Margaret (Eddington) Connelly (1792 - 1822)

Born 16 Nov 1792 in Norfolk Island, Australia

Wife of David Collins — married 1809 in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

Wife of George Watts — married 9 May 1811 in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

Wife of Charles Connelly — married 17 Jan 1819 in Hobart Town, Van Diemen's Land, New South Wales, Australia

Descendants

Died 19 Jan 1822 at age 29 in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

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Biography

Margaret was born in 1792 at Norfolk Island, the daughter of Thomas Headington and Elizabeth Thompson.

Margaret had a child John (father unknown) about 1808. She became the mistress to Lieutenant Governor David Collins and had a child Eliza in 1809. Both children, John and Eliza were baptised at Hobart on 14th January 1810.^[1] David Collins died 24 March 1810. The following year Margaret married George Watts and had a child Mary. After George's death, Margaret married Charles Connelly and they had a child Anne. Margaret died in Hobart on 19th January 1822. Some biographers say that she was also the mistress of Captain John Piper on Norfolk Island and that John was his son, but there is no evidence of this and it appears to be a family story.^[2]

Marriage: Margaret Eddington married George Watts on 09 May 1811 at Hobart Town, Tasmania, Australia. ^{[3] [4]}

Marriage: Margaret (neé Eddington) Watts married Charles Connelly on 17 January 1819 at Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. ^{[5][6] [7]}

Death: Margaret (neé Eddington) Connelly age 29, died on 24 January 1822 at Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. ^[8]

Death notice, "HOBART TOWN." Hobart Town Gazette and Van Diemen's Land Advertiser (Tas. : 1821 - 1825) 26 January 1822
Died—On Saturday last, Mrs. Margaret Connelly, aged 29, wife of Mr. Charles Connelly, of the Bricklayers' Arms, Liverpool-street.

Three weeks before her death Reverend Robert Knopwood visited her on her sickbed and wrote "poor Mrs Connelly" in his diary. He conducted her funeral and recorded that a crowd of 300 mourners were present to pay their last respects.^[9]

Research Notes

Some biographers say that she was also the mistress of Captain Piper, but there is no evidence of this and appears to be a family story.

"In his Memoirs. John Pascoe Fawkner added Margaret Eddington to the list of Norfolk Island girls seduced by the amiable Piper. No great reliance can be placed on Fawkner's claims however. The memoirs are a colourful, often inaccurate account, written long after the events which they describe and Fawkner had no personal or immediate knowledge of many of the scandals which he repeats with such relish". ^[10]

Sources

1. ↑ Baptism Eliza and John 14 Jan 1810, parent Margaret Eddington, abode Hobart Town, by R Knopwood: Tasmanian Archives https://stors.tas.gov.au/RGD32-1-1$init=RGD32-1-1-P013
2. ↑ Alexander, Alison. Obliged to Submit : Wives and Mistresses of Colonial Governors / by Alison Alexander. Rev. ed. Hobart, Tas.: Montpelier Press, 1999.
3. ↑ Marriage 1 "Australia Marriages, 1810-1980," database, FamilySearch George Watts and Margaret Eddington, 09 May 1811; citing Hobart Town, Tasmania, Australia, reference ; FHL microfilm 1,368,285. George Watts married Margaret Eddington on 09 May 1911 at Hobart Town, Tasmania, Australia
4. ↑ Tasmanian Archives https://stors.tas.gov.au/RGD36-1-1$init=RGD36-1-1P16
5. ↑ Marriage 2 [https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q279-9ZZ1 "Australia, Tasmania, Civil Registration, 1803-1933," database with images, FamilySearch] Charles Connelly and Margaret Watts, 17 Jan 1819; citing Marriage 17 Jan 1819, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, line #601, Archives Office of Tasmania, Hobart; FHL microfilm 7,368,152. Charles Connelly married Margaret Watts on 17 January 1819 at Tasmania, Australia.
6. ↑ "Australia Marriages, 1810-1980," database, FamilySearch George Watts and Margaret Eddington, 09 May 1811; citing Hobart Town, Tasmania, Australia, reference ; FHL microfilm 1,368,285. George Watts married Margaret Eddington on 09 May 1811 at Hobart Town, Tasmania, Australia
7. ↑ Marriage 2 Image Tasmania Civ Reg. Charles Connelly age 32, Free married Margaret Lord age 26, Free, on 17 January 1819 at Hobart, Tasmania. Witnesses: Edward Lord & James Mitchell.
8. ↑ Death "Australia, Tasmania, Civil Registration, 1803-1933," database with images, FamilySearch : 26 August 2016), Margaret Connelly, 24 Jan 1822; citing Death 24 Jan 1822, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, line #562, Archives Office of Tasmania, Hobart; FHL microfilm 7,368,132. Margaret Connelly age 29, died 24 January 1822 at Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
9. ↑ The Diary of Robert Knopwood 1803-1838 (1977) ed Mary Nicholl, quoted in Bourchier and Leader-Elliott
10. ↑ Bourchier, Steve and Leader-Elliott, Ian, 'The metamorphoses of John Eddington Jr', October 1995: in trees on Ancestry.com

See also:

• Birth of daughter Ann Connelly, Daughter of Charles Connelly & Margaret (neé Eddington) Watts Connelly "Australia, Tasmania, Civil Registration, 1803-1933," database with images, FamilySearch  : 26 August 2016), Margaret Connelly in entry for Ann Connelly, 18 Dec 1819; citing Birth 18 Dec 1819, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, line #807, Archives Office of Tasmania, Hobart; FHL microfilm 7,368,103. Ann Connelly born 18 December 1819 at Hobart, Tasmania, Australia; Father's Name: Charles Connelly; Mother's Name: Margaret Connelly
• Bourchier, Steve and Leader-Elliott, Ian, 'The metamorphoses of John Eddington Jr', Papers and Proceedings: Tasmanian Historical Research Association, vol 43, no 4, Dec 1996, pp 201-16
• "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6ZW7-72TW : 10 June 2021), Margaret Connelly, ; Burial, Hobart, Hobart City, Tasmania, Australia, St. David's Park; citing record ID 223579830, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com. <https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6ZW7-72TW>
• Birth of daughter Eliza "Australia, Tasmania, Civil Registration, 1803-1933", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q27M-7SCQ : Tue Nov 21 15:46:06 UTC 2023), Entry for Eliza Eddington and Eddington, 1810.<https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2WN-3V2N> Christening
• 'Connelly, Margaret (1792–1822)', People Australia, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://peopleaustralia.anu.edu.au/biography/connelly-margaret-31255/text38643, accessed 3 December 2023