Larkins in Australia
The first possibility we think of in relation to Australia are those misfortunate people transported to the penal colonies over almost 100 year period up to 1868. Transportation of convicts started in 1788, immediately after the loss of the American colonies obliged Britain to search elsewhere for suitable penal sites. A total of 160,151 convicts were transported over that period. We are aware of fourteen Larkin family members from County Galway, who were transported to Australia. The felonies for which they were transported are grim reminders of the time they lived in - most were sentenced to 7 years transportation half-way round the world; usually for killing cattle to feed their families. All around them, the population was starving. The fourteen include a family of 4 brothers, sentenced to 10 years transportation for killing a cow. This deed took place at the height of the famine period, in early 1848. Their trial took place in Galway on July 2nd, 1849. They were incarcerated under dreadful conditions in Spike Island Jail, which is located on an island within the estuary of the river Lee in Cork. They had to wait for almost 2 years for the next convict ship, and in the interim period, two of the brothers died. The four men were Tardy (Timothy), Thomas, John and Patrick Larkin. Patrick died in Spike Island in 1850; Tardy died in July 15th 1850 and John and Thomas were transported during 1851 on the ship Blenheim. I am aware that some descendants of Thomas Larkin are still thriving in Australia. See the full list of LARKIN convicts given below - this includes not only the Galway Larkins, but those from all of Ireland and Britain as well. It is comprehensive, and covers the period from 1788 to 1868 inclusive. Amongst those listed are Hugh Larkin, the hero of "The Great Shame". The list has been compiled from source materials in the National Library of Ireland, and in the Australian State Archives in New South Wales and Western Australia.
Of course, the transported were only a very tiny minority of the numbers who went to find a new life in Australia. Not all the stories are so grim! Presumable, some of the early victims of the transportation policy were able to advise friends, family and neighbors at home that things were not so bad out there after all. Many decided to stay on after their term was complete; families came to join them there; and often, that became very extended families. The earliest Irish settlers found themselves in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) or in New South Wales, the location of the first penal colonies. Western Australia was added at a later date, especially around Fremantle. Considerable immigration to Queensland followed still later, impetus being added by one or other of the gold rush fevers..
Today, upwards of 15% of the population of Australia claim Irish descent.
Ref No |
Family |
Forename |
Age |
Occupation |
SHIP |
Charge |
Sentence |
Comments |
Year |
Birth Place: |
State: |
Ref: |
|
1 |
HUBBARD |
Alfred D. |
1833 |
Labourer |
PYRENEES |
Manchester |
Larkin Catherine (Clancey) m.
Guildford |
Hubberd Ann (Larkin) m. Feb 1863 Perth RC
|
1851 |
|
WA |
Aus Lib |
|
2 |
LARKIN |
Andrew |
22 |
Boatman |
LADY
MCNAUGHTEN |
|
|
|
1835 |
Offaly |
NSW |
Aus Lib |
|
3 |
LARKIN |
Bridget |
19 |
Kitchen maid |
MARGARET 3 |
Receiving Stolen
Goods |
7 years |
|
1840 |
Limerick |
NSW
|
Aus Lib |
|
4 |
LARKIN |
Bridget |
|
|
J. W. DARE |
Stealing a
Cow |
7 years |
AKA Kelly |
1851 |
Kildare |
|
NLI |
|
5 |
LARKIN |
Brigid |
|
|
LORD
SIDMOUTH |
Woolich
|
|
|
1823 |
Cumberland |
NSW |
NLI |
|
6 |
LARKIN |
Bryan |
16 |
Errand Boy |
WATERLOO |
Stealing sacks & a
goose |
7 years |
|
1836 |
Dublin |
NSW |
Aus Lib |
|
7 |
LARKIN |
Cath |
|
|
|
Larceny |
7 years |
|
1849 |
Galway |
|
NLI |
|
8 |
LARKIN |
Catherine |
|
|
BROTHERS |
|
|
|
1827 |
Cavan |
NSW |
NLI |
|
9 |
LARKIN |
Denis |
1818 |
|
|
Larceny |
7 years |
|
1845 |
Laois |
|
NLI |
|
10 |
LARKIN |
Edmond |
36 |
|
|
Rape |
7 years |
|
1854 |
Kilkenny |
|
NLI |
|
11 |
LARKIN |
Elizabeth |
1825 |
|
|
Larceny |
7 years |
|
1848 |
Offaly |
|
NLI |
|
12 |
LARKIN |
Francis |
21 |
Labourer,
smith |
PEKOE |
Robbery |
15 years |
|
1840 |
Longford |
NSW
|
Aus Lib |
|
13 |
LARKIN |
Francis |
|
|
|
Larceny |
7 years |
|
|
Roscommon |
|
NLI |
|
14 |
BAKER |
George L |
1826 |
Gardener |
SULTANA |
Bury St.
