Date of Conviction: 29/03/1823

Age at Conviction: 28

Crime Convicted of: Uttering Forged Notes

Court Convicted at: Lancaster Assizes (held at Lancaster Castle)

Sentence Length: Life

Ship Transported on: Brothers

Where Arrived: Hobart, Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania)

Departure Date: 20/11/1823

Arrival Date: 15/04/1824

Biography: Catherine, along with Margaret Boyle and had uttered three forged £1 notes claiming to be from the bank of Flintshire and Holywell at Liverpool to a William Lace. They had been part of an organised group with four other men and women who were equally convicted at Chester for their involvement. Their death sentences were reprieved on condition of transportation for life.

Whilst in Lancaster Castle, Catherine was recorded as ”Says she was born at Ballmakenny near Drogheda, Ireland, fresh complexion, hazel eyes, brown hair, thin face, small mouth, single. Has been in Liverpool for three years. Pregnant with her brother in law’s child. Sister is Margaret Kelly who is now in Millbank. Death sentence reprieved”.

Reformer Elizabeth Fry recorded witnessing that ‘Eleven women from Lancaster were sent to the ship ‘iron-hooped round their legs and arms, and chained to each other. The complaints of these women were very mournful, they were not allowed to get up or down from the coach without the whole being dragged together; some of them had children to carry, they received no help, or alleviation to their suffering.’

Catherine came onboard with her new baby, it was extremely emaciated due to lack of nourishment. She was described as indolent and didn’t have much milk by the ship’s surgeon. Despite the ‘hospital woman’ taking care of the baby, it died on Christmas Eve 1823.

In Van Diemen’s Land, Catherine married convict Joseph Southall (Countess of Harcourt) in February 1827 at Hobart and she can be seen in musters in 1832, 35 and 41. Catherine eventually received a ticket of leave in 1845 but this was revoked in 1853. It is not clear what happened at this stage.