Stephen Cunningham

M, #331, b. 27 December 1819, d. 15 March 1898
FatherWilliam Cunningham1
MotherMargaret Sullivan1 b. 18 Aug 1792
Relationship3rd great-uncle of Keith Graham Bassett
Last Edited25 Mar 2020
Baptism*27 December 1819 Cloyne, Cork, Ireland;
Stephen Cunningham
Parents: Wm Cunningham & Margt Sullivan, Cloyne
Sponsors: Denis Brown & Mary Donovan
Celeb: Rev James Mulcahy2 
News-Arct*27 February 1840 "The Southern Reporter and Cork Commercial Courier", Cork, Ireland;
FREE PASSAGE TO NEW SOUTH WALES.
The Ship LADY CLARKE, of 600 tons burden, ALEXANDER LAWRENCE, Commander, will leave Gravesend pn the 12th, and Plymouth on the 20th of April, direct for Sydney.
These are first=class Ships, have poops, and the first order of accommodation for cabin, intermediate, and steerage passengers, will carry experienced Surgeons, and sail with strict punctuality.
Mechanics, Labourers, Shepherds, and Female Servants are in much demand in the above Colony. Such persons as may apply are requested to state their age, and the names of the Roman Catholic and protestant Ministers resident in their Parish. All particulars known on application to
JOHN BESNARD, Jun.
Australian Emigration Agent, Cork, 19 Church Street.
Feb. 22. 1840.
;Principal=John Cunningham3 
News-Arct15 August 1840 "Sydney Monitor and Commercial Advertiser", Sydney, NSW, Australia;
Shipping Intelligence
ARRIVALS.-Yesterday
LADY CLARKE, ship, 430 tons, Laurence, master, from Plymouth on the 20th April, and the Cape of Good Hope on the 7th July, with 203 bounty immigrants. Walker & Co., Agents. Passengers-Cabin - Messrs. McAlister, McLean, Thomson, Owen, Zemines, Rev. Mr. McKinnon, and Miss McAlister. Intermediate-Mr. Morgan and family, Mrs. Stockdale and family, Messrs. Middleton, and McDonald, News-This vessel has brought out 203 immigrants, besides their children, they consist of mechanics, agricultural labourers, shepherds. &c., &c., consigned to the house of Messrs. Walker and Co.; four births occurred during the voyage, one before reaching the Cape and three on Sunday last, no deaths took place on the voyage.
;Principal=John Cunningham4 
Immigration*18 August 1840 "Lady Clarke", Sydney, NSW, Australia;
Stephen Cunningham

Unmarried Male Immigrant

Arrived by the Ship: Lady Clarke
Brought out by: J Marshall
Native of: Cloyne Co. of Cork - William (Labourer) and Margaret his wife
Calling: Farming Servant
Age: 19 Years
Persons certifying Registry of Baptism: No certificate
Character, and Person certifying the same: John Kennifuh & Daniel Fenton both of Cloyne
State of bodily health, strength, and probable usefulness: Good
Religion: Roman Catholic
Remarks: neither reads nor writes
No Complaint

