CASSIDY FAMILY GATHERING
& REUNION
Join us at the Thornleigh Community Centre
on Sunday March 8th 2026
from 11:00am to 3:00pm
The reunions held in 2017 and 2019 were such great turnouts that we have decided to “do it all again” to include all descendants of our ancestors Sarah Murray and Cormack Cassidy.
The paper trail (genealogy) and DNA (genetics) show that Sarah and four of their five children came south from Monaghan, Ireland to the penal colonies of the Southern Hemisphere.
John Cassidy (1813-1879), the eldest child and only son was not the first to grace these shores. John, part of the military, landed in Hobart Town in 1842. He had married Maryanne Cundy (1813-1849) in Drogheda about 1832. John married Maryanne Lynch (1830-1905) in Hobart Town in January 1855.
Catherine Cassidy, the eldest daughter (1818-1850) arrived in Sydney on Christmas Day 1837, just after her mother, Sarah had married William Marsh. Catherine was the first of the Cassidy women to marry. She married Robert Vincin (1811-1861) in Maitland in November 1839.
Maryanne Cassidy (1826-1914), though not the youngest daughter, was the last to marry. She married John Lock in Hinton in early January 1845.
Elizabeth Cassidy (1829-1869), married her first husband, Thomas Cain, at St James’ Church Sydney the day before Christmas in 1844. This was less than two weeks earlier than the marriage of her sister Maryanne and John. In the winter of 1853, Elizabeth married William Swan (1819-1895) also in Sydney.
Our last “guesstimated” count shows that there are more than three and a half thousand folks in Australia who can claim “Cassidy Cousin” status! The size of our extended family makes it difficult to be in touch with everyone, so please pass this invitation to other family members. Bring your children, parents and grandparents and introduce them to their family history.
The Thornleigh Community Centre is situated on the corner of Phyllis Avenue and Central Avenue and is ideal for our gathering. It is fully enclosed, making it very child friendly. There is plenty of parking in the neighbourhood around the hall. The building is next door to Bunnings and to an IBIS hotel. It is a short ten minutes walk from the Thornleigh Railway Station, and Uber is available everywhere.
The hall has ample tables and chairs and a large kitchen to one side. Tea and coffee will be available all day long. Rather than interrupt our non-stop talking with a formal luncheon, please bring a simple plate for sharing.
The large family tree will be positioned centrally in the hall so that everyone can easily see the family’s’ structure. The hall has a very large display area, so please bring any copies of photographs and family memorabilia that you’d like to share.
FAMILY HISTORY IN SYDNEY
You may like to take advantage of being in Sydney to “walk in the ancestors’ shoes”. Here are some family history places that you should find interesting. Maryanne and Elizabeth Cassidy were sent to the female factory on arrival in the colony in 1837. They were later transferred to the female orphan School.
*The Parramatta Female Factory
www.parramattafemalefactoryfriends.com.au
*The Female Orphan School
The Female Orphan School is open every Thursday and Friday in the University of Western Sydney grounds.
*Cockatoo Island
Cross the harbour to Cockatoo Island where John Cassidy was stationed in 1845. Best not to swim!
*The Hyde Park Barracks
Hyde Park Barracks has had a complete face lift and is well worth an hour or two. This is where Robert Vincin awaited assignment in 1832 and Sarah Marsh died in 1873.
https://mhnsw.au/visit-us/hyde-park-barracks/
***
What about a wander through the Botanic Gardens right on the edge of the harbour?
https://www.botanicgardens.org.au/royal-botanic-garden-sydney
Or some time on the Harbour itself?
Sydney has much to offer. Any of these places or tours:
” Sydney Walking Tour including the Rocks; Sydney Harbour Scenic Helicopter Flight; Sydney Harbour Sightseeing Cruise; Sydney Harbour Sunset Dinner Cruise; Sydney Opera House Official Guided Walking Tour; Sydney Harbour Ferry with Taronga Park Zoo Entry Ticket; Sea Life Aquarium; Sydney Tower Eye; Wild Life Zoo; Madame Tussauds; Big Bus Sydney and Bondi Hop-on Hop off Tour; Blue Mountains Adventure with Scenic World; Hunter Valley Wine Tour; Sydney Harbour Tall Ship Twilight Dinner Cruise; Bridge Climb Sydney; The Rocks Discovery Museum; Anzac Memorial; Justice & Police Museum; Millers Point; Cadman’s Cottage; Juniper Hall; Macquarie Lighthouse;
Can be organised through either
or:
https://www.tripadvisor.com.au
Would you like to visit any of the Sydney churches where some of our ancestors were married?
St. Phillip’s Anglican Church.
Looking for some accommodation?
There is no shortage of hotels, motels, b’n’bs, throughout Sydney. These two are quite close to the Thornleigh Community Centre:
miles of irvings 