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The National Archives of Ireland holds some transportation records including some
Full name: MATHEW KNOCTOR
174 convicts aboard the’Countess of Harcourt’ (ship’s master George Bunn) arrived at Sydney on December 21 1822 having left Cork on September 3 – a voyage of 109 days.
James Booth – born in Co. Dublin <some sources say Shanganagh. GA> aged 25, ploughman. His Ticket of Leave was issued on February 29 1828 in Inverary district.
Now, that’s a lump of hash…
he latest Blast From The Past courtesy of our resident historian, Gary Acheson, has
some rather illicit goings-on over in Kilcoole 194 years ago.
Oh, the very idea…
About midnight on a February night in 1822, bales of tobacco were landed on the beach at Kilcoole from a smugglers’ ship.
Saunders’s News-Letter 21 February 1822 (a)
The Coastguard pounced from Blacklion.
A mob unsuccessfully tried to drive them off. Nine men were arrested – James Booth, John Castles, John Connell, Patrick Grace, Thomas Gregory, Mathew Knackler, John McCabe, Anthony Pluck and Michael Stanley. They were tried at the Wicklow Assizes on March 11 1822.
All were found guilty and all were sentenced to be transported to New South Wales for 7 years.
Saunders’s News-Letter 21 February 1822 (b)
Between 1791 and 1853 (and some Fenians after 1867), over 26,000 Irish men, women and children were transported to Australia for periods of 7 years to life. The reality was that very very few ever returned home. Their crimes were mainly crimes against property and, to us now, seem very slight – the theft of a pair of boots or a handkerchief.
The National Archives of Ireland holds some transportation records including some
petitions from relatives or friends. Some asked for clemency – others from a spouse asked to accompany their convicted partner and family to Australia at government expense; this was often granted as an intact family was thought to be more stable and productive on arrival in the colony (and not remain in Ireland as a burden on the rate payers!).
These are two petition records related to this case:
Full name: MICHAEL STANLEY
Sex: M
Document date: 26/06/1822
Crime: Smuggling
Sentence:Transportation 7 yrs
Petitioner: Mathew Cullen
Relationship: Uncle
Petitioner is 82 years and was born and bred in the parish of Killadrima, Co.Wicklow <likely this is Killadreenan near Newcastle. GA> where he still lives. States he has leased a small farm from Lord Fitzwilliam during the life of the convict.
Saunders’s News-Letter 16 March 1822
Full name: MATHEW KNOCTOR
Sex: M
Trial place: Wicklow
Document date: 24/06/1822
Crime: Suspected of smuggling
Sentence: Transportation
Petitioner: Mathew Knocktor
Relationship: Father
Petitioner is aged 85 and resides at Kilcoole, Co. Wicklow. Several character references.
Neither of these petitions worked as both prisoners went to Australia.
There is no trace of two of the convicted – John Connell and Anthony Pluck – in the Australian records. Perhaps they had more successful petitions.
174 convicts aboard the’Countess of Harcourt’ (ship’s master George Bunn) arrived at Sydney on December 21 1822 having left Cork on September 3 – a voyage of 109 days.
Convicts were recorded on arrival in a ‘muster’ and again recorded from time to time. Many of these records survive today. With good behaviour, they could apply for a ‘Ticket of Leave’ which allowed them free movement within a defined district to seek work, etc.
At the end of their sentence they got a ‘Certificate of Freedom’.
From these records we can trace the history of these seven – some with more detail than others.
John McCabe – born Co. Dublin aged 21, no occupation recorded.
Michael Dwyer
2 comments
Nice!
I tracked down Michael Stanley in Van Diemen’s Land conduct record books:
April 10 1828 (charged by ) Rev. W. Bradford – Drunk & disorderly & using abusive language on Monday evening last
September 7 1829 Drunk yesterday – fined 5/-
February 21 1831 Convicted of being a Rogue & Vagabond – to be committed to the House of Correction there to be kept to hard labor (sic) for 28 days
September 17 1833 Drunk fined 5/-