Railey Gardam arrived in NSW aboard the "Herefordshire" in December 1853, aged 20. He was brought to Sydney by the Sydney Railway Company to work on the Sydney to Parramatta Railway which opened in 1855.
He met Elizabeth Walters at Cadia, the site of a copper mine and a copper smelter, marrying in 1862. Around 1867/8 the world price for copper declined and while the women stayed in Cadia, their men left to find work.
In 1876, Elizabeth Gardam nee Walters remarried in Newcastle, giving her conjugal status as "widowed" and her age as 31 (she was really 34). She never signed her name to any documents e.g. wedding and children's birth certificates which could suggest she was unsure about whether her first husband, Railey, was alive or dead.
In fact, Gardam had been living with Mary Jane McNamara near Gulgong and was charged with her murder at Yamble in 1873. The couple had produced two children:
- Stephen Gardam (NSW BDM 12951/1870)
- James Gardasm (NSW BDM 19124/1872)
After Railey Gardam was charged and presumably imprisoned awaiting trial, the two little boys were placed in care.
NEWS ITEMS
Railey Gardam charged with the murder of May Jane McNamara, with whom he had been living as man and wife, at Yamble, Lowe’s Station on the Mudgee River, on the night of 30th December. The rum bottle was at the bottom of the mischief and it was proved from the man’s own admissions to his friends that he had struck the woman several blows on the evening of her death.
Dr. Ramsay stated the results of the post mortem showed the injuries cased by the beating was the cause of death. Remanded to Mudgee Sessions.
Source: Gulgong Guardian, Issue No 145, 4 January 1873
Source: New South Wales Police Gazette and Weekly Record of Crime (Sydney : 1860 - 1930) Wed 15 Jan 1873 [Issue No.3] Page 23
Source: New South Wales Police Gazette and Weekly Record of Crime (Sydney : 1860 - 1930) Wed 12 Feb 1873 [Issue No.7] Page 53
1873 - STATE RECORDS
GARDEM Railey
Criminal Indictments Index 1863-1919
Citation: NRS 13492 [9/2630 p.114]; Reel 1860 |
1873 - POLICE NOTES
Transcription
369
Record
25/1/73
Henry Garden 5 years
“ __ destitute his mother dead (murdered) and his father in gaol under committal for trial for murder"
Gulgong 17 January 1873
T A Browne PM
Henry Tebbutt __
Age 5 years _ Protestant_ Henry alias Robert
Source: New South Wales Police Gazette and Weekly Record of Crime (Sydney : 1860 - 1930) Wed 12 Feb 1873 [Issue No.7] Page 53
1873 - STATE RECORDS
GARDEM Railey
Criminal Indictments Index 1863-1919
Citation: NRS 13492 [9/2630 p.114]; Reel 1860 |
Offence: Murder |
Place of Trial: Mudgee Circuit Court |
Sentence: To be imprisoned in Mudgee Gaol for 48 hours
|
Number |
INX-86-4975 |
|
Title |
GARDEM Railey |
|
Index Name |
Criminal
Indictments Index 1863-1919 |
|
Name |
Railey |
|
Surname |
GARDEM |
|
Index
Number |
86 |
|
ECommerce |
Category B |
|
Offence |
Murder |
|
Place of
Trial |
Mudgee
Circuit Court |
|
Verdict |
Guilty of
manslaughter |
|
Sentence |
To be
imprisoned in Mudgee Gaol for 48 hours |
|
Judge |
STEPHEN |
|
Citation |
NRS 13492
[9/2630 p.114]; Reel 1860 |
|
Date of
Trial |
17 Apr 1873 |
Source: NSW state archives: criminal indictments index
Transcription
369
Record
25/1/73
Henry Garden 5 years
“ __ destitute his mother dead (murdered) and his father in gaol under committal for trial for murder"
Gulgong 17 January 1873
T A Browne PM
Henry Tebbutt __
Age 5 years _ Protestant_ Henry alias Robert
Police Department
Mudgee 23.1.73
Mems
Thos H Weble
Sergeant
___ and in ___ ___ ______
The Sup.t
Ships V-----
Returned from the Industrial School for girls 14 November 1874
Mudgee 23.1.73
Mems
Charles Gardem the father of the two boys forwarded from Gulgong Bench has informed the Gaolers at Mudgee that the eldest boy’s name is Robert and the younger Stephen.
Charles Gardem is now awaiting trial on a charge of murdering the mother of the boys with whom he lived in a state of adultery.
Sergeant
___ and in ___ ___ ______
The Sup.t
Ships V-----
Returned from the Industrial School for girls 14 November 1874
Source: Gregory Archbold
