Mudgee Gaoler, William Reardon alias Robinson

When I was looking at the Mudgee Gaol, I was trying to find out a little more about this fellow

and why he had an alias because after all, he was appointed Gaoler in Mudgee. Initially I looked at gaol records and any news articles of the period. He was arrested for cattle stealing in 1873, attending Mudgee Court on the 18 June of that year. He, along with two others, Stephen Malone and Edward John Greenwood attended court where they were bound over till the 16 September 1873. William had to pay £100 while the others paid £50. The reason for the delay was given as the absence of a material witness for the prisoners.

Then in September , the court decided not to proceed with the case.

William was born on the 19 September 1835 in Richmond, NSW, to Robert Charles Reardon (1800-) and Catherine Kenny (1815-1884), he was an only child. His father was a convict, Robert was convicted in York in 1825, arriving in Australia in 1827. His mother, Catherine, arrived as a free woman along with her mother, in New South Wales aboard the 'Almorah' on the 20 August1824. It was not known when his father died but his mother remarried, William Robinson (1802-1855) on the 9 June 1841 in Bathurst and went on to have ten more children.

Catherine Kenny’s parents were Charles Kenny (1794-1841) and Ann May (1787-1864).

William Robinson’s parents, John Robinson (1758-1832) died, possibly of cholera, on the hulk Granymede at Chatham docks after being convicted in York. William’s mother was Ellen Ann Hargraves, together they had seven children.

It would appear that William was ‘adopted’ by William Robinson, so at times he used both

names. His parents moved to Ulan, near Mudgee to a property called The Lagoons where

William died. After the death of William Robinson at Ulan, Catherine opened a boarding house in Ulan, near Mudgee.

This photograph was taken at Ulan in 1893 and shows L-R. Twins, Clara and Flo, Jack, unknown, Annie (sitting), Nette (standing), Victor Harding, Bert Harding, unknown on horse, Elsie and lastly unknown.

William’s mother Catherine died at Ulan and was buried in the Mudgee Cemetery.

William Reardon married Margaret Langton and had three children, Thomas, John and Mary. After the death of Langton, he met and married Margaret Luney (1836-1922) in Windsor in 1858. He gave his occupation as famer at Richmond Bottoms (possibly near Reedy Creek). Margaret’s parents were Frederick Looney (different spelling) (1796-1861) and Johanna Noonan (1804-1892). Both convicts, Frederick arrived in 1821 and Johanna, 1830. Together they had five children. Before this marriage Johanna was married to John Brown/Stiltion (convict 1801-1835) and delivered twins Jane and Sarah in the Female Factory, Parramatta.

Margaret Luney

William and Margaret moved to Mudgee where he took up the post of Gaoler with Margaret becoming Matron on the 31 October 1862. Together they had six children, four born Reedy Creek, one Mudgee and one Cassilis.

His was charged with unlawfully and negligently permitting Joseph Hewitt to escape from Mudgee Gaol in July 1863 and is discussed in the book.

He left employment at the Mudgee Gaol and was arrested for burglary in 1868 in Denilliquin but not gaoled. In 1873 he was again arrested for cattle stealing in Mudgee but not gaoled. A very lucky escapes for him.

William died on the 1 September 1909 in Glen Innes, NSW and Margaret 1922 in Sydney and is buried at Rookwood Cemetery Sec. M2, Row 9, Plot 509.