Patrick McDermott (1854 - 1929)
Patrick McDermott was born on 16 July 1854 in Sydney, New South Wales. He was christened on 23 Jul 1854 at St James Cathedral, Cumberland Parish, Sydney, New South Wales. He is the second child and eldest son of of Patrick McDermott and Bridget Kettle.
Patrick parents had arrived in Australia in 1853 and at the time of his birth were living at Union Street Paddington in Sydney.
From the documentation available, it appears that Patrick and his siblings were one of the many street children of the era - See story on Inner Sydney in the 1860s below.
Their parents were repeatedly arrested for vagrancy and drunkeness,
In 1866 Patrick (12) and his brother Thomas (9) were arrested for stealing and spend a couple of days in gaol.
The boys appeared before the Central Police Court again on 25 May May 1867 when they were brought in under the Industrial Schools Act
WATER POLICE COURT.
Before the Water Police Magistrate and Mr H H Voss.
Saturday.
Patrick McDermott, and Thomas McDermott, two boys were brought up charged with stealing a shovel, value 4s the property of George Kilminster, builder from premises at Woollahra. They were order to find surities for their good behaviour for three months
CENTRAL POLICE COURT.
Before the City Magistrates.
Monday.
The following youths were apprehended for, being under sixteen rears of age, having no fixed place of abode : —
Patrick McDermott, 13, Thomas McDermott,10. Senior constable Doyle deposed that yesterday afternoon he found these boys wandering in the neighbourhood of Waverley, and took them into custody ; they are in the habit of begging and of sleeping out at night, and have been convicted of larceny ; their parents say that they cannot keep them at home and yesterday their father told him he hoped that something would be done with them, as he could get not good of them.
Ordered to be sent on board the Industrial Ship Vernon.
They were among the first group of boys to taken aboard the Vernon - no. 6 and no. 7 . The comments from their committal are below
My father breaks stones for the roads. Mother stops at hom and minds the children, I have been at several places and behind nearly every Bus on the stand and one year with a Cow Man I was behind a bus the day a Police man to me in ? my brother took a shovel and blamed me for it, I got one day for it and he got ½ a day. I often went begging and slept out at night
On his review from the Entrance book, he is noted as having "good disposition average conduct could read and write his name"
Brother of Patrick, often went behind the busses. My mother use to send me out begging around about by the windmill on Wooloomooloo. I did not steal the shovel. I was in jail a night for it. I don't know who stole it. I was taken up whilst gathering lead on the Rifle butts
On his review from the Entrance book is is noted as "very wicked bad boy, but within the last 6 month, has greatly improved, for a long period he could not be taught even the alphabet but can now read"
These two statements provide an interesting insight into their parents, this is further reinforced when their younger brother - John, 8 - is picked up on August 14. John was no. 41 aboard the Vernon.
An update on 24 Aug 1869 notes that he is a "bad boy, rather tricky disposition, and of average character, improving in school"
WATER POLICE COURT.
Wednesday.
BEFORE the Water Police Magistrate, Mr. W. Day.
John McDermott, 8, was brought up by Constable E. Ryan, under the Industrial Schools Act. He had been for some time wandering about the streets and did not appear ever to have been at school. Both his parents were said to drink to excess, and two of his brothers are already on board the Vernon. Prisoner told their worships that he went home one night about eight o'clock, and his mother would not admit him.
Sent on board the Vernon.
There are no further records of the Patrick aboard the Vernon, although the Visitor books may provide a further insight.
We can guess how the boys spent the next few years based on what we know each day would have been school, training, drills and chores, with church on Sundays
The photos (right) are from the Vernon during this period, and Patrick could be amongst the boys in them.
Once the boys had demonstrated good character they were offered the opportunity for an apprenticeship. If this doesn't occur, they were released at 18
Whilst 2/3rd of the boys admitted ended up with apprenticeships as farm or general servants before the age of 18, there is the potential that because of his late admission - aged 13 - he stayed with the Vernon until 1872 when he turned 18
Given that Patrick ends up outside of Sydney, the most likely option is that he was placed as an apprentice farm servant around Tamworth or Dubbo.
School Lessons Vernon c.1869
Foot Drill Vernon c.1870s
There are no confirmed records of Patrick until he marries in Tenterfield in 1882, however there is a reference to a Patrick McDermott who took part in a walking match in Dubbo in 1879. This article (extract below) puts McDermott at about 23 - which is the correct age - in a location where they were building the railway lines and roads. There is a second reference in 1880 (see below)
By 1882 he is in Tenterfield and it is there that he married Louisa Jane Davis on 4 March 1882. At the time he was working as a labourer - most likely on the railway. The marriage was performed by John Walford Simmons (or Simms) and witnessed by Francis Davis (Louisa's half brother) and James Stephens.
