Roses from the Heart bonnet tributes to King Island
Group photo included shows from left to right:
Linda Payne, myself - Christina Henri, Janine Bayne and Lindy McAllister (née Davis).
One of our group, Kate Powell, took this photograph during the Mocktail Party. This was the final event of my Roses from the Heart, Bonnets and Boats Exhibition run in conjunction with Liz Virtue, Glen Derwent; potter Lee Farrell and members of the Wooden Boat Guild of Tasmania.
I am indebted to Rob Virtue for the use of his wooden dinghy in which the bonnets acknowledging the women travelling aboard the Neva were placed. I deliberately chose the Glen Derwent verandah for the âfarewellâ ceremony. Standing on the wooden boards with the sky in sight, the cold air closing in and wind gusts manifesting helped create more of an affinity with the elements.
The group photo enclosed was taken at the completion of Sharon Hutchison reading aloud each name of the women and children aboard the ill-fated Neva. Sharon is one of my Roses from the Heart bonnet making group that meets regularly at Glen Derwent. Throughout the Bonnets and Boats Exhibition Sharon and fellow group member, Ruth Binny, performed a short play that looked at the Neva experience though the eyes of two survivors, Rose Ann Dunn (referred to in the play as âRosieâ) and Ann Cullen.
Sharon has a lovely soft accent, perfect for the solemness of the occasion as she read out the women and their childrenâs names. A Canadian, Sharon hails from the Maritimes Region of Eastern Canada (most specifically Nova Scotia and Newfoundland). Living on Newfoundland, Sharon had a connection by way of place, to the transportation era via the Duke of Leinster voyage that left Dublin in 1789 with 102 convict men and boys and 12 convict women. The captain landed most of the contingent of convicts at Bay Bulls on July 15th and the following day 17 more convicts disembarked at Petty Harbour, Newfoundland. Documentation shows a number of the convicts appeared to have been suffering from typhus.[1]This history deserves being told in detail as a separate story. Amongst the literature on the Duke of Leinsterwell researched articles such as Jerry Barristersâ Convict Transportation and the Colonial State in Newfoundland, 1789[2] were most insightful. In the context of this article I suspect readers would be surprised to learn that on the 24th October 1789, 74 of the men and six of the women were returned to England, sailing out of St Johnâs harbour, aboard the brig the Elizabeth and Clare. According to Barbara Hall[3] 23 of those [male] convicts were included amongst the consignment of convicts travelling aboard the Queen from Cobh, County Cork, Ireland in 1791, destination New South Wales, Australia.Roses from the Heart bonnet tributes have been created by Canadian women acknowledging the 12 Duke of Leinster women. These bonnets have been displayed in the Colchester Museum, Truro. Since the enclosed group photo was taken the Roses from the Heart bonnets remembering the Neva women and children have arrived safely on King Island, travelling across Bass Strait on the John Duigan. Linda Payne has now collected the bonnets and the two sponsored âconvict dollsâ. A massive thank you to Linda/ King Island Lions Club for taking on the custodianship of these particular bonnet tributes. Also enormous thanks to Kate Powell whose tailoring and embroidery skills shine through in each âconvict dollâ she creates from pre-loved porcelain dolls.It is a lovely coincidence that two of the Roses from the Heart bonnet makers who are part of my Glen Derwent, New Norfolk group have a relationship to King Island. They have both been keen to be involved in a tangible acknowledgment of the women and children aboard the ill-fated Neva through the sponsorship of a âconvict dollâ. Lindy McAllister counts herself fortunate to have been born on King Island. Her early childhood was spent on the island until the family moved away in the early 1950s, as she describes âto the big islandâ.
That sense of connection to oneâs place of birth has an enormous bearing for so many and for Lindy that is no exception.
Following my decision to present two âconvict dollsâ, one to the King Island Lions Club for permanent display at the Reekara Community Centre and one to the Historical Society for permanent exhibiting at the King Island Historical Museum[3] Lindy was very keen to be a sponsor. It is easy to see from the photo that she chose a fine doll from her own collection to be converted into a âconvict lassâ, representing 20 year old Rose Ann Dunn from Cavan. Rose Ann was one of the six convict women to survive the shipwreck.[4]
Since joining the bonnet making get-togethers at Glen Derwent Lindy has been fashioning captivating Roses from the Heart bonnet tributes integrating doillies and tablecloths as embellishment. Excitingly during this time she has become aware she has a female convict ancestor of her very own.
