THE MYSTERY OF MARY ANNE BARRY John McNamara, Mary Anne Barry and ten year old son James followed the flocks of the pioneer pastoralists from New South Wales into Queensland around 1850. They toiled as shepherds, shearers and drovers but how they got there and where they came from is a complete mystery. Were they convicts, free settlers, bounty immigrants and did they leave other family members in New South Wales to make a new start in the Moreton Bay Colony.  The earliest Queensland record places the McNamara family at Jondaryan Woolshed in 1864, almost fifteen years after their arrival in the Colony. The McNamara family's early years like Mary Anne Barry are shrouded in mystery and continue to frustrate family researchers. FINDING THE FAMILY FLOCK Mary Anne Barry the family matriarch remains an enigma. Her name has been confirmed only twice in official records. Once on her son James' wedding certificate and again on his death certificate. Was she one of the fresh faced female immigrants who sailed to the other side of world on the promise of a job and the hope of a husband - the mystery remains.  James McNamara claims Mary Anne gave birth to him in Pitt Street Sydney on the 9th August 1841 but no record has ever been found to corroborate the claim. And was he the only child of John and Mary Anne McNamara . The mystery of Mary Anne Barry, John MacNamara and their life in colonial Queensland between 1850 - 1860 is as intriguing as it is perplexing. THE SEARCH FOR McNAMARA HISTORY Much is known about James McNamara, Mary Fuller and their children after 1867 but the origin of John McNamara and Mary Anne Barry remains hidden from family researchers. Is the answer to the Mary Barry mystery in the 1894 Death Certificate of Scottish born Mary McNamara nee Wilson and her marriage to John MacNamara in Belfast Ireland about 1840. This web site provides all Birth, Marriage and Death records of James McNamara Senior's family in the hope that any other descendants of Mary Anne Barry and John McNamara might recognize a forgotten branch of their family tree. Someone has the key to unlock the mystery of Mary Anne Barry, her family, her origin and her fate.
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Family photographs and information on this web site have been generously provided from "The Kitty Creevey Collection" by Kevin Creevey, Jandowae - Queensland and the McNamara Family's "Strathgyle Archives", Bell - Queensland. Copyright © 2009 John A McNamara. All rights reserved.