Personal Profile    Home

                       Note: Mary's family details come from her convict and trial records and may not be accurate, complete or read accurately.

Mary was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. Like many of her time, Mary was in trouble with the law at an early age.

On 23 July 1839 Mary McIntyre, of Fish Market Close. was before the Police Court for the theft from the King's Park, on Monday 15 July 1839, of a cotton shirt belonging to Peter Blair (age 46) of Abbey Hill. Mary was found guilty and imprisoned in the Police Office for 5 days.

                             
Photo of Fish Market Close (Now Old Fish market Close), Edinburgh - Mary's given residence in 1839

The 17 December 1840, Mary was before the Sheriff's Court charged with theft of cloth, a table cover, tartan shawls, a blanket, a silk handkerchief, a kettle, a bed cover and cotton handkerchiefs. The crime was aggravated by having been committed by means of housebreaking and prior convictions. Mary was sentenced to 9 months in the Prison of Edinburgh.

On 13 November 1841, Mary was before the Sheriff's Court again and found guilty of theft of a blanket and, because of her previous convictions, sentenced to 12 months in prison.

At 9.30 am on 10 July 1843, Mary was brought from the Prison of Edinburgh to once again appear before the courts. This time it was the Assize Court.

                 Indictment against Mary McIntyre 1843. (First line of next page added)

In the declaration made on 16 May 1843 to Andrew Wilkie Esquire, a magistrate of Edinburgh and Deputy Sheriff, Mary declared the following (paraphrased by P Guest 2009):

There was some dispute about the pass keys. The property in Lauriston Place was locked and the only entry was by the use of pass keys. None were found on Mary but two were found under a table in the hall. It was alleged that Mary disposed of them there when she was kneeling and begging for the police not to be called. When the police did arrive, Mary gave her name as Mary Robertson. James McLevie, Criminal Officer of Police  gave evidence that he had known Mary for the previous three years and had always known her as McIntyre and had never used the name Robertson before. Mary had also told police that she had never been in the Police Office before but McLevie and others provided evidence that Mary did have previous convictions.

Mary was found guilty, as charged, on10th July 1843 and sentenced to 7 years transportation. She was removed to Millbank Prison on 25 November 1843. The Registrar of Criminals records that Mary was aged 16 and her last residence was Canongate. Her hair was dark and complexion fair. She was clean, sober and her clothes were in good repair. She had knowledge of employment but none was stated. Mary was not employed at the time of committing the offence but it stated she could earn a living if she obtained a situation. She could read with difficulty but couldn't write at all. Mary had spent 118 days in prison awaiting trial and her conduct was good.

Mary departed Woolwich, a suburb in south-east London, on 25/04/1844 with another 169 female convicts and arrived in Hobart, Tasmania aboard the Angelina on 25 August 1844. She is described as being 4' 11'' tall, speckled complexion, oval head, brown hair, oval visage, high forehead, brown eyebrows, hazel eyes, very small nose, small mouth and round chin. ''Marks'' are listed as a wart on her left eye, AMHMCI on her left arm and I Mc(?) on her right arm. The surgeon reported her as being orderly.

(Click Here - to see convict record. It could take some time to download as it is a large image)

Mary Ann most likely, but not proven, spent her 6 months probation on the Anson which was a 1870 ton warship that arrived at Hobart in 1844 landing 499 male convicts.  After disembarking her 'cargo', she was refitted as a prison and towed to Prince of Wales  Bay, Risdon, near Hobart, where she was moored.  The Anson hulk was used to house female convicts from 1844 in an attempt to alleviate the overcrowding at Cascades Female Factory.


On 22 June  1846 she was disobedient of orders and given 3 months hard labour at The Female Factory, Launceston.
 

Archives Office of Tasmania - Index to Convict Applications For Permissions to Marry 1829-1857.

In 1847 Mary married  William Guest. They married at Longford in Christ Church (Anglican) on 17 May 1847. William made his mark 'X' for a signature in the presence of Edward Rainy and May Wilson who also signed by a 'X'. An Edward Philip Rainy had a child baptised in Longford on February 1845 and was a school master.

(Click Here - to see marriage certificate)

Mary's husband, William, departed Launceston to Melbourne on the City of Melbourne on 11January1852 and it is possible he didn't return to Tasmania.

Mary Ann died on the morning of 17 May 1870 in Deloraine, Tasmania. The evening before, at 6.15 pm,  Mary's name (Mary Ann Davis alias Guest) was entered on the Deloraine watch house charge book. She was charged with being drunk and incapable and it was recorded as being her first offence. She died in her cell some time the following morning. An inquest was held on 18th of May and the coroner found the death was due to natural causes. The charge book also records her age at death as being 45 which supports a 1824-1826 birth year.

There is no record of Mary Ann divorcing William Guest or re-marrying but she definitely used the Davis surname. Assessment Rolls of 1868 record a William Davis living in a cottage in Parsonage St, Deloraine and in 1871, a cottage in Barrack St, Deloraine. Mary Ann's death certificate recorded her husband's occupation as a labourer. A William Davis died in Deloraine  19/7/1875 (Deloraine 164/1875) aged 64 and his occupation was given as a bricklayer.

Some researchers believe Mary had another child Lydia Davis / Davies in 1863 at Longford. I have not been able to substantiate this.
 

Top Of Page