name is Karl, I was wondering if you know this person or that person? how many hundreds of times have I done that. First Of i must thank my friend Jim Roache in Canada for the support over the years and probably with out sometimes I would have stopped the searching. I always say to people I meet in Business as well as other matters " how can we understand the future if we don`t understand the past"
We have need, a desire and love for knowing where we are from it is in fact the Human story.
My story if I may will start in Ireland where two newly weds decide to follow their dreams and head to Australia.
At the time Sydney was full steam a head but still a colony.
They are Maria Theresa Bourke and Edward Roche We know that Maria Theresa is the daughter of Captain John Robert Bourke and Jane Percival
Daughter of Col.William Percival of Wilton, Co.Limerick and sister of Elizabeth Percival who married Rev.John Pennefather
And Edward Roche is the son of Nicholas Roche of VANCLUSE (i.e Vauchluse) married on the 10th June 1800 to Leitita BOURKE a widow formerly married in 1795 to Herbert Rawson Stepney or Stephney (MLB Cashel & Emly 1795 and also MLB Cashel & Emly 1800). She died 1847 a widow at VANCLUSE (i.e Vauchluse).
Maria Theresa Bourke meets Edward Roche at 'Moatville', her family home in Co. Tipperary, Ireland. The year is around 1831, turbulent times in Ireland. He is much younger than her, gentle and highly sensitive but expected by his family to enter the British military service at this point in his life.
Maria Theresa is already past the age of first marriage, strong willed and intelligent. She has been a key figure in family discussions on the colonies of the "New World" and is well informed.
Maria Theresa and Edward fall in love, and conceive a child (This child dies on the voyage to Australia and Maria Theresa's recall of her time of death and her age, in a later document is not correct).
Maria's second cousin Sir Richard Bourke left his beloved Irish home at 'Thornfield', Limerick to take up the position of Governor of the Colony of New South Wales, arriving in Sydney in December 1831. Maria had often discussed with him and his wife ideas on the development of the colony and particularly, the need to encourage free settlers. These discussions suggest there will be employment and opportunities for any free settler, including those with limited capital.
Maria and Edward complete a Marriage Bond in Killaloe, Limerick in1832 in the names of Maria Theresa Burke and Edward Roche. They marry at Eglish, County Tipperary in 1832. Their first child, Jane Elizabeth, named for Maria's beloved mother and her aunt, is born at 'Moatville" in 1833.
Edward Roche begins to lease out their lands in Ireland. He is not attracted to the Military life. They have planned all along to emigrate. A group of intending free settlers hire the vessel 'Medora', captained by James Tweedie and sail from Liverpool in 1834, calling at Batavia (Jakarta) Oct 22 and arriving in Sydney on 14 December 1834.
On this voyage their first born, Jane Elizabeth dies. Maria is heavily pregnant and gives birth to their first son on 15th November 1834. He will be christened Edward James Roche in Sydney in December 1834.
Under the patronage of the Governor, Edward gets a position as Postmaster up country at Bungonia / Inverary.
This does not suit him in terms of salary or location. In 1836 he gets a second position as Chief Constable in the Department of Police at Yass, some hundred miles from Sydney Town. They like this less. Conditions are extremely primitive and summers unbearably hot. Their second son, christened John Burke Roche in Sydney, is born here on 15th September 1836. Edward, or his wife, receives salary for this position until February 1838.
It is important to note that the Government set up the Blue books, these books outline who is who and their positions held in Australia at the time. The blue books state that Edward Roche was Chief Constable yass from I think would be mid 1837 until around late 1838. after this time he disappears, after speaking to the State trustees in Canberra and others in Government it is highly unusual given the level of position and that all appointments were meticulously layed out in the blue books that there would not be a mention of hi. He is neither registered as died, left post, transferred. this leaves me to believe that he left back for Ireland sometime in mid/late 1838. ( I could be wrong but have yet to find the data)
After speaking to the Yass police and Historical society they do not have him registered as been there. and will not discuss the matter further.
I also note that before taking a position as Postmaster at Bungonia he was also clerk of the court there, which is mentioned in the link in the link bar.
Maria Theresa remains in Sydney for two years. Seeing opportunities in real estate, and having established some contacts in Melbourne, she sails there with her two children in 1840. She rents property and runs a boarding house there until, on the death of her cousin Westby Percival, she inherits (Pounds) 500.
In Melbourne in 1843, Maria Theresa Roche gives birth to an illegitimate child to one James Faull. She christens the girl Elizabeth James Roche. Although the record of the christening with birth date exist, she later claims, under oath, that this is the child of Edmund Burke Roche.
There is now no question of any reconciliation for either of them. They have established separate lives as far from each other as possible. Maria is a strong woman as shown by the Indenture she ensures her second husband signs prior to their marriage in 1853. In this she ensures all three children are recognized in law as the children of Edmund Burke Roche, and that all children will inherit in equal shares with none of her money going to her intended husband, Henry Cole. As it ensues, Henry dies in 1859, only six years later.
Some time after 1869, Maria Theresa Roche moves to Greymouth, New Zealand to be near her daughter Mary James Shannon and her son Edward Burke Roche who has established himself as a Mason and highly respected bookseller in the town with a family of seven children.
Maria dies in Greymouth in 1893, but the stories, and some documents related to her connection to the wealthy landed of Ireland, are passed between the generations and never forgotten. Who composed her Obituary? Maria Theresa Roche herself?
"Roche - At Greymouth, New Zealand, on July 3rd. 1893, in her 87th year.
Maria Theresa, relic of the late Edward Roche, of Tourlager (Vauclaus)., Co. Limerick, and daughter of the late Captain John Robert Bourke, and Jane Percival, of Moatville, Co. Tipperary, Ireland, and second cousin to the late Sir Richard Bourke, Governor General of New South Wales, and first cousin to the late General Sir John Pennefather a colonist of 60 years.
A warmer heart, death ne'er made cold." From: Grey River Argus, Thursday, July 6 1893
No comments:
Post a Comment