Australian Royalty: Genealogy of the colony of NSW

Thomas worked as a stable boy. In 1834 at the age of 21 he was arrested for 'stealing money' and placed in prison. His trial took place on 1 Aug 1834 in County Galway. He was found guilty and sentenced to 7 years transportation to New South Wales. This was his first offence. He was at the time described as being 5 feet 4 inches tall, with a ruddy and freckled complexion, light brown hair and hazel grey eyes, with a scar on the left hand side of his forehead, and a horizontal scar on the right side, a scar betwixt fore and middle fingers of his right hand, possible relics of being kicked by a horse.

On 12 Jun 1835 along with 150 other convicts he sailed from Cork aboard the ship 'Blackwell' under the command of Master Dalrymple Dawson and arrived in New South Wales on 29 Sep 1835.

Thomas was granted a ticket of leave in 1840 and a certificate of freedom on 8 Feb 1842.

A Roman Catholic priest, Father Michael Kavanagh from Bathurst conducted the marriage ceremony which was witnessed by John and Ellen Coyne.

Thomas was imprisoned at Bathurst. His offence is unknown but it is likely that his sentence was a three year one. He received a further sentence in Aug 1849 of 6 months in irons at Bathurst Gaol.

In Oct 1852, Thomas and another man were involved in an attempted highway robbery near Saltwater Creek on the road from bathurst to O'Connell. An account of the incident was reported in the 'Bathurst Free Press on Saturday 15 Jan 1853 -
'HIGHWAY ROBBERY - THOMAS LARRISSEY was committed on Monday last for an assault and attempt at highway robbery committed about three months ago upon the person of William Arrow on the road from Bathurst to O'Connell. It appeared from Arrow's evidence that he was overtaken by the prisoner and another man whent ravelling with a bullock team near Saltwater Creek, when the prisoner knocked him down and proceeded to rifle his pockets, but finding only a sixpence, he treated him with a glass of rum, at the same time reminding him that if he 'peached' it would be all the worse for him. About this time, and at 4 o'clock of the morning the prisoner called at Mr. Bonnor's Stockman's Inn, Bathurst, in the company of Sinnett, who now stands committed for robbing Mr. Whelan near O'Connell Plains. Both put their horses in the stable and procured some refreshment. After Sinnet's departure, the prisoner presented a bank receipt to him for an advance of £2 upon it, which he obtained. In the morning, however, he found that he had 'sloped', taking with him of course, his horse, saddle and bridle which Mr. Bonner had regarded as security, leaving a valueless piece of paper as a forty shilling consideration.'

For this Thomas was sentenced to 3 years hard labour on the roads and was held at Bathurst Gaol on 27 Dec 1852, committed 10 Jan 1853, forwarded to Sydney 21 Mar 1853, admitted to Darlinghurst Gaol 31 Mar 1853 and then sent to Cockatoo Island.

On the birth certificate of his daughter Elizabeth, Thomas' occupation was recorded as 'miner'. In the 1850s Glen Elgin was a station and also a gold field situated to the east of Glen Innes near to what is now the main Glen Inness/Grafton road.

Thomas worked as a farm servant on the property 'Wellington Vale' situated north-west of Glen Innes on the Deepwater/Emmaville road.

'Thomas Larrissey: from stable boy to patriarch' by Margaret Henderson, published in the 'Northern Star' (Lismore), Saturday Feb 14, 2004, page 93:

'In the past many a rude comment has been made about our convict heritage. People tried to hide the fact that they had convict origins. However, in more recent times it has become quite fashionable to have a convict ancestor. In fact, the more the merrier!

It is amazing where some of these original immigrants to Australia went, and what they did. Many became pillars of society or at least leading members of their communities. Quite often it was only after they were dead that people heard about their past clash with the English law!

No doubt some people knew from the beginning but did not care. They judged a person by what they were. Industry, community spirit and loyalty would be the gauge of a person's worth. This is still the basis of the Australian ethos.

Thomas Larrissey was a convict who arrived in new South Wales in 1835. He had been born in County Galway, Ireland, and came from a poor Catholic village.

He obtained work as a stable boy but, at the age of 21, was arrested for stealing money. As a result he was transported to Australia for seven years.

He served his full term and was given his Certificate of Freedom in 1842. He almost immediately married Bridget Mullally, an Irish girl who had arrived as a free immigrant. She had come from a farming background and had decided to emigrate after her father died in 1841. She obtained employment as a house servant.

Thomas became a miner in the Bathurst area but was not highly successful. With little education and no trade he found employment difficult. Apparently there was no way he could obtain a land grant. The situation was desperate as the family grew and Thomas soon became tempted to join a friend in highway robbery. The attempt failed and he found himself back in prison.

After Thomas was released the family moved to the Glen Innes area where Thomas obtained work as a farm servant. While he had been in prison Bridget had had to support the family and she had done this partly by acting as midwife to the district. This was a role she was to continue.

Thomas died in 1867 at the age of 53. His had not been a highly successful life by some accounts but he had left a fine family as well as a very resourceful wife. By this time some of the children were married and Bridget moved to the Tenterfield area with her three youngest children to be close to two married daughters. By 1885 she had acquired nearly 500 acres of land, eight horses, 20 cattle and 525 sheep.

The only son of the family, Michael, established himself at Gundurimba. Two other daughters were also in that area. Beidget died there in 1902 and is buried in the Barham Street Cemetery.

All of Thomas and Bridget's children prospered. Most of them acquired substantial farmland and became well known and respected in their communities. Michael at first worked as a cedar getter but then leased and finally purchased land where he set about dairying. He built a house, dairy and piggeries and then purchased more land.

Michael was also an accomplished local musician. He was very popular at concerts and dances playing the concertina. He also sang and told jokes int rue Irish fashion. He must have had a likeable personality and it is no wonder he was popular in those days of homegrown entertainment.

Yes, we can be proud of our convict ancestors and the people they married. It must have been very difficult to survive in those days, especially with little education and no job training. The wonderful families they left behind are their legacy.

The Larrissey legacy was documented a few years ago by Carole Lohoar, and in true Irish fasion is entitled Larrissey or Larrikin.

Prepared for publication by Geoff & Margaret Henderson for the Richmond River Historical Society Inc., Lismore....'

Thomas was variously recorded as Larney (shipping indent), Larissy, Laressy, Larressy (marriage), Larcey (tombstone). Descendants in Australia have acquired further variations and are now to be found as Larraccy, Larressy, Larrescy, Larrissy, Larracy, Larcey, Larrisy, laracey, Larsey and so on. Sources in Ireland suggest that the most accepted spelling is 'Larrissey', translated from the Gaelic 'Ó Learghusa' meaning 'vigorous sea'.