Thomas Griffiths

1797 - 1826  (28 years)

• Name	Thomas Griffiths  [1, 2]
  Birth	10 Oct 1797	South Creek, Hawkesbury, NSW, Australia   [2]
  Christening	7 Aug 1798	St John's, Church of England, Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia   [2, 3]
  		Baptism - Thomas Griffiths Thomas Griffiths born 10 October 1797, baptised 7 August 1798, St John's, Church of England, Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia. Father John Griffiths, Mother Eleanor McDonald.
  Gender	Male
  Cause of Death	11 Jun 1826	Richmond, New South Wales, Australia   [4]
  	Accidental Death, caused by a fall during a horse race.
  Death	11 Jun 1826	Richmond, New South Wales, Australia   [4, 5]
  		Accidental Death - Thomas Griffiths Thomas Griffiths died as the result of a fall from his horse during a horse race.
  		The Accidental Death of Thomas Griffiths Thomas Griffiths fell from his horse during a Horse Race, at Richmond. The accident happened about 6pm on 10th of June 1826 and he died the next morning at about 8am 11th June 1826.
  Person ID	I6355	Tucker Family Tree | The Descendants of Jonathon Griffiths
  Last Modified	3 Jan 2017

  
  

  Father	Jonathan Griffiths,   b. 04 Mar 1773, Stone, Gloucestershire, England d. Nov 1839, Port Fairy, Victoria, Australia (Age 66 years)
  Mother	Eleanor McDonald,   b. 1770, Dublin, Ireland d. 01 Mar 1831, Richmond, New South Wales, Australia (Age 61 years)
  Marriage	Yes, date unknown
  	Jonathan and Eleanor met at Norfolk Island Penal Colony, but never married.
  Notes	Jonathan Griffiths and Eleanor McDonald met each other at Norfolk Island. Both had been transported to Australian and sentence to 7 years. Jonathan Griffiths arrived on the second fleet in 1790. Eleanor McDonald arrived in Australia one year later. Eleanor is recorded in the earliest documents as "Elinor" and later as "Eleanor". She will be referred to as Eleanor. Eleanor McDonald was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1770. Of her early life or family nothing is known. On 27 October, 1790 Eleanor is recorded as being sentenced at the Quarter Sessions (Court) at the Tholsel, Dublin. The record states:- "found guilty of stealing a metal watch, chain and locket - value six guineas - the property of Thomas Dalton. Sentenced to be transported". A copy of the record is attached. The record is written in "olde English" - where the letter "f" stands for the letter "s". Some of the sentences of other persons that can be made out on the record, make for interesting comparisons. Eleanor left Ireland from the Cove of Cork as a convict aboard the "Queen" ("Queen Anne" in some records) and arrived at Port Jackson (Sydney Harbour) on 26 September, 1791, as part of what has been historically designated as the Third Flee A complete list of prisoners aboard "Queen" from Dublin and other counties is attached. The list shows McDonald, Eleanor Age:- 20 years Date of Trial:- October, 1790 Sentence:- 7 years The Transport "Queen" was the first convict transport that sailed direct from Ireland to New South Wales and comprised 133 men, 22 Women and 1 boy aged 11 years. A Copy of the "Queen" indent (list) of prisoners showing Elinor McDonald, is attached. Eleanor was also sent to Norfolk Island where she arrived on 223 April, 1792. The first recorded association with Jonathon Griffiths as a "family" was there and a record noted in "Norfolk Island - The People and their Families - 1788-1813"ttached. Eleanor served the balance of here sentence at Norfolk Island.
  Family ID	F0037	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Mary Brown
  Marriage	02 Aug 1815	Church of England, Richmond, New South Wales, Australia
  Children	+ 1. Thomas Griffiths,   b. 09 Jun 1820, Richmond, New South Wales, Australia d. 05 Oct 1856, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia (Age 36 years) + 2. Matthias Griffiths,   b. 09 Feb 1823, Richmond, New South Wales, Australia d. 18 May 1863, Richmond, New South Wales, Australia (Age 40 years)   3. Jonathon Griffiths,   b. 09 Jul 1825, Richmond, New South Wales, Australia d. Oct 1847, Narran Creek, New South Wales, Australia (Age 21 years)
  Family ID	F1973	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	4 Mar 2008

  
  

• Notes

  Thomas Griffiths, the eldest son of Jonathon andEleanor had remained in possession of the farm originally purchased from James Kirby. Thomas I died in 1826 as a result of a fall while riding in a horse race. His widow Mary was only 21 at the time and she was left with three young sons: Thomas, Mathias and Jonathan. She eventually remarried an assigned convict, Thomas Waterford, but she too died in 1829. The three grandsons were taken by their grandparents to Tasmania where they lived at Freshwater Point. Following the death of Eleanor in 1831 they were in the care of Robert Eather, who was in Tasmania and later back at Richmond. Thomas II had married one of the Eather girls. Elizabeth Eather and he were later to run the farm. But he then became a publican and purchased a hotel in Sydney, the `Richmond Inn`. The farmhouse, which had originally been built by Jonathan Griffiths, burnt down in the early 1900`s and the property was sold.

  
  

• Sources

  [S3] John Griffiths, Jonathon Griffiths Australian Heritage. [S4] New South Wales Government, NSW BDM, 7 Aug 1798, 227 Vol 148/1798 (Reliability: 3). See attached copy of Baptism Certificate of Thomas Griffiths. [S4] New South Wales Government, NSW BDM, 7 Aug 1798, 227 Vol: 148/1798 (Reliability: 3). Thomas Griffiths born 10th October 1797, Baptised 7th August 1798, St John's, Church of England, Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia. Father John Griffiths, Mother Eleanor McDonald. [S450] The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser Newspaper, 24 Jun 1826, 3 (Reliability: 3). Thomas Griffiths died 11th June 1826 as the result of a fall during a horse race. This article was published in The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser Newspaper, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, Saturday, 24th June 1826, page 3 [S451] The Australian Newspaper (Sydney, NSW 1824-1848), 21 Jun 1826, 3 (Reliability: 3). See attached newspaper article reporting the death of Thomas Griffiths