COAL RIVER HISTORY

Convict and Settler.  Born circa 1774.  Political prisoner from Roscommon, tried in March 1798.  Catholic stonemason and bricklayer.  Arrived in Sydney aboard Minerva on 11^th January 1800.  Later that year Gavin informed on the August conspiracy of the United Irishmen in New South Wales and was sent to Norfolk Island where he remained until 1808.  Arrived in Van Diemen's Land 2^nd March 1808.  He received an absolute pardon in 1810.  In 1816 Gavin was described as being a bricklayer.¹  Original land grant of 30 acres made in 1819-1821 was at the Coal River in the Parish of Ulva.  Gavin was granted an additional 200 acres in the Parish of Staffa on 18^th February 1824.  This land later became Ticehurst.  In 1826 Gavin was living in "Mr Kearneys' Villa", which was probably a house on Rosebank.  District Constable until 1826 when he was dismissed.

Gavin captured a sheep thief, one O'Hara, on the Macquarie River (at Stirling's, a receiver of stolen sheep) and shot him dead when he attempted to escape.

Gavin appears to have had a business partnership with Catherine Kearney, running stock at St. Paul's Plains.

In February 1825 Catherine Kearney and Roger Gavin published a notice cautioning:
"all Persons from Purchasing either Horses, Sheep, or Horned Cattle, now running at St. Paul's Plains the property of the Undersigned, as no Person has authority from them to dispose in any Manner of any Property of theirs."
"ROGER GAVIN"
"CATHERINE KEARNEY"²

Gavin purchased land in Richmond fronting both Torrens Street (Sewell's land) and Bathurst Street (Lowes' land) from Thomas Yardley Lowes and John Sewell on 20^th May 1837.  The house Emerald Cottage would have been built in this 1837-39 period. Gavin died circa 1839. The Colonial Times of 5^th February 1839 advertised the late Roger Gavin's property in Richmond for sale:
"Family Residence & Premises, Building Allotments, Stock, Household Furniture, &c. &c., At Richmond. The property of the late Mr. Roger Gavin, deceased."
Lot one comprised "a Very substantial, well-finished and commodious Brick Dwelling-house, newly built and finished in the best possible manner, without regard to expense, comprising four spacious rooms in the ground floor, and two bedrooms upstairs; together with an outer kitchen, three-stall stable, with loft over, dairy, cow-sheds, &c. The whole forming the most complete Premises in Richmond, and situate in the centre of the Township."

The other lots comprised: (2) "An Allotment adjoining, with fowl house, piggeries, &c. thereon erected."; (3) "An Allotment at the back of Lot 1, fronting Bathurst Street."; (4) "A neat Cottage and Premises in the same street, nearly adjoining."; and (5) "A valuable Parcel of Land, comprising nearly two acres, next to the Pound."

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¹ SRNSW CSO Fiche 3261; 4/433 pp.111-12 2 February 1816.
² Colonial Times, 17 February 1825, p.1, c.1.

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