HUGHES FAMILY
Hughes Family of Ash Island
Article by Cherylanne Bailey
Francis (Frank) Hughes born in 1820 at Castleblaney, a small town in county Monaghan, Ireland, died 7 December 1891 at Ash Island. He was buried 2 days later on 9 December 1891 in the Roman Catholic Section of Sandgate Cemetery.
EMIGRATION
He emigrated from Liverpool, England on 25 June 1841 and arrived in NSW on 25 October 1841 aboard the 873 ton barqueAyrshire under the command of Captain Barker, shipping records revealing he arrived as a 19 year old farmer.
MARRIAGE
James married Julia Ann Hickey, the daughter of Patrick and Ellen Mary Hickey (nee Cullen), on 6 September 1847 in Newcastle. Julia (Judith) was born on 30 December 1832 at Thurles, County Tipperary, Ireland, and died on 8 November 1919 in Crebet Street, Mayfield, with her burial at Sandgate Cemetery 2 days later. At age 8 years, shipping records reveal she also emigrated aboard the barque Ayrshire with her family.
PARENTS
James Hughes born 1789, died 20 April 1869 Castleblayney, Ireland, and Margaret McShane born 1795, died 1895. They had married at Drumacon, Co Monaghan. Her occupation was found listed as “Charwoman” (cleaner) at Castleblaney and she died on 18 May 1895 at Clonalig, Ireland, of Chronic Bronchitis.
SIBLING:
George Hughes born 1816 Drumacon Co Monaghan, Ireland, died 27 October 1865
RESIDENCE
After marriage James and Julia resided on Dempsey Island from 1847 to 1863 and then on Ash Island from 1864 to 1891, having purchased a farm on the south-eastern end of Ash Island from a Mr Nowlan. This farm was directly next door to the Franz Schuck’s double lot farm which was for decades privately leased from “R Fisher” and subsequently purchased by Franz’s son Robert Francis SCHUCK.
CHILDREN
It is believed that a full account of the children of James and Julia reads: James Hughes born 25 June 1848 at Dempsey Island, died 1848 at Dempsey Island George Hughes born 2 August 1850 at Bakers Island, died 1864 James Hughes born 15 January 1853 Bakers Island (Dempsey Island) Julia Hughes born 7 July 1854 at Ash Island, died 1855 at Ash Island aged 11 months Francis Hughes born 25 September 1856 at Dempsey Island Richard Joseph Hughes born 27 August 1858 at Dempsey Island (became Waterman) Margaret Hughes born either 10 April or 4 October 1860 at Dempsey Island married Thomas Peterson (in 1881) and lived with his parents Lorenze and Elizabeth on a farm about 2 miles west of the Hughes farm.
William Hughes born 30 March 1863 at Ash Island Patrick Hughes born 29 June 1865 at Ash Island George Hughes born 14 June 1868 at Ash Island Arthur Hughes born 21 August 1870 at Ash Island Mary Ellen Hughes born 7 March 1876 at Ash Island.
CRIMINAL CONVICTIONS
Francis was committed to trial on 18 October 1850 for the offence of stealing and receiving oars together with his father-in-law Patrick Hickey. He was committed again on 22 July 1865, this time for unlawfully cutting and stealing growing timber.
Wednesday, 25 December 1851 The Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser (NSW: 1843-1893)
STEALING OARS. Patrick Hickey and Francis Hughes were indicted for stealing two oars, the property of Joseph Dewing and others, at Newcastle, on the 15th Septeuber, 1850; in a second count they were indicted for feloniously receiving the same. Mr. Purefoy appeared for the defence; attorney, Mr. Davies. The witnesses called were John Moses Murphy, and Joseph Dewing. Murphy, a constable of the Newcastle police, was on the 17th October executing a search warrant at the residence of the two prisoners, at Dempsey island, for other things, and found lying there openly two oars, which he questioned Hughes about, and as several robberies of oars had taken place, and Hughes told various accounts of the way in which he got possessed of them, Murphy took them away with him; Hickey, who was stated to be Hughes’s father-inlaw, and lived with him, saw Murphy going away with the oars, and said they were his, and that he bought them at Page’s, and paid for them; Murphy produced the oars.
Captain Dewing, master of the brig ‘Cano-nious’, stated that one day when the brig was lying at Newcastle, four oars were taken out of the ship’s boat, which had come ashore to fetch him; the two oars were two of those four oars; they had been in his possession from the day he left San Francisco; the ship and crew left Newcastle in October, but he had been obliged to stop, having met with an accident; witness pointed out marks by which he knew the oars, and he was well acquainted with them personally. Mr. Purefoy, for the defence, said he should prove that Hughes honestly bought the oars in May, 1849, with a boat; it appeared that constable Murphy, having found nothing of the articles he searched for on two occasions, was determined to take something, and took the oars. He called Mr. James Reid, who proved that a certain document produced was in the handwriting of Captain Livingstone, harbour master of Newcastle; Captain Livingstone was now in Maitland.