Louisa Jane Davis was the daughter of Thomas Davis and Jane Bygrave. According to adult christening certificate - after her marriage - she was born in Toowoomba on 4 December 1865 (but no record has been found of her birth). Family oral history had identified Louisa is being part Maori, however we now know that her heritage was Jamaican.
After their marriage, it appears that the family lived at Barney Down where their first 5 children were born. Barney Downs was a Station located east of Tenterfield on what is now the Bruxner Highway to Casino. It was also 2.2km south of Bryan's Gap. The station was subdivided and and eventually became the parish of Barney Downs, now includes a vineyard "Kurrajong Downs". Based on Thomas's birth registration, it appears the Patrick worked as a stockman on the property, potentially owning a number of horses or cattle of his own with a registered brand)
In abt 1891 the family moved to Lismore, where their next two children were born, before moving to Richmond where their next child was born 1897. By 1899 the family had moved back to Lismore where their next two children were born. The family is recorded at Bexhill near Lismore in the 1901 census
The family appear to have moved to Byron Bay around 1903 for the birth of their second last child - Mary - before moving back to Lismore again for the birth of their last child - Sydney - in 1905. It does appear that the family settled in the Lismore region after the birth of their youngest child.
In total Patrick and Louisa had 12 children (6 sons and 6 daughters) between 1882 and 1905
- John Patrick McDermott. Born 5 Aug 1882. Married Josephine F Morrish 1906 then Margaret M Molloy in 1907. Died 1969
- Thomas Francis McDermott. Born 25 Dec 1883. Married Mary Ellen Johnson in 1918. Died Feb 1961
- William McDermott. Born 6 Aug 1885. Married Jessie Ford
- Lydia Jane McDermott. Born 3 May 1888. Married Sydney Dawes in 1903. Died 1931
- Walter McDermott. Born 7 Dec 1890. Married Mary Jane Tomkinson. Died 14 Oct 1963
- Bertha Louisa McDermott. Born 15 Sep 1892. Married Leslie Selmes in 1914. Died 1965
- Mabel Maud McDermott Born 20 Aug 1894. Married Harold J Cusack in 1917. Died 1986
- Emily Louisa McDermott. Born 25 Jan 1897. Married Sydney Walter Jessop in 1914. Died 17 Dec 1993
- Arthur James McDermott. Born 24 Apr 1899. Married Esther H McGuiness in 1930. Died 1973
- Annie McDermott. Born 1901. Married George L Thomson in 1920. Died 1989
- Mary Josephine McDermott. Born 3 Mar 1903. Married Thomas Henry Saunders. Died 1969
- Sydney Leo McDermott. Born 1905. Died 1930
The frequent moves would seem to indicate that the family followed work, confirming that whilst recorded as a Stockman at a number of his childrens births, Patrick was most likely a itinerant farm labourer.
It appears that he and Louisa cease to live together some time before 1909 as in the front cover of Louisa Jane's bible, where in the front cover there is record of the birth of two addition children children -
- Eva Dorris Bender born 13 May 1909
- David William Bender born 3 Sep 1912.
We know from Thomas's WWI enlistment papers that Patrick was living at Tweed Heads - Outside of this small insight, little is known about Patrick's until his death on 20 July 1929 in Murwillumbah, NSW.
Inner Sydney in the 1860s and the Industrial Schools Act
Paddingtion was located between the centre of the Sydney, and the Victoria Barracks, it was still bushland until the Victoria Barracks was built there in 1841. The township to service the Barracks grew up and the population booms. By 1860 it was municipality in its own right, and by 1863 it could boast 535 dwelling houses, predominantly for workers services construction such as the reservoir and roads or the wealthy gentlemen of the surrounding 'hill' suburbs.
The 1850s and 1860 was a period of significant social change in Sydney. There was a rapid growth of slum areas in inner Sydney following the end of the gold rush, populations flowed back to the urban area, creating an accommodation shortage and increased competition for employment. These conditions often resulted in a culture of poverty, with family breakdown - including alcohol and violence - , social collapse and high death rates from infectious diseases caused by unsanitary condition. The consequence was increasing numbers of destitute, abused or neglected children left to fend for themselves.
These children survived via guile and resourcefulness, their every experiences included sleeping out rough, street hawking, scavenging, begging, petty crime, street prostitution and and collecting food scraps from the city markets. Physical and sexual abuse were commonplace.
The community out-cry at this situation resulted in the NSW government passing the Industrial Schools Act in 1866. This act established the Nautical School Ship aboard the Vernon in 1867, which was inaugurated on th 17th April 1867, with the first boys received on 20 May.
