Martin Diamond (abt. 1831 - 1854)

Born about 1831 in Castle Clare, County Clare, Ireland

Husband of Anne (Keane) Diamond — married about 1853 in Victoria, Australia

Died 3 Dec 1854 at about age 23 in Eureka, Victoria, Australia

Eureka Rebellion

Biography

Martin Diamond was born in Ireland.

Martin was a Roman Catholic

Martin Diamond migrated from Ireland to Australia.

Martin Diamond was involved in events associated with the Eureka Rebellion at Ballarat.

Needs research Ancestors, descendants, etc.

Birth

Martin Diamond was born about 1831 (thought) at County Clare, Ireland (although one recollection suggests he may have been actually, John Diamond from county Donegal)^[1].

Martin met his future partner (Anne Keane) while emigrating to Australia on the ship 'Star of the East'. It's thought that they never formally married, rather that Anne took Martin's name (Diamond) on the way to the diggings & then resided as if married. Apparently they had a baby born & died in 1854 (Just like their marriage, the birth & death were never registered). ^[2].

Eureka Stockade

On Peter Lalor’s list Michael was recorded as 'John' Diamond.

The Diamonds set up a shop in a large tent at Eureka that traded well and, as was the case usually, Michael mined as well.

The Eureka Stockade was built around existing tents & the Diamond's tent was half inside & half outside the stockade. Because of its size, it is thought it was used for meetings of leaders of the miner's cause^[3].

On the morning 3rd December 1854 as the military assault began, Annie & Michael were running from their tent, away from the stockade, when Michael was shot dead. Later his body was slashed with Swords & Bayonets. Their tent was burnt down & so their livelihood was lost too.

According to John Moloney in his publication 'Eureka', Diamond was a rebel captain and meetings were held in his shop on Thursday 30 November, the day after the Monster Meeting at Bakery Hill. On December 3rd, 1854 he was shot by troopers inside his store and in front of his wife. Alpheus Boynton wrote in his diary, “The conduct of the soldiers generally through the whole has been anything but that of men, and some have brought upon themselves everlasting disgrace, for what true soldier would discharge his musket at an innocent and helpless female standing in front of her tent? and yet such was the case with some of the brutes clothed in uniform.”

Martin’s wife, Anne applied for compensation from the government for property destroyed by the Military and Police at the time of the attack and stated in her application that her husband had been shot inside his store.

On the 26th December 1854 Anne Diamond was interviewed by the officers of the Royal Commission. She claimed "I was very poorly treated... I just ran away at the moment when the firing commenced....My store was half in and half out of it, and I ran away, and I asked my husband to come, and he was coming after me, and he was shot, and then they set fire to the tent... It was a trooper that did it; they wear white caps. I was told he was one Clark, and I heard he was boasting after that the fire consumed the whole premises. I was not away above half an hour or three quarters of an hour, and when I returned it was all consumed; and I know that my husband got three hurts from a sword on the back; he fell on his face, and he got three cuts of a sword and a stab of a bayonet... He was quite dead when I returned..." ^[4]

For her loss, Annie claimed £600 compensation from the Victorian Government, however this was declined on the grounds that the Diamonds' had not been legally proved to have been engaged in resistance to the civil unrest.^[5]

Martin is interred at Old Ballaarat Cemetery.^[6][7]. Aged 23 years (est. DOB 1831). He was buried 3 December 1854 at Ballaarat and Informant the on his death certificate was Samuel Irwin, Editor of the Times Ballarat.

Sources

1. ↑ The Freeman's Journal was a weekly publication published in Sydney for Catholic Irishmen in Australia. Subjoined are some of the names of the Irish men who fell or were wounded in this first struggle for freedom on Victorian soil : Killed. — John Hynes, County Clare, Patrick Gittings, Clare ; Thomas O'Neil, Kilkenny ; George Patrick Mullens, Kilkenny; John Diamond, Donaghy, Donegal; Edward Quinn, William Quinlan, Cavan. Mortally Wounded. — Thaddeus Moore, County Clare ; James Brown, Edward M'Glynn, Wexford. Wounded and Subsequently Recovered.— Peter Lalor, Queen's County ; Patrick Hanofin, County Kerry ; Michael Hanly, Tipperary ; Michael O'Neil, Thomas Callanan, Patrick Callanan, Clare; James Warner, Cork; Luke Sheehan, Michael Morrison, Galway ; Denis Dynon, Clare. Willian Quinlan mentioned in Freeman's Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1850 - 1932), Sat 31 Mar 1888, page 17. - LITERATURE-The Irish in Australia. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/115462809
2. ↑ Booklet by Clare Wright. The Forgotten rebels of Eureka - Anne (Keane) Diamond. Retrieved 12 July 2021, from https://books.google.com.au/books?id=Pdk6AAAAQBAJ&pg=PT80&lpg=PT80&dq=anne+diamond+eureka&source=bl&ots=vcHfJ_JVGE&sig=ACfU3U1DuLBjX7KfnAgFRjU9DSzef8FhnQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjqpfjxsNzxAhWbSH0KHXRdBD0Q6AEwEHoECBIQAw#v=onepage&q=anne%20diamond%20eureka&f=false
3. ↑ "A meeting of the captains and other persons regarded as leaders immediately took place in a store run be Martin and Anne Diamond. Book - Eureka by John Moloney. Retrieved 12 July 2021, from https://books.google.com.au/books?id=aaWSDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT184&lpg=PT184&dq=anne+diamond+eureka&source=bl&ots=AIKYIPPl5d&sig=ACfU3U1SAq-qCz2poTrOzfmIHqTANSHIqA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjqpfjxsNzxAhWbSH0KHXRdBD0Q6AEwEXoECBMQAw#v=onepage&q=anne%20diamond%20eureka&f=false
4. ↑ Testimony of Anne Diamond retrieve 12 July 2021, from Eureka's Fallen by Dorothy Wickham. https://ballaratheritage.com.au/article/eurekas-fallen/
5. ↑ Newspaper Article - Ballarat Outbreak Petition. The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954) , Tue 18 Mar 1856, p.4. Retrieved 12 July 2021, from https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/154862113?searchTerm=compensation%20curtain
6. ↑ death Martin Diamond 1855 at Victoria. ref# 3249/1855. Birthplace; Clar. Parents, Spouse and death place was not recorded
7. ↑ cemetery memorial column with other Eureka Stockade victims. Old Ballarat Cemetery, Victoria. https://billiongraves.com/

http://www.eurekapedia.org/Martin_Diamond

• Ballarat Heritage Services: Eurekas Fallen by Dorothy Wickham https://ballaratheritage.com.au/article/eurekas-fallen/

• https://www.eurekacentreballarat.com.au/about-eureka