Michael Manley knew the prisoners well; they had a boat ever since they went on the island; witness had worked in the boat with them; witness swore that one of the oars produced was an oar that he had worked with in their boat; witness first worked with the oar six or eight months ago. Mr. Buxton, one of the jury, gave the prisoners a good character as honest, hardworking men; he had known them ten years. Mr. Brown, another of the jury, had known Hughes nine years; he always bore a good character. Mr. Barry, another juryman, had known the prisoners five years; had always heard of them as honest, hardworking men. The Crown Prosecutor replied. The jury retired for half an hour, and returned with a verdict of guilty against both prisoners on the first count, with a recommendation to mercy. They were each sentenced to six months’ impiisonment, with hard labour. The Court adjourned till ten o’clock this morning.
OCCUPATIONS
Labourer, farmer, 1885 – Made application for an Oyster Lease (residence at time Ash Island).
DEMPSEY ISLAND FARM
As with most farms at that time, as they grew the children had to do a lot of the farm work to assist with the family’s survival. Produce from Ash Island farms was mostly rowed to Newcastle. This gave the Hughes boys an advantage at rowing regattas and the like.
HUGHES CREEK / GRANNY HUGHES CREEK
Vera Deacon recalls crossing the creek to get to Ash Island as a young girl, describing it as a muddy, mangrove invested waterway transversable at low time with shoes off and forming a thoroughfare from Dempsey to Ash Island. Newcastle author Don Wilson recalls growing up near Sandgate and spending his weeks playing and duck hunting on Ash Island. He has a 1962 photograph of Dempsey Island at a family sausage sizzle with “Hughes Creek” in the background partially filled in as part of the Islands Reclamation Scheme. Since reclamation Hughes Creek has been etched from existence.
Maitland Gaol Entrance Book 1840-1852
In summary, Francis arrived at Maitland Gaol on 7 January 1851 with fellow Ayrshire immigrants Patrick Hickey (travelled together) and John Burgup (had arrived aboard the Ayrshire a decade earlier than Francis and Patrick).They are all listed as free settlers in the colony, having been sentenced the same day. Francis Hughes and Patrick Hickey were found guilty of stealing oars, sentenced to 6 calendar months whilst John Burgup was found guilty of larceny and sentenced to 3 calendar months.
Frank’s son Richard’s coronial evidence
CORONER’s INQUEST into death of Frederick Rabin, found drowned. Richard Hughes, son of Frank Hughes deposed…
”I reside with my father at Ash Island”…”I know the deceased”…”on last Thursday morning, about 5 o’clock, William Turner, Francis Hughes, George Hughes, the deceased, and I, left Mrs Turner’s wharf at Dempsey Island with milk; it was blowing very strongly; immediately, when we left the shore, we put up a sail, without the spit; in about 10 minutes after we left the shore the boat suddenly went down; it was then blowing more strongly; the boat turned bottom upwards; and we all got onto the keel; the boat then rolled over three times, and we all managed to keep hold of her, and again got onto the bottom; the boat then rolled over again; I saw the deceased catch hold of William Turner in the water; they both sank, and I did not see the deceased alive afterwards; the deceased was nineteen years old; I have known him about two months; I never saw him the worse for drink; I believe he was a sober young man; I don’t think the deceased could swim; the sheet was not made fast. The jury brought in a verdict – “That the deceased, Frederick Rabin, met his death by being accidently drowned in the harbour.”
Richard J Hughes’Obituary
Mr. R. J. Hughes Dies At 91 Mr. Richard Joseph Hughes, who died at his home at Stockton yesterday, was the oldest waterman in Newcastle.He was born on Dempsey Island 91 years ago. He was a member of a well-known Hunter River family, his mother before marriage being a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Hickey. For some years he carried on dairy farming on Ash Island. With his cousin, the late Mr. George Hughes, he rowed daily to Newcastle and delivered milk to customers. The first butcher for whom Mr. Hughes ran a boat to supply fresh meat and vegetables to ships was Mr. W. H. Sparke.
Because of the keen rivalry to be first to meet incoming ships Mr. Hughes and his family of boys would sometimes carry their 28ft boat over the breakwater between Nobbys and Allen’s Hill (Fort Scratchley) to gain an advantage. He had been as far south as Sydney and as far north as Seal Rocks to meet ships. When the sailing ship “Ditton” was endeavouring, to make port against a westerly gale, Mr. Hughes had almost 13 miles to cover in the chase to board the vessel. He acted as pilot for New Zealand sailing vessels entering and leaving Port Hunter. Among the earlier pilots with whom Mr. Hughes worked were Captains Newton, Cummings, Fell and McIntosh. In regattas held on the harbour. Mr. Hughes took an active interest, particularly in sailing and rowing. In later years he attended the upper river lights for the Navigation Department. His waterman’s licence, issued by the Navigation Department on June 24, 1904, was the only one of its kind. It allowed him to carry 12 passengers in his boat anywhere on Newcastle Harbour. Mr Hughes is survived by six sons and three daughters. The funeral will take place today.