TROVE TUESDAY, JAN. 24, 2017 ... NOT ALL 'SUGAR AND SPICE' - IRISH ORPHAN GIRLS

Not all was rosy with the Irish Orphan girls who came to Australia. Some were badly treated, some were badly behaved, but many were just ordinary girls trying to do their best. There were good masters and mistresses ...  and some who took umbrage if a girl had an opinion or made a request. These are just a couple of instances concerning the girls.. 

Moreton Bay Courier (Brisbane, Qld. : 1846 - 1861), Saturday 26 October 1850

TRANSCRIPTION

ORPHAN APPRENTICES.-Mr. Rode, residing at

the station of the late German Missionaries,

" Mount Zion,", appeared before the Brisbane

Bench on the 22nd inst., to prosecute a charge

against Catherine Dempsey, his indented appren-

tice (one of the "orphans," from Ireland), who

had been apprended on a charge of absconding

from the service of her master. Mr. Rode stated

that the girl had been frequently very insolent,

and had finally absconded from his service, having

no permission from him to be absent. In defence

the prisoner stated that she was willing to return

to her service, but had gone away because she was

not allowed to attend the service of her church in

Brisbane. She said further that her mistress had

reproached her with being a Roman Catholic.

The Bench immediately called upon Mr. Rode to

explain this, when he denied that the girl's mis-

tress or himself had ever in the slightest degree

interfered with her liberty of conscience, but he

said that the girl had called one of his children a

" dirty Protestant," and he presumed that the

child might have retaliated. Regarding the at-

tendance at Divine service, he said that he had

only interfered when the defendant, instead of

going to church with other girls, wanted to travel

to Brisbane in the company of some men. The

Magistrates informed Mr. Rode that he must al-

low his servant to attend Divine service at least

every second Sunday; but there was no justifica-

tion apparent for her absconding, and she must

therefore forfeit 12s. 8d., the wages due to her,

and return to her service. Margaret Slack, an-

other orphan apprentice, in the service of Mr.

Windmell, of North Brisbane, was next charged

by her master with repeated insolence and neglect

of duty. From the evidence of Mr. Windmell it

appeared that Margaret had been in his service

for more than eight months, and for some time

past had conducted herself in a most insolent man-

ner. Having been recently requested to clean the

knives on a Saturday, to prevent work on Sunday,

she inquired in a most pert and saucy manner,

" what quality they expected that day, that they

must have the knives cleaned ? She did not do

them at the time, but subsequently condescended.

On another occasion, when sent to the butcher's

for meat, she took off her muddy shoes, and placed

them in the basket, on the meat, which was con-

sequently covered with filth ; and when remon-

strated with, and asked if she did not know better,

she replied, " No, she did not." Her master

stated further, that she had declared her intention

of leaving her situation at once, as the Rev. Mr.

Hanly had provided her with another. [Mr. Hanly,

who was in Court, came forward and made some

private communication to the Magistrates, in ex-

planation of this matter, which appeared to be

satisfactory.] The complainant added, that when

he threatened the defendant with punishment if

she left without his permission, she replied that

she had been that day informed that she could not

be punished. Many similar instances of insolence

were deposed to. The defendant, on being asked

the question, said that she had no complaint to

make respecting the work she was put to, but that

her master had beaten her. Complainant acknow-

ledged that several times when she was insolent

he had boxed her ears. As Mr. Windmell was

indifferent whether he took her back or not, the

Bench cancelled the indenture, sending the de-

fendant into the depot, and *muleting her in the

wages due to her (about 8s.).

*muleting .. depriving, taking from


COMPLAINT BY AN HOTELIER WHO WANTED TO BE ALLOCATED AN ORPHAN GIRL

Mock modesty, indeed!

POSTSCRIPT:

If you are a descendant of one of the Irish Orphan girls who were brought to Australia in the 1800's, then you might like to read this article... it concerns a documentary being made about this time.


https://astheywere.blogspot.com.au/2017/01/descendants-of-bride-ship-orphan-girls.html