Reilly Family History

Francis Henry Byrne

Summary

name: Francis Henry Byrne
born: 1798 Edinburgh, Scotland
parents: Philip Henry Byrne & Frances (Fanny) Balfour
wife: Anna Matilda Norcott
married: 6 Sep 1826 in Saint Mary Magdalene, Richmond, Surrey, England
immigrated: 12 Mar 1830 to WA on the Warrior, aged 31

Reilly Relation

Francis Henry Byrne is linked to the Reilly ancestors through his marriage to Anna Matilda Norcott, the sister of Charles Norcott.

His Parents

This branch of the Byrne family originally came from County Sligo, Ireland, descendant from James Byrne of Mullaghmore. Some of the family migrated to Durham, England, and in the 1790s a son, Philip Henry Byrne joined the Durham Fencibles. This regiment was stationed in Perth (Scotland) for a while. In 1797, Philip Henry Byrne married Frances (Fanny) Balfour (of Fernie, Fife) on the 12th February in Monimail, Fife, Scotland (ref: 3). Philip and Fanny had a son Francis Henry Byrne, born 1798 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Philip died in India in 1814, and his widow Fanny continued to live in Fife with her father.

Army Service

Francis Henry Byrne served as a British army officer. He first appeared on the 1817 Army List as an ensign in the 77th (East Middlesex) Regiment of Foot with regimental date of rank 23 May 1816. The 1823 Army List showed that Francis had transferred to the Rifle Brigade as a first lieutenant with regimental date of rank 7 November 1822 and army rank 7 February 1822. In 1823 he was stationed with the Rifle Brigade in Kinsale, Co. Cork. The 1826 Army List had him listed as captain in the Rifle Brigade with date of rank 10 September 1825, being captain of the 2nd Battalion. (ref 1)

Francis would have been introduced to his wife through his links with the Rifle Brigade, as his wife's father was a Major in the Rifle Brigade.

Francis married Anna Matilda Norcott, daughter of British army officer, Sir Amos Godsill Norcott, on the 6th of September 1826, at Saint Mary Magdalene Church, in Richmond, Surrey, England.

Francis last appears in the 1830 Army List as having resigned his commission "since last publication" (so he probably resigned in 1829). (ref 1). Having retired, he took his family with him to Australia.

Western Australia

Francis, his wife and children traveled to the new colony of Swan River in Western Australia, arriving on the 'Warrior' in March 1830. Anna's brother Charles was also on the same ship.

His jobs in the new colony included harbour master for a short time at Fremantle in 1830 (resignation accepted 16 Nov 1830). He was also the first acting Res. Magistrate at York, and JP for Lower Swan. Francis is mentioned in the 1832 census as a retired officer and agriculturist.

He is also mentioned in other historical documents. In March 1834 he signed a letter to the Governor Stirling from the Murray regarding the natives, and later in 1834 he signed a petition for military protection. He was also contracted to supply meat to the government in 1834.

Land Grants and ' Belmont'

Having brought servants and goods to the new colony, Francis qualified to select 11,000 acres in the Avon district (granted on 25/11/1830), 1932 acres in the Swan district (100 acres on 8 April 1831, 1832 acres on 31 May 1831) and 10 acres at Rottnest Island (19 July 1832). He later held grants at Toodyay and Murray. He is mentioned in the 1837 census of York, where he had selected 13,343 acres in return for surrender of his Swan lands, a deficiency still remaining in his favour.

The European discovery of the fertile Avon valley was made by Ensign Dalein August 1830. Many early colonists were dissatisfied with the land which had been assigned to them along the Swan and Canning Rivers, deeming them to be unsuitable for crops and grazing. Dale's enthusiastic report of the valley persuaded Governor Stirling to throw open the district for immediate settlement and selection in November 1830. The site for the new town of York was to be laid out near Mt. Bakewell and sites for two additional towns (Beverley and Northam) were also to be reserved. The first grant in this new area was made to Francis Henry Byrne in November 1830. Other settlers soon followed Byrne in requesting land in the new area. The first settlers arrived in the district in September 1831.

The modern day Perth suburb of Belmont is where the race course is located. The name comes from one of the granted properties in the area, established in 1830, that was held by Francis Byrne. He was owner of a grant named 'Belmont Farm' on the left bank of the Swan River between Perth and Guildford, which he had owned since about May 1830, an which he still owned four years later (Perth Gazette 10 May 1834). It is believed he named it 'Belmont' after his English estate. Belmont was amongst some of the first land to be divided into allocations by Governor Stirling. and was allocated Swan Location 34 (1832 acres) in 1831.

Byrne moved around the colony quite frequently, and 'Belmont' was occupied by John Hancock and his family, who had come out to Australia with Byrne (John was indentured as a carpenter to Captain Byrne and leased his grant "Belmont" on the Swan River. He was granted a hotel licence in 1832 for the "Mermaid". He and his sons worked as sawyers and he was permitted to select 640 acres. He only took up 100 acres of his land allocation in the Avon district in 1832) . Hancock was the proprietor of the 'Mermaid' Tavern, situated on 'Belmont'. At the time of the census in 1832, Hancock was living at 'Belmont', and Byrne at Guildford.

Captain Byrne later sold the area to John Hardey who had already established "Grove Farm" on the banks of the Swan river. In 1848, Hardey allowed the first race meeting to be held of "Grove Farm" alongside the Swan River. The site of Hardey's farm soon became Perth's permanent race course and the racing industry grew up around it. In 1880, John's son, Robert  built a mansion on "Grove Farm"  which he later called "Belmont House".

Returning to England

His wife and their children departed from Western Australia back to England via Mauritius on 29 March or 1 April 1837 on the ship Shepherd (announced in the Perth Gazette), while Francis himself departed the next year in September 1838 also on the Shepherd, going to England via Batavia (announced in the Gazette 25/8/1838).

In 1841, the UK census lists Frances Henry Byrne and his children living at the Royal Military Asylum in Chelsea, England. On July 1st, 1847, Francis retired from the Royal Military Asylum upon a military allowance (ref 4).

Possible Ancestor

References