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Note: The following notes were written by Jean R Smith in 1996.
John Riley had been a mystery man for many years, only had his marriage. It was always said he came from Manchester England. We could not find him arriving in Tasmania, or his death, until I caught up with a 2nd cousin, Jim Biddle, Apollo Bay. He had a page of B.D.M.s from an old family bible. So I finally got his death certificate but no information known. From the family stories told to me I always thought he may have been a soldier and came out in charge of convicts. After 14 years of researching I decided to ask a friend in Tasmania who is a professional researcher to help. Imagine my surprise when she found JOHN REILLY CONVICT!! He was ours as she also found papers where he had to have permission to marry Mary Ann Holden. It never pays in research to go by only one name. Before his charge and afterwards it is spelt Riley. Now that never came up in the family stories!!!
The following is a summary from Jean R Smith's notes from Tasmanian Records on the record of John Riley:
John Reilly was recorded as a single, protestant who could read and write. He was tried at Stafford, England on 5 August 1843 for robbery in company. He was transported for 15 years and arrived on 14 July 1848The offence was the stealing of a watch for which he was prosecuted at Handly Green. There is mention of 10 months in 34th Regiment (context unclear). His description was given as follows:
Trade Shoemaker, Eyes hazel, hair reddish brown, whiskers reddish.
Offences & Sentences:
18 Oct 1851. Absent without leave, two hours in the stocks.
28 Oct 1851. Absent without leave, two months hard labour.
05 Feb 1853. Ticket of Leave,Tippling in a disorderly house, 21 days hard labour.
05 Jun 1854. Absconded.
04 Jul 1854. Ticket of Leave revoked for misconduct.
28 Jul 1855. Absconding, nine months hard labour.
26 Aug 1856. Ticket of Leave.
John Riley died at the Sale Hospital after being a paraplegic for five weeks, on 22 July 1889. Perhaps he had an accident??
Some Family Stories:
John Riley was a very hard, strict man (By this time, with whathe had lived through, it is no wonder. And rearing ten children in those days would not have been easy.) He would ride his horse and make his sons walk beside him. He would sometimes use his riding crop on them (this is where I got the idea of a soldier in charge of convicts). Another one was that he sold his daughter to an old man when she was 15. Doing research, let's try "he sold her into service". This is what I believe to be happened. When Trevena Riley was born Mary Ann Riley (Holden) grandmother had two of her daughters take the baby to be christened at the Church of England before the other side of the family (Doyne's) could have her christened Roman Catholic. I wonder if Mary Ann ever knew she had been christened R/C herself when her parents were married C of E.
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