Friends of the Orphan Schools
William Callaghan, aged 12 years with his two sisters Mary Ann 16 years & Sarah Jane 10, arrived in Hobart Town with their convict mother Eliza Callaghan on the 'Lord Auckland' on 20 January 1849. Eliza had been tried in County Down for stealing wearing apparel and had been sentenced to 10 years transportation.
On arrival the three children were admitted into the orphanage where it was noted their father's name was Michael Callaghan. William remained in the orphanage until October 1851 when he was apprenticed to Mr Joseph R....? of Lamden?.
William Callaghan, a baker, married Catherine Quinn at St Joseph's Church in Hobart Town on 11 December 1854. Catherine also known as White, was tried at Kings County Ireland on 21 July 1851 for larceny and arrived on the 'Martin Luther' in September 1852. (CON41/1/35) William & Catherine had five children born between 1856 to 1864. Two sons died when only two years old with another son William John aged 9 was accidently killed at Daniels Bay on Bruny Island when a tree fell on him in December 1869. The family moved to Launceston where their eldest son James married Selina Caroline Ballard, the daughter of James Ballard and Ellen nee Crowley, on 1 September 1879, and their daughter Eliza married Robert William Croft in Fingal in 1878.
At some stage William & catherine plus James & selina moved to Derby in the North East of Tasmania where William & James worked at the Briseis Tin Mine. Catherine Callaghan, aged 80 years died at Derby on 24 July 1897, her husband William was the informant of her death, she was interred in the Branxholm Cemetery. (Laun Examiner 6 Aug 1897)
William Callaghan died at his daughter's residence, 23 Albion Road Invermay, on 23 June 1918. He was buried in the Carr Villa Cemetery in Launceston in an unmarked grave.