‍Checking out the story behind  Brion O’Brion, variously spelt as Brien O’Brien and Bryan O’Brien/O’Bryan, elicited in the first instance, this newspaper advertisement dated 16 October 1819:

“All persons are cautioned against giving Credit on my account to my Wife, Elizabeth O’Bryan, better known by the name Elizabeth McMahon, and lately returned from Newcastle, as I will not be answerable for any debts she may contract.”

Yet another convict transported from Ireland for Life on the ship Atlas (II) arriving in the colony in October 1802, O’Brien’s path seemed to have taken a rather different marital turn to that of his fellow Atlas travellers in our QR tour.

The earliest record after his arrival [1806 Muster] states one Brien O’Brien (Atlas) is employed in Parramatta by a John Steele. Then by 4 September 1808, O’Brien appears on a statement listing that he has been advanced Capital by John Blaxland of 8 pounds 17 shillings. [Blaxland had arrived in Australia the previous year from England having invested 6,000 pounds for free passage for himself, family and servants, guaranteed landholdings of 8,000 acres, and 80 convicts to serve him.]

And then on 17 September 1810, O’Brion married 22 year old Elizabeth McMAHON inSt John’s Church, Parramatta officiated by Reverend Samuel Marsden.

Wife No.1 :

Born in 1788, Elizabeth was sentenced to seven years in Armagh (southwest of Belfast, Northern Ireland), Elizabeth had arrived in the colony on 15 February 1806, one of 36 female convicts on the ship Tellicherry. Some records show only a “Bridget McMahon” on the Tellicherry, but in the General Muster of 1806, it states that one Elizabeth McMahon indeed arrived on that ship and is listed as working on the Government Farm in Parramatta, the first successful farm established in the colony. The site today forms part of Parramatta Park, opposite The Crescent on the northern side of Parramatta River. Other records show Elizabeth had also been despatched to the Parramatta Female Factory.

Now a married man, O’Brien seeks to have his sentence mitigated on 24 March 1812 with an Absolute Pardon granted on 21 February 1813. However, just one month later, his wife’s character surfaces in an event for which she is ultimately indicted on 25 June 1814 viz.:

“Burglariously breaking and entering the dwelling-house of Thomas Fuller house, at Parramatta, on the night or early in the morning of the 26th of March last, and stealing therefrom about 20 yards of calico, value 20s. the sale of which in various fragments was by evidence traced immediately to the prisoner at the bar : She was accordingly found Guilty ; but although the offence was capital in the eye of the Law, yet the Court, from the consideration of the offence being unaccompanied by any of those terrors to the injured persons which rank the crime of burglary among the more direful and abominable species of offences, had thought proper to remit the capital part of the charge ; but finding it necessary at the same time to deter others from similar acts of dishonesty by the force of example, had found her guilty of the stealing, and adjudged that she should stand in the pillory at Parramatta on the 7th of July next, between the hours of 9 and 10 in the forenoon, for one hour, and be kept 5 years to hard labour.”

A mere two weeks later, the Sydney Gazette reports on 9 July 1814 that one “Elizabeth O’Brien escaped from the custody of the gaoler at Parramatta”. It would appear that she is ultimately sent to the newly constructed Newcastle Gaol which was specifically a receiving depot for female convicts. Approximately 1,600 women were sent to the Hunter between 1804 and 1822.

Meanwhile back in Parramatta, while Elizabeth is serving her 5-year sentence, O’Brien continues to advance his holdings from owning 3 horned cattle and 2 hogs, to 5 horned cattle and 2 hogs. (1818-1819). On 16 May 1820, he petitioned for a land grant, which was approved [Deed issued] by Governor Macquarie in March 1821 -  50 acres in Parramatta on which he now kept 12 horned cattle and 1 hog. [ Land and Stock, 1821] and by 1822, states he is a “resident/owner of  50 acres, with 13 horned cattle, 2 hogs and 4 bushels of maize.

At the same time, released back into Parramatta society since 1819, Elizabeth is up to her tricks again with the Court of Criminal Jurisdiction which records that Elizabeth McMahon alias Elizabeth O’Brien, Free, was found guilty of:

 “feloniously stealing one iron tea kettle valued at 5 shillings, the good of George Davey (?) of Sydney…to be imprisoned and kept to hard labour for the space of six calendar months from the 27th of December 1822 in “the Factory” [Gaol entrance book]