To Agricultural Company5 
Note* 
… for ordinary shepherds P P King suggested to the directors that it would be better for the Company to send out unskilled labourers who could be trained as shepherds in Australia’s special conditions, rather than skilled English shepherds who would have to be retrained.
In 1838 the directors former a sub-committee to look for a suitable group of labourers. In November the committee interviewed Mr Marshall, Emigration Agent of Birchin Lane in the City of London. Through his Irish Agents, John Bresnard Jr of Gorey, County Wicklow and Mr Clendennin of Cork, Marshall agreed to obtain a hundred labourers to be delivered to Plymouth. His commission would be £5 per head and £3 for the Irish Agents. The emigrants, young (18 to 27) and single, were to be advanced their passage money and £5 for immediate expenses. Their wages in NSW would [be] £15 per annum. H T Ebsworth, the Company’s London Secretary, went to supervise their departure from Plymouth. There were immediate difficulties: some of the young men did not arrive from Ireland and others refused to embark.
Thirty one sailed aboard Lady Clarke, thirty one on the Mary Anne, three on the Lord Western, fourteen on the Isabella, one (and possibly others who intended to sail on the Isabella) on the Royal Consort and twenty one on the Lady Macnaughton.
Mr Marshall’s responsibilities ended on delivering the immigrants to Sydney. Much depended on the Company’s Agents in Sydney, Messrs Edwards & Hunter (Messrs Walker & Co were Marshall’s Agents), being forewarned of arrivals so that ships could be met, the Company’s immigrants identified immediately by name, and forwarded to Port Stephens.
The Lady Clarke arrived without due notice and the Company’s immigrants were left to roam the streets of Sydney for five days. Several, told they were Bounty emigrants and not tied to the Company, engaged themselves elsewhere at £40 and £50 a year.
When the Company’s ‘servants’ were finally gathered and interviewed by King, they complained of misinformation from Manning’s Irish Agent: alleging promises of an acre of land and the milk of a cow between four; clothing and all found for three years. They also complained of the poor quality of the clothes supplied to them at Plymouth, and paid for out of their advance money.
Of the 26 from the Lady Clarke who finally reached Port Stephens, eight were regarded as being fit only for agricultural labour – the remainder “might” make shepherds. They were not comfortable newcomers and caused a good deal of anxiety and trouble.
Over the next twelve months most of the Irish who reached Port Stephens absconded, and of the few who remained even fewer would shepherd. The others were crowded into the Agricultural Department to serve out their contracts and repay their passage. The conduct of the Irish immigrants, “their generally bad character and their utter inability as well as determined refusal to be made shepherds” made King think seriously of reducing the number of sheep at Port Stephens.;Principal=John Cunningham6 
News-Arct5 October 1840 "The Sydney Herald", Sydney, NSW, Australia;
ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.
MR. MARSHALL'S BOUNTY SHIPS.
To the Editor of the Sydney Herald.
Sir,—I observe by your report of the debates in Council, that Mr James came forward to vindicate his employer, Mr Marshall, and the Attorney General to vindicate his countrymen against what they call the unfounded aspersions of the press, on the subject of Irish immigrants sent out in Mr. Marshall's bounty ships.
Now, Sir, in the investigation of this question I would recommend that the enquiries of the committee should be directed to one individual ship, let them take the last of Mr. Marshall's ships, the Lady Clarke, and let them take the evidence of the cabin passengers as to the character and general conduct during the passage of the Irish immigrants in that ship-both male and female. Let them call on the Rev. Mr. Thomson, now on his way to Port Phillip, and on Mr. Marsh nephew of Sir Francis Forbes, and who is, I believe, still at Sydney, to state what they know of these people, and, after having ascertained what their conduct has been on board ship, let them call on Captain King, the Commissioner of the Australian Agricultural Company, to state what their conduct has been on shore since they landed in this Colony.
After such an investigation I suspect neither the Attorney General nor Mr. James will have any ground to accuse the press of exaggeration as to the class of people shipped by Mr. Marshall from the South of Ireland. Besides, Sir, we do not want any Roman Catholic immigrants. We have quite enough among the convict population.
This is a Protestant Colony, and we wish to keep it so. We know enough of the horrible system of perjury, raping, and murder, which has devastated that beautiful country, Ireland, for centuries past; not to dread lest a similar system should at a future period be introduced here. I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
A WARM FRIEND OF IRELAND.
;Principal=John Cunningham7 
News-Arct*19 July 1841 "The Sydney Herald", Sydney, NSW, Australia;
NOTICE.
WHEREAS the undermentioned indented servants of the Australian Agricultural Company have absconded from their service. Persons are cautioned from employing them, or they will be prosecuted according to law.
John Desmond Thomas Twoomey
Michael Reardon Jeremiah Cronan
Richard McGannon Stephen Cunningham
Michael Bradley.
All Emigrants from the South of Ireland, about twenty years of age.
PHILLIP P. KING,
Commissioner A. A. Company.
Port Stephens, July 14,1841.8 
(Sponsor) Baptism17 July 1853 St Michael, Bathurst, NSW, Australia;
When Baptised: 17 July 1853
When Born: 15 June 1853
Child's Chrisian Name: John
Father's Name: John Cunningham
Mother's Name: Ellen Connell
Adode: Vale
Quality or Profession:
Sponsors: Stephen Cunninghan & Margt. Aherhn
By whom the ceremony was performed: B Murphy;Principal=John Cunningham9 
News-Arct21 August 1861 "The Sydney Morning Herald", Sydney, NSW, Australia;
CLOYNE, 1840, Ship Lady Clarke.—JOHN or STEPHEN CUNNINGHAM, who arrived in Sydney as emigrants by the above ship, are requested to communicate with BEAUMONT and CHAPMAN, 470, George-street.
;Principal=John Cunningham10 
Death*15 March 1898 Waterview, Condobolin, NSW, Australia;
Name: Stephen Cunningham
Date of Death: 15 Mar 1898
Place: Waterview, Condobolin NSW
Occupation: Laborer
Sex: Male
Age: 74 years 4 months
Conjugal Status:
Place of Birth: Queenstown Ireland
Time in Aust Colonies: 51 years N S Wales

Father: Unknown
Occupation: Unknown
Mother: Unknown

Place of Marriage:
Age at Marriage:
Name of Spouse:
Children of Marriage:
Informant: W Cunningham, nephew, Waterview, Condobolin

Cause of Death: Supposed old age
Length of Illness: 3 weeks
Medical Attendant: Inquest unnecessary - Geo C Driffield, Coroner, 15 Mar 1898
Date Last Seen:

Date of Burial: 16 Mar 1898
Place of Burial: Catholic Portion Condobolin Cemetery
Minister & Religion: Daniel Comans, Layman, Roman Catholic
Undertaker: F W Marlin
Witnesses: W Edwards, G G Marlin11 

Citations

  1. [S171] Rhonda Bassett.
  2. [S1534] Susanna Russell, "Mallow Heritage Centre."
  3. [S1726] Findmypast Irish newspapers, online http://www.findmypast.com/, The Southern Reporter and Cork Commercial Courier, February 27, 1840.
  4. [S1565] Trove digitised newspapers, online http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/, Sydney Monitor and Commercial Advertiser, Saturday, August 15, 1840.
  5. [S1446] NSW Bounty Immigration 1828-1842.
  6. [S1832] P A Pemberton, Pure Merinos and Others, The "Shipping Lists" of the Australian Agricultural Company.
  7. [S1565] Trove digitised newspapers, online http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/, The Sydney Herald, Monday, October 5, 1840.
  8. [S1565] Trove digitised newspapers, online http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/, The Sydney Herald, Monday, July 19, 1841.
  9. [S8] Bathurst Parish Records, baptism John Cunningham 1853.
  10. [S1565] Trove digitised newspapers, online http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/, The Sydney Morning Herald, Wednesday, August 21, 1861.
  11. [S1294] NSW Death Registration Transcription.