Summary
Personal Information
Transportation
Alice Bennis was transported on the Asia 1, departing 10th Sep 1829 and arriving 13th Jan 1830 with 202 passengers.
Built by A Hall & Co at Aberdeen in 1818. A Brig of 536 tons. (Wikipedia) 1830 - Voyage. Asia from Ireland. Female Convict Ship; Stead; Master, Alexander Nesbit M.D. Surgeon Superintendent. Arrived in Sydney Cove 13 Jan 1830. Mustered - 186. Died on Voyage - 3. Disembarked - 1. Total Embarked - 200
Asia 1 (generic)References
| Primary Source | New South Wales, Australia, Convict Indents. Asia - 13 Jan 1830. Chutes Western Herald, Monday 13 April 1829 , p.3. |
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Convict Notes
Conspiracy to Murder.— Monday morning, Alice Denness and Bartholomew Neill were given in charge for soliciting, and encouraging to kill and murder Mrs. Jane Trail ; and in a second count for conspiring, confederating, and combining together to commit said murder. It appeared, from the evidence, that Mrs. Trail is the widow of Surgeon Trail, the Royal Navy, who died about two years and half ago, and that she possesses considerable property. It was proved by Mary Morrisson, niece to the late Dr. Trail, and Johanna Horgan, servant to Mrs. Trail, that the accused had conspired together, and had influenced Mary Morrisson be a consenting party in the conspiracy to murder the lady. After a long trial, the prisoners were convicted, and sentenced to be transported for life. Southern Reporter, 9 April 1829. BARTHOLOMEW NEAL, aged 18 years, and ALICE BENNIS, a woman much advanced in years, were indicted for conspiring to murder Mrs. JANE TRAIL'. They were both found Guilty, and sentenced to transportation for life. Sun, (London