The Vernon Nautical School provided residential care for of neglected, destitute or vagrant boys until they reached 18 years, if discharge for apprenticeship outside did not take place before that time.
The Vernon was located in the harbour near Cockatoo Island and involved the complete institutionalisation - including a structured curriculum of religious instruction, moral, industrial, and nautical training, as well as elementary schooling - aboard the ship
The boys had a garden on Cockatoo Island where they grew their own food. Their daily timetable consisted of schooling, training, drill and work with other structured time for sports and recreation.
The objective of the program was to turn the boys into useful, worthy and morally upright adult members of society.
In February, 1867, she was fitted up for a nautical school under the Industrial Schools Act of 1866, and inaugurated on the 17th of April, 1867. The first boys were received on board on the 20th of May the same year.
Since then 697 have passed through the books, and 452 have been apprenticed to various callings, principally as farm and general servants. The first apprentice went to sea and is still following that profession.
The demand for shore work, far exceeds that for the sea, unless the grown lads were permitted to join the navy, when all that are available would be taken up for that service. The majority of these apprenticed have turned out well ; some are in Queensland and Victoria, but generally scattered over New South Wales working for themselves. Nearly all the reports from masters who have apprentices are favourable.
The work of the ship commences in summer at 4.30 a.m., and in winter at 6 a.m ; breakfast at 7 a.m ; half the boys to school at 9 a.m., the other half to trades and ship's work ; dinner at noon. At 1 p.m. the half who were at work go to school, and those who were at school in the forenoon go to work, except on Wednesday forenoon, when there is general sail drill and on Saturdays clean ship.
On Sunday, weather permitting, two divisions of boys are landed and march to church, under the charge of officers; the Presbyterian Church send teachers in the afternoon for religious instruction to the Protestant boys. On Friday morning they are examined at the guns, and occasionally they are landed on Cockatoo and drilled with rifles
Articles on Pedestrianism
The sporting folks of Dubbo had a treat on the 18th Instant in the shape of a twelve-hours' walking match for a stake of £20 aside, between Thomas Meagher, of Bourke, and Patrick McDermott, of Dubbo. The conditions of the match were that the men should walk from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and whoever covered the most ground then to be the winner. Neither men had much time for preparation, it being only a fortnight since the match was made, so that the winner must be credited with having done a very fair performance. He stands 6ft high, has a capital chest, about 50 years of age, and has a thin and wiry appearance, while his opponent is 27 years younger and about the same height. Meagher is reported to br a regular old bushman who has spent the best part of his life in carrying his swag from one end to the other of New South Wales ; it being currently reported that his last performance was walking from Bourne to Dubbo, 300 miles, in six days, which, if true, in my opinion, outrivals tho great O'Leary's feats, for there is some difference between the inland roads of Australia and a made track in the Agricultural Hall at Islington. There were two rings to walk upon, tho outer one, which measured 275yds 2ft 6in, being chosen by Meagher, and McDermott's, which was the inner, 269yds. Tho start was made precisely at 7 o'clock, tho youthful walker going off at a smart pace, while tho old 'un was quite content with the usual bushman's swing. At 1 o'clock, six hours, M'Dermott had covered 31 miles 185 yards, the bushman only having placed 28 miles to his credit, and still going at tho pace he started. At half-past 2 M'Dermott. who had been, most injudiciously allowed by his friends to drink any quantity of water, together with brandy, sherry, and bread and meat, fainted, but his older opponent, who had partaken of a few raw eggs, now commenced to gain. After a quarter of an hour M'Dermott came on the track, and walked well, and, at 4 o'clock, was 800 yards ahead,- but the old 'un was not to be shaken off, and, at tbe end of tho next hour, had decreased it to 640, and. at 6, despite M'Dermott's spurt, was only 400, and doing his laps in two minutes. Soon after 6 M'Dermott was apparently beaten, and very soon his head fell towards his shoulders, his muscles collapsed, and he fell, on the course, after going 52 miles 6 furlongs 145 yards. Meagher, who was only 310. yards behind, kept going on at the old pace till a quarter to 7. when he eased off a Ittle, and at 7 o'clock had completed 366 laps-55 miles 1532 yards-amidst great cheering. According to report he was not muon distressed by his performance, for it is said he danced a hornpipe half an hour after, and was walking round the town at 10 o'clock; and then expressed his willingness to walk to Murrumbidgerie, fifteen miles off, if anyone would pay him a fiver about it. What makes the performance so good was the great heat of the day, the thermometer registering 136deg., of which the men had the full benefit. M'Dermott's performance of over 31 miles in six hours was no mean one on such a day, and he has since challenged to walk anyone living within eighty miles of Dubbo. It is said that Meagher was.only just off a."big spree," in fact was hardly right when he walked, and will back himself to walk 60 miles in twelve hours.
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