James Meehan (surveyor)
James Meahan | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1774 |
| Died | 21 April 1826 (aged 51–52) Macquarie Fields, Colony of New South Wales, British Empire |
| Occupation | Surveying |
| Years active | 1800 - 1822 |
| Known for | surveying |
James Meehan[1][2] (1774 – 21 April 1826) was an Irish Australian explorer and surveyor.
Meehan was born in Ireland, in Shinrone, County Offaly, in 1774. He was declared a rebel and given a life sentence in a trial after the Rebellion of 1798[3] and arrived in Australia on the Friendship in February 1800. He came under the assumed name James Mahon.[4] He became an assistant to surveyor-general Charles Grimes and accompanied him on a number of expeditions. Meehan acted as assistant-surveyor while Grimes was absent for about three years. On Grimes' return in 1806 and in appreciation for his work, he was given a pardon for his political crimes. He developed a plan of Sydney in 1807[5] (which was later used as the basis for the Old Sydney Town theme park[6]).
In 1812, he was sent to Tasmania to survey the land. His 1811 map of Hobart contains detailed information on the early settlement.[7] Meehan was appointed deputy surveyor-general in 1818. It was around this time that he named the settlement of Goulburn after Henry Goulburn, the Under-Secretary for War and the Colonies.
He was a leader of the Catholic Church in Sydney, chairing the meeting in 1820 which began the raising of funds for a church.[8] He was largely responsible for choosing the site, on which St Mary's Cathedral now stands.[9]
Legacy
- James Meehan Reserve in Dee Why, New South Wales is named after Meehan for his role in surveying the Northern Beaches area and giving Dee Why its name.
- James Meehan High School is named to commemorate Meehan's role in mapping and opening up the Macquarie Fields, New South Wales area.
- A statue of Meehan was placed in a niche on the Loftus Street facade of the Department of Lands building in November 2010.
- James Meehan Street, a road in Windsor
- James Meehan Way, a road in Macquarie Links
- Meehan Range, a prominent geographical feature of steep hills running parallel to the River Derwent on Hobart's eastern shore
See also
References
- ^ Perry, T. M. (1967). "Meehan, James (1774–1826)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Vol. 2. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISBN 978-0-522-84459-7. ISSN 1833-7538. OCLC 70677943. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
- ^ Dowd, Bernard Thomas (1970). "James Meehan". Journal of the Australian Catholic Historical Society. 3 (2): 8–12. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
- ^ "Irish Convicts to New South Wales 1788-1849 - James Meehan". Peter Mayberry.
- ^ "James Meehan, Notes on an address to the Society by B. T. Dowd". University of Wollongong, Australia.
- ^ "Plan of the town of Sydney in New South Wales, by Jas. Meehan, assistant surveyor of Lands by order of His Excellency Governor Bligh, 31st October 1807". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
- ^ McCarthy, John E. (1999). "Heritage - You're Standing in It". Cartography. 28 (2): 41. doi:10.1080/00690805.1999.9714316.
- ^ Bolt, Frank (1981). "James Meehan's survey of Hobart Town in 1811" (PDF). Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania. 115: 5–16. doi:10.26749/rstpp.115.5. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
- ^ "Roman Catholic Chapel". Sydney Gazette. 15 July 1820. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
- ^ Sternbeck, Michael (2022). "For a godly purpose: planning Saint Mary's Chapel in old Sydney-town" (PDF). Journal of the Australian Catholic Historical Society. 43: 1–24. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
Further reading
- Dawson, Tony (2003). James Meehan: a most excellent surveyor. Darlinghurst, NSW: Crossing Press. ISBN 9780957829169.
- Dawson, Tony (2008). "Meehan, James". Dictionary of Sydney. Dictionary of Sydney Trust. Retrieved 17 January 2015.
- Serle, Percival (1949). "Meehan, James". Dictionary of Australian Biography. Sydney: Angus & Robertson.