The photographing of prisoners was introduced into New South Wales gaols in 1871. This 1875 record contains a rare and revealing photograph of a former Imperial convict, a prisoner again in her old age.
Margaret Greenwood was originally transported as Margaret Shannahan on the Caroline from Cork in 1833, under a sentence of seven years for house robbery. Her occupation was listed as housemaid, and she was aged 17 at the time of her trial. She was assigned as a domestic servant, gave birth to a daughter in 1837, and three years later married the child’s father (William Greenwood ), a ‘greatly respected’ citizen of the Araluen district.
However, by the 1870s her life was falling apart. Her husband had died tragically in a carting accident, and she seems to have been abandoned by her eight surviving adult children. She became a derelict, and embarked on a life of petty crime (being tried and convicted on 12 different occasions for a variety of offences). As the gaol record notes, she was killed in a tram accident on 18 May 1887.
However, by the 1870s her life was falling apart. Her husband had died tragically in a carting accident, and she seems to have been abandoned by her eight surviving adult children. She became a derelict, and embarked on a life of petty crime (being tried and convicted on 12 different occasions for a variety of offences). As the gaol record notes, she was killed in a tram accident on 18 May 1887.
Source: NRS 2138, Corrective Services, Darlinghurst Gaol: Photograph description books 1871-1930, entry for Margaret Greenwood, (formerly an imperial convict), 1875 [3/6040, no. 1219]
TRANSCRIPT
| Prisoner’s Name | Margaret Greenwood | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number on Gaol Register | 1178/75 | Previous Number | ||
| Where Born | Ireland | |||
| Year of Birth | 1815 | |||
| Arrived in the Colony Ship | Not known | |||
| Year | ||||
| Trade or Occupation previous to conviction | Nil | |||
| Religion | RC | |||
| Colour of Hair | Brown & Grey | |||
| Eyes | Blue | |||
| 1219 | ||||
| Portrait taken | 19th March 1875 | |||
| Prison History | ||||
| Braidwood Quarter Sessions | 1 May 1872 | Arson | 2 years Labor | |
| Summary Braidwood | 6 mos L | |||
| Police Office Sydney | 30 Dec 1874 | Drunk | 4 days Conf | |
| Ditto Ditto | 12 Jan 1875 | Stealing | 1 month L | |
| Police Office Araluen | 2 Dec 1867 | Attempt at arson | 2 mos C. Braidwood Gaol | |
| ” “ | 22 Dec 1868 | Larceny | 3 mos L “ | |
| ” “ | 6 June 1869 | Illegally on Premises | 6 mos L “ | |
| ” “ | 11 Feb 1870 | Obscene language | 1 mos C “ | |
| ” “ | 16 Nov “ | Having stolen property | 2 mos L { | |
| Braidwood Quarter Sessions | 5 Dec 1870 | Prison Escape | 12 mos Impt “ | |
| Sydney Quarter Sessions | 6 Apl 1875 | Larceny 2 counts | 2 years HL | |
| 4 Apl 1877 | Sentence expired | |||
| Qr Sessions Syd | 25 Sep 1880 | Stealing | 2 years L | |
| 26 May 1882 | Sentence remitted | |||
| Killed by tram accident on the 18 May 87 particulars of her history fowd to Coroner 20 May 87 |
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