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Life Sentences for Murder
Extracts from the Campbell
Street Gaol Gate-book
1873–1890
Compiled by Laurie Moody
Between 1873 and 1890 twelve men
were charged with murder, five of whom were found guilty and executed, the
remaining seven received life. As the executions
have been dealt with elsewhere, the following listings concern those men who
received life sentences. It is interesting to note three of whom arrived on the
same vessel in 1852.
A search of BDM
records was undertaken for each person mentioned, but unfortunately in some
cases this did not always provide further information.
Abreviations:-
The use of ‘aka’ indicates ‘also known as’, Van
Diemen’s Land appears as VDL; New South Wales as NSW; Campbell Street Gaol as
CSG; Hobart Supreme Court as HSC; Ticket of Leave as TOL; Conditional Pardon as
CP and Births, Deaths and Marriages appear as BDM.
Acknowledgements & Thanks:
Archives Office
of Tasmania for Births, Deaths and Marriages, Pioneer Shipping Records, Leonie
Mickleborough, Sue Guinan and Linda McKenzie.
BAKEY; Michael
Convict
shipping records show Michael arrived in VDL
aboard the Lord Dalhousie from Cork, Ireland on 14 August 1852. On 20
February 1877 he was found guilty in the HSC of the Willful Murder of Thomas
Lynch and sentenced to Life (a commutation). His warrant number
798. He arrived at CSG six days later when shown
as 60 years-old, a labourer, Catholic with one prior conviction and illiterate.
Michael was eventually released on 21 February 1887 after serving ten years.
A search of BDM
records show a person of this name may have married an Ellen Mulcahy at
Franklin, 16 June 1868. He is shown as 44 years-old and Ellen, 40 years-old.
There is no further information.
CONNOLLY; James
Gate-book
records show James arrived in VDL aboard the
Pestongee Bomangee as a free settler. A search of convict shipping
records revealed six persons of this name aboard other vessels; however it
failed to find a person of this name aboard the Pestongee Bomangee, but
did reveal an Andrew and a John Connolly aboard Pestongee Bomangee (3).
On 5 April 1883 James was found guilty in the HSC of Murder and sentenced
to Life (a commutation). His warrant number 14823. He didn’t arrive at
CSG until 2 May when shown as 54 years-old, a
baker, Catholic with three or more prior convictions and literate. James,
according to a late entry after the gate-book closed, was eventually released on
7 July 1895 after serving just over twelve years.
A search of BDM
marriage records show a person of this name possibly married a Mary Murphy at
Hobart, 30 July 1855. He is shown as 23 years-old and Mary, 17 years-old.
There is no further information.
COWAN; Hugh
(transported as COWEN)
Convict
shipping records show Hugh arrived in VDL aboard
the Lord Dalhousie from Cork, Ireland on 14 August 1852. On 4 April
1878 he was found guilty in the LSC of Murder and sentenced to Life (a
commutation). His warrant number 12365. He arrived at CSG on 19 April when
shown as 62 years-old, a labourer, Protestant
with one prior conviction and literate. Hugh was eventually released on 15 April
1890 with remission after serving twelve years.
A search of BDM
records show a person of this name died at Hobart; 8 May 1898 aged 80 years.
There is no further information.
DUNN;
William
Convict
shipping records show William arrived in Tasmania
aboard the Clarence as a free convict, possibly from NSW, in early
1866. On 24 April 1866 he was found guilty of Murder and sentenced to a
Life of Penal Servitude. His warrant number is not shown. He arrived at
CSG from Port Arthur on 2 May 1876 when shown as
40 years-old, a shoemaker, Catholic with no prior convictions and literate.
Hugh was then sent to the Cascades Depot for discharge. He was released on a
TOL the following day.
A search of BDM
records shows two marriages for a person of this name, one to a Rosannah McQuin
at Port Sorell, 14 August 1865 and another to an Anne Russell at Ringarooma, 29
October 1888. The search also shows a death for a William Dunn at Deloraine; 6
November 1898 aged 66 years. There is no further information.
LEATHLEY; George
Convict
shipping records show George arrived in VDL
aboard the Blundell (port of departure not shown), on 6 July 1844. On
23 January 1866 he was found guilty in the HSC of Murder and sentenced to
Life (a commutation). His warrant number 11331. After spending ten
years at Port Arthur he arrived at CSG on 30 January 1876 when shown as 48 years-old, a blacksmith, Protestant with one prior conviction and
illiterate. George was released with a TOL on 2 February 1876.
A search of BDM
records show a person of this name possibly married a Catherine Curtain at
Spring Bay, 23 December 1882. Both are shown as adults. The records also shown
the death of a George Leathley at Hobart; 23 June 1895 aged 71 years. There is
no further information.
OAKES;
William
Convict shipping records show
William arrived in VDL aboard the Lord Dalhousie from Cork, Ireland on 14
August 1852. On 29 September 1886 William was found guilty of the Murder of
Margaret Oakes (his wife). Found guilty at the HSC, he was sentenced to
Life (a commutation). His warrant number was 16456. He arrived at CSG the
same day when shown as a hawker, Protestant, with three or more prior
convictions and literate. Oakes died at CSG on 5 June 1887.
A search of BDM records show
William married a Margaret McGregor at Hobart; 18 May 1857. He is shown as 23
years-old and Margaret, 28 years-old. There is no further information.
STOCKLEY; James
Convict
shipping records show two persons of this name arrived in VDL, one aboard the Asia (6) from Portsmouth on 21 August 1841
and the other aboard the Surrey (4) from London on 11 August 1842. On 22
July 1879 he was found guilty in the HSC of Murder and sentenced to
Life. No warrant number is shown. James arrived at CSG nine days later
when shown as 69 years-old, a labourer,
Protestant with three or more prior convictions and literate. James died
(apparently under suspicious circumstances according to a notation) at CSG on 5
September 1883.
A search of BDM
records show a person of this name died at Hobart; 8 May 1898 aged 80 years.
There is no further information.
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that there might be information from other websites or brochures
"reprinted" here- under the laws of "fair use". In every instance -we
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sincerely for their efforts. We have in every instance made a good faith
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want to be certain that nothing gets lost due to web site disappearance
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Gravesites Of Tasmania,
Honouring the past, building understanding.
