My hypothesis is Bernard had two children (Louisa and George) with Sara Fitt, the widow of Dungog publican James Stephenson (mentioned in the extract). The only doubt cast on this assertion is that Fitzsimmons would have been around 68 when he fathered my 3rd great grandfather George Henry Stephenson* in Dungog but supposedly living in in Victoria. The author, Paul Burke says this is unlikely but not impossible. After all, Bernard did live to 83, which was way above the median age at the time. Not sure why he would have been back in NSW.
* George Stephenson was born to Sarah Fitt on 6 March 1869. There are anomalies with his birth and death registration – all of which point to his father being Irish convict Bernard Fitzsimmons. For a start, the person most credited with being his father, James Stephenson, died three years before George was born. Also, there are two birth certificates, both with the same number but different names – George H Fitt and George H Stephenson. His death certificate shows his mother to be Sarah Fitt and the father James Stephenson (impossible). Record-keeping was not the best in those days and people often gave false or misleading information, particularly when family identity was important. My paternal grandmother was the first of nine children and born out of wedlock. She kept her identity secret for many years.
Bernard Fitzsimmons’ mother Sarah Fitt & Bernard Fitzsimmons
Fitzsimmons was defrauding Sarah’s husband, James Stephenson, owner of the Dungog Inn.
George Henry Stephenson’s nickname was Fitzy and he had many scars from brawling. Bernard was a known brawler and was also scarred. Fitzy could be short for Fitzsimmons or Fitt.
Both Sarah and Bernard served time in Maitland Jail: Sarah six months in 1865, Bernard three years from 1849.
Inconsistencies in the two birth certificates (as mentioned). Research on George Stephenson provided by the Allgood family shows the discrepancies (below).
George Henry Stephenson’s death certificate (16 Feb 1951) lists his mother as Sarah Fitzsimmons. Now that’s interesting.
From a timeline I constructed, containing my documents and the author’s passages, there is a 15-year gap of his life in Victoria, from 1859 (Bernard is mentioned as a stand-in publican in Bendigo) to 1874. In that time (1869, the same year his son George was born) Bernard was listed as having a NSW timber-cutting licence at Dungog.
Conclusion
It’s possible Bernard did move to Victoria with his son but returned to NSW some time after 1859 (reasons unknown), then returned south some time after the birth of his son, George Henry, in 1869.
The following timeline is a collection of information from Paul Burke’s book and documents I researched.
Timeline of Bernard’s Fitzsimmons’ life
1796 • Birth, Dublin, Ireland
1818 • On trial for possession of forged notes. Held in Kilmainham Jail, Dublin. Not guilty
1821 • Residence, Lavey, Cavan, Ireland
1824 • Birth of child Thomas Fitzsimmons, County Cavan, Ireland
1838 • Trial (19 Jul), Kings County (Offaly), Ireland. In possession of forged notes. 14 years.
1838 • Departure on 8 Sept from Dublin on board The Elphinstone
1838 • Arrived Sydney 29 Dec
EIGHT-YEAR GAP
1846 • Received Ticket of Leave on 14 Sep 1846 at Dungog. To remain in service of John Fletcher at Branga Plains on the Hastings River for a further 12 months.
1848 • Trial committal (16 Sept) at Maitland for forged notes.
1849 • (15 Feb) Verdict. Guilty. Three years in Maitland Gaol.
1850 • Gaol discharge 1 December.
1852 • Ship to Melbourne (March). B and T Fitzsimmons on board the Diana. No date found.
1852 • Certificate of Freedom, 21 Dec.*
SEVEN-YEAR GAP
1859 • Bendigo, Stand-in publican.
EIGHT-YEAR GAP
1867 • Birth of daughter, Louisa, in Dungog. She died the same year.
1869 • Birth of George Henry (Stephenson/Fitt), Dungog, 6 March.
1869 • Timber-cutting licence, Dungog.
FIVE-YEAR-GAP
1874 • Court appearance at Woodend for abusive language on 20 Jan.
1874 • In court at Woodend on 25 Feb, prosecuting a woman for threatening him.
1874 • Death of Thomas Fitzsimmons, 8 Aug 1874, Carlton, Melbourne.
1876 • Sale of a property to Bernard challenged in court.
1877 • In court at Woodend, prosecuting a aMrs Hughes for threatening language.
1879 • Seeks entry to Benevolent Asylum. Entry was challenged and denied in April.
1879 • Death, 12 Jul 1879, Carlton (Melbourne Asylum).
* (NB: Would he have been able to go to Victoria before being granted a NSW Ticket of Leave?).
