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A Rebel Hand: Nicholas Delaney of 1798 - the book
Author Archives: rebelhand
The Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney, is 200 years old!
It’s today! Sydney’s Royal Botanic Garden is 200 years old on June 13, 2016. Happy birthday! We’ve seen why this day is the bicentenary – it’s because this is when Nicholas Delaney and his convict road gang finished building Mrs … Continue reading
Posted in A Rebel Hand, Australia
Tagged #Garden200, Convict, Delaney, Heritage, history, Macquarie, Nicholas Delaney, Royal Botanic Garden, Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, Sydney
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Delaneys return to the Royal Botanic Garden
Descendants of Nicholas Delaney, the man who built Mrs Macquarie’s Road in Sydney, celebrate its 200th anniversary Continue reading
Nicholas Delaney and the Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney
The Royal Botanic Garden in Sydney is 200 years old on June 13, 2016. Happy Birthday! And the bicentenary’s on that day because of another birthday and the crafty planning of an Irish ex-convict – Nicholas Delaney, my great-great-great grandfather. … Continue reading
Celestina’s life in Millbank Prison: a Christmas tale pt 22
In the previous post in this series, Celestina Sommer arrived at Millbank Prison on 6 September, 1856, to begin her sentence for murdering her daughter, Celestina Christmas. Her hair was cut off, she was given prison clothes and put in … Continue reading
Posted in Celestina, Convicts
Tagged #victorianmurder, Celestina, Celestina Sommer, Christmas, crime, Murder, prison, women, women convicts
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Finding my past in Ireland free: Julia Harrington
I’m spending today using the free access to Irish records offered by FindMyPast Ireland this weekend (until 1200 on Monday 25 January, in case you haven’t seen the special offer – UK records are free, too, but I’ve already got … Continue reading
Posted in Genealogy, Ireland
Tagged Celestina, Christmas, Find My Past, Harrington, Ireland, Irish, Julia Harrington, Offer
2 Comments
A sad Christmas story
Merry Christmas, and I hope it’s a happy season for you and those you love. That’s a much older (and slightly sinister) version of Father Christmas from 1855, before he turned into jolly red-faced, red-hooded Santa. Old Father Christmas His … Continue reading
New South Wales 1891 census online
The Shoestring Genealogist here, just popping in to make sure you know that the New South Wales census for 1891 is now online at Family Search – with images! And free to everyone! I had to have a look. There’s … Continue reading
Posted in A Rebel Hand, Australia, Genealogy
Tagged Australia, census, Delaney, family history, genealogy, New South Wales, NSW, Thomas Delaney
2 Comments
How to get the FMP half-price offer (ends 30 November 2015)
This offer’s now ended – but do read what Judy Webster says about using the ChangeDetection button on her web pages – see comments at the bottom. Hi, it’s the Shoestring Genealogist popping in to let you know a trick … Continue reading
Posted in Genealogy
Tagged Australia, Find My Past, findmypast, Ireland, Offer, shoestring genealogist, UK
4 Comments
Celestina arrives at Millbank Prison: a Christmas tale pt 21
Celestina Sommer’s death sentence was commuted to transportation for life on 22 April 1856. Because she was still waiting for her sentence to be carried out, she was taken back to Newgate Prison (which was a ‘detentional’ prison, only used … Continue reading
Posted in Celestina
Tagged #victorianmurder, Celestina, Celestina Sommer, Christmas, Convict, crime, Murder, prison, women
5 Comments
Five years of genealogy blogging
It’s my fifth blogiversary this week. I can hardly believe I’ve been geneablogging for five years! So much has changed since then. I started out posting so that I could add new information which wasn’t available when my mother and … Continue reading
Will Celestina hang? A Christmas tale pt 20
Celestina Sommer had been sentenced to death for the murder of her daughter, Celestina Christmas. On Thursday, 10 April, 1856, she was taken back to Newgate Prison, which was used only for prisoners awaiting trial, execution or transportation. At the … Continue reading
Posted in Celestina
Tagged #victorianmurder, Celestina, Celestina Sommer, Christmas, crime, death, Murder, Newgate, Somner
6 Comments
Broadside ballads about Celestina: a Christmas tale pt 19
As Celestina Sommer and two other equally notorious women waited for death in Newgate Prison‘s condemned cell in April 1856, two sets of people got busy. Some were gathering evidence and support to petition for her to be reprieved. I’ll … Continue reading
Posted in Nicholas Delaney
7 Comments
Celestina’s trial – verdict and sentence: a Christmas tale pt 18
It was on Thursday, 10 April, 1856 that Celestina Sommer’s fate was to be decided: death by hanging or incarceration in an asylum. The evidence against her, and her own confession, made her guilt plain. But what would the verdict … Continue reading
Posted in Celestina
Tagged #victorianmurder, Celestina, Celestina Sommer, Christmas, Murder, Somner, trial
3 Comments
Celestina Sommer’s trial for murder: a Christmas tale pt 17
Celestina Sommer was eventually tried for the murder of her daughter, Celestina Christmas, at the Old Bailey on Thursday, 10 April, 1856, over a month after her first appearance in the Central Criminal Court. The newspapers reported the trial with … Continue reading
Posted in Celestina
Tagged #victorianmurder, Celestina, Celestina Sommer, Christmas, Murder, Somner, trial
5 Comments
Celestina at the Old Bailey: a Christmas tale pt 16
In the last episode of this true story, Celestina Sommer was in Newgate Prison awaiting her trial at another iconic bastion of London’s penal system – the Old Bailey. The Central Criminal Court, as it was, and is, more formally … Continue reading
Posted in Celestina
Tagged #victorianmurder, Celestina, Celestina Sommer, Christmas, London, Murder, trial
10 Comments