Edmunds |
|
|
1856 |
|
WA |
NLI |
|
15 |
LARKIN |
Hugh |
|
|
|
Threatening Landlord |
Life |
Hero of "The Great
Shame" |
1840 |
Galway |
|
NLI |
|
16 |
LARKIN |
James |
23 |
Butcher |
WAVERLEY 1 |
Assault &
Robbery |
7 years |
|
1839 |
Waterford |
NSW
|
Aus Lib |
|
17 |
LARKIN |
James |
19 |
|
|
Stealing
Lead |
7 years |
|
1852 |
Fermanagh |
|
NLI |
|
18 |
LARKIN |
James |
20 |
|
MEDWAY |
Assaulting
Habitation |
14 years |
|
1847 |
Tipperary |
|
NLI |
|
19 |
LARKIN |
James |
26 |
|
|
Murder |
Death |
d. 25/8/1847 |
|
Kilkenny |
|
NLI |
|
20 |
LARKIN |
James |
28 |
|
|
Malicious
Assault |
7 years |
|
|
Offaly |
|
NLI |
|
21 |
LARKIN |
John |
27 |
Labourer |
HEBER |
Larceny |
7 years |
|
1837 |
Laois |
NSW |
Aus Lib |
|
22 |
LARKIN |
John |
18 |
Warehouse
boy |
ENGLAND 2 |
|
|
|
1835 |
London |
NSW
|
Aus Lib |
|
23 |
LARKIN |
John |
14 |
|
|
Stealing a
Coat |
7 years |
|
1841 |
Dublin |
|
NLI |
|
24 |
LARKIN |
John |
|
|
|
Killing a
Cow |
10 Years |
|
1849 |
Galway |
|
NLI |
|
25 |
LARKIN |
John |
30 |
|
CALCUTTA |
Stealing
Sheep |
Life |
|
1837 |
Kildare |
|
NLI |
|
26 |
LARKIN |
John |
1817 |
|
|
|
Life |
AKA Mitchel |
1832 |
Galway |
|
NLI |
|
27 |
LARKIN |
John |
|
|
|
Stealing a
Box |
7 years |
|
1836 |
Laois |
|
NLI |
|
28 |
LARKIN |
Joseph |
1823 |
File cutler &
smith |
PYRENEES |
Sheffield |
|
|
1848 |
|
WA
|
Aus Lib |
|
29 |
LARKIN |
Joseph |
67 |
|
|
Fraud |
7 years |
|
1843 |
Offaly |
|
NLI |
|
30 |
LARKIN
|
Joseph |
23 |
|
ROYAL ADMIRAL
2 |
Lancaster |
|
|
1800 |
|
NSW |
Aus Lib |
|
31 |
LARKIN |
Kyron |
30 |
Groom
soldier |
CLYDE 2 |
|
|
|
1838 |
Offaly |
NSW
|
Aus Lib |
|
32 |
LARKIN |
Malachy |
1833 |
|
|
Stealing |
7 years |
Discharged
1856 |
1853 |
Kilkenny |
|
NLI |
|
33 |
LARKIN |
Margaret |
21 |
Nursemaid |
BROTHERS |
Clonmel |
|
|
1827 |
Galway |
NSW
|
Aus Lib |
|
34 |
LARKIN |
Margaret |
30 |
|
JOHN CALVIN |
Larceny |
7 years |
|
1848 |
Galway |
|
NLI |
|
35 |
LARKIN |
Margaret |
|
|
WOODMAN |
|
|
|
1823 |
Tipperary |
NSW |
NLI |
|
36 |
LARKIN |
Martin |
|
|
|
Receiving Stolen
Goods |
7 years |
|
1853 |
Limerick |
|
NLI |
|
37 |
LARKIN |
Mary |
27 |
Country
servant |
DIAMOND |
Larceny |
7 years |
AKA Sullivan |
1838 |
Kerry |
NSW |
Aus Lib |
|
38 |
LARKIN |
Mary |
34 |
|
|
Larceny |
7 years |
|
1836 |
Offaly |
|
NLI |
|
39 |
LARKIN |
Mat |
21 |
|
HYDERABAD |
Larceny |
7 years |
|
1847 |
Westmeath |
|
NLI |
|
40 |
LARKIN |
Michael |
|
|
|
Stealing a
Cow |
7 years |
died in Jail |
1851 |
Clare |
|
NLI |
|
41 |
LARKIN |
Owen |
17 |
|
MEDWAY |
Stealing
Sheep |
10 Years |
|
1847 |
Roscommon |
|
NLI |
|
42 |
LARKIN |
Patrick |
24 |
Farm servant |
LADY
MCNAUGHTEN |
|
|
|
1835 |
Wexford Co |
NSW
|
Aus Lib |
|
43 |
LARKIN |
Patrick |
20 |
|
|
Burglary |
Life |
|
1842 |
Dublin |
|
NLI |
|
44 |
LARKIN |
Patrick |
13 |
|
|
Theft |
7 years |
|
1833 |
Galway |
|
NLI |
|
45 |
LARKIN |
Patrick |
1817 |
|
|
Killing a
Cow |
10 Years |
died in Jail |
1851 |
Galway |
|
NLI |
|
46 |
LARKIN |
Patrick |
42 |
|
|
Stealing a
Cow |
7 years |
died in Jail |
1854 |
Offaly |
|
NLI |
|
47 |
LARKIN |
Patrick |
42 |
|
BLENHEIM |
Killing a
Cow |
7 years |
|
1848 |
Offaly |
|
NLI |
|
48 |
LARKIN |
Peter |
1789 |
|
|
Stealing a
Cow |
|
|
1849 |
Galway |
|
NLI |
|
49 |
LARKIN |
Sarah |
|
|
ARCHDUKE
CHARLES |
|
|
|
1813 |
Louth |
NSW |
NLI |
|
50 |
LARKIN |
Stephan |
18 |
Gardener |
ROBERT SMALL |
|
|
|
1850 |
Co Galway |
WA
|
Aus Lib |
|
51 |
LARKIN |
Stephan |
18 |
|
ROBERT SMALL |
Stealing a
Cow |
10 Years |
|
1853 |
Galway |
|
NLI |
|
52 |
LARKIN |
Tardy |
|
|
|
Killing a
Cow |
10 Years |
died in Jail |
1852 |
Galway |
|
NLI |
|
53 |
LARKIN |
Thomas |
1832 |
Labourer |
SEA PARK |
Liverpool |
|
Larkin Patrick & Ann
(Teed) parents. Records show 1870 M 6 chn |
1850 |
|
WA |
Aus Lib |
|
54 |
LARKIN |
Thomas |
|
|
|
Stealing
Wool |
10 Years |
died in Jail |
1853 |
Galway |
|
NLI |
|
55 |
LARKIN |
Thomas |
|
|
BLENHEIM |
Killing a
Cow |
10 Years |
|
1851 |
Galway |
|
NLI |
|
56 |
LARKIN |
Thomas |
26 |
|
|
Assault |
7 years |
|
|
Offaly |
|
NLI |
|
57 |
LARKIN |
Thomas |
31 |
|
|
Burglary |
10 Years |
Discharged
1851 |
1851 |
Laois |
|
NLI |
|
58 |
LARKIN |
Valentine |
21 |
Labourer |
PEKOE |
Larceny |
7 years |
|
1840 |
Galway |
NSW |
Aus Lib |
|
59 |
LARKIN |
William |
1834 |
Sailor |
RUNNYMEDE |
Liverpool |
|
|
1855 |
|
WA
|
Aus Lib |
|
60 |
LARKIN |
William |
15 |
|
|
Larceny |
7 years |
|
1845 |
Dublin |
|
NLI |
|
61 |
LARKIN |
Winford |
|
|
|
Petitioner |
|
Mother of
Patrick
(No. 44) |
1808 |
Galway |
|
NLI |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
