A sense of duty : the Clerkes, an Anglo Irish family in colonial Tasmania

The story of an Anglo-Irish family the Clerkes concentrates mainly around Alexander Clerke (1804-1877) and his wife Frances Gretrude Sweetnam (1805-1881) who freely immigrated from Southern Ireland to Van Diemen's Land in the late 1820's. The Clerkes were from a comfortable professional, well connected (middle class rather than gentry) family from Skibbereen, County Cork. Alexander Clerke trained as a engineer and an elder brother, Thomas became a Judge and lawyer in New York, USA. Another brother, Dr Jonathan migrated with the newly wed Alexander and Frances Clerke in 1828 on the Letitia. Mrs Frances Clerke arrived alone following the ship wreck of the Letitia after gaining significant help from British Government. The Clerke brothers returned to Europe to claim compensation. Mrs Frances Clerke was briefly the matron of the Female Orphan School in Hobart. Dr Jonathan Clerke became the first assistant Colonial Surgeon at Westbury but by the late 1830's had moved to Victoria where he prospered and returned to Ireland. The Clerkes initially gained land grants of 2000 acres. They built up large land holdings and their wealth grew by grazing sheep and cattle, cultivation of the land as well as buying and selling of property, lending out money and leasing out of their many farming properties. In looking after their own interests significant interactions with convict servants and their fellow, often Anglo Irish, settlers occurred. Alexander Clerke in the 1850's became prominent in local and colonial public affairs, in and out of Parliament. He had long served his class very well, being appointed a Justice of the Peace in 1837. Clerke was involved with the great political movement of the time - the issue of the transportation of convicts. Whilst at first a pro transportationist, he changed his mind. His parliamentary career didn't include a ministry but it was eventful and influential variously serving in each house beginning in 1854 and up to 1874. A highlight was the Council extension bill. Another highlight was when he was asked, but declined to form a ministry in 1872. Railway issues were very significant throughout his political career. In contrast to their successful business and public life the Clerkes suffered many family tragedies. They had ten children, nine (4s 5d) surviving to adulthood. Their eldest son William (1832-1896) suffered from religious mania. Their second son John Sweetnam Clerke (1835-1874), a master mariner died tragically. The children, maybe as expected, married into the colonial aristocracy. A daughter Ellen Elizabeth(1839-1875) became the wife of R. J. Archer, dying at the age of 36. The third son Thomas Moriarty Clerke (1837-1891) whilst a youth nearly died in a Longford flood.