On reading Lindyâs words it is obvious this âconvict dollâ sponsorship is extremely meaningful to her.
âOn leaving the island in the 50âsâŠ. there was always a call for my birthplace. The opportunity arose in being involved with the honouring of these lost lasses by way of a memorial [âconvict dollâ].  In having a daughter of my own 34 years ago, I bought several porcelain heritage dolls for her. Now knowing they werenât exactly play toys I stored them away until now, I thought it would be poignant to donate this particular doll with the same character traits as [Rose Ann Dunn], being  a lasting tribute for Rosanne a survivor of the Neva.
An overwhelming heartfelt feeling of nostalgia in sending her home to my birthplace has taken a part of my heart with her. Safe passageâ.
Janine Bayne has a strong relationship with King Island and this bond inspired her to sponsor a âconvict dollâ acknowledging the life of 64 year old Johanna Galvin from Limerick. Johanna was amongst the 224 that did not survive the Neva catastrophe.
Janine was drawn to Johanna Galvinâs circumstances. A widow and mother of 5 daughters, from 3 Mary Street, Limerick there was no social welfare support to fall back on. Her husband dead and a large family to feed times must surely have been tough. Research shows Johanna obtained money and wearing apparel under false pretences resulting in a sentence of 7 years Transportation to the colonies. Two of Johannaâs daughters, 30 year old Johanna Sweeney and already widowed 28 year old Bridget Hayes along with her infant child were also sentenced to 7 years transportation at the same time. Two weeks later a third daughter, Ellen Galvin, aged 19 received a 7 year sentence. Fortunately for Johannaâs daughter Bridget she was not aboard the Neva. Bridget was transported aboard the Roslin Castle which arrived safely in New South Wales in 1836.
Neither Johanna Galvin nor her daughter Johanna Sweeney survived the wreck of the Neva. Â Daughter, Ellen Galvin was amongst the six female convict Neva survivors.
Janine Bayne moved to King Island with her late husband Peter in 1980. In the many years Janine was on the island she embroiled herself within community life. Amongst the list of endeavours she undertook Janine was the King Island Drama and Regional Arts Secretary and thespian. In a lovely link to the site where the Roses from the Heart bonnets remembering the Neva women and children will be exhibited, Janine once worked at the Reekara School as the office lady, teacher aide and library aide.
Over the years Janine and her friend Judy Cooper ran the Penny Wickham Tea Rooms and both ladies also ran a busy cottage business, King Island Naturals, making jumpers and childrenâs bootees from their very own Moorit bred sheep.
It is significant that the Bayne and Payne families have been friends since the 1980s making Linda Payneâs guardianship of the bonnets and the âconvict dollsâ on King Island special.
I am so grateful that Linda Payne understood my vision of having Roses from the Heart bonnet tributes to the Neva women and children exhibited permanently both in Cobh at the Cobh Heritage Centre and also on King Island. These token mementos mark the beginning and the end of the Nevaâs journey. The symbolic bonnets embody the feelings of the bonnet makers as they stitched and embellished fabric into a tactile offering, recognition that these women and their childrenâs lives mattered.
Within this particular collection of Roses from the Heart bonnets I am mindful that a mere six convict women lived out of the 159 women travelling on board the Neva in 1835. In this month of March, a month designated to remembering the history of women it seems relevant to reflect on Australiaâs second largest maritime disaster and be mindful of those who died. Also understanding that those who survived would have endured consequential trauma throughout their lives.
[1] colloquially referred to as gaol fever
[2] https://journals.lib.unb.ca/index.php/Acadiensis/article/view/10845/11667[3] Barbara Hall, The Irish Vanguard, The Convicts of the Queen, Ireland to Botany Bay, 1791, Barbara Hall, 2009, p xv
[3] Appreciation to Luke Agati for his interest in exhibiting âconvict dollâ representing Rose Ann Dunn
[4] In The Wreck of the Neva, Mercier Press, 2013, Cal McCarthy and Kevin Todd allocate an entire chapter, Chpt 13, pps 222-241 to âLife after the Nevaâ. Further information on the 6 surviving convict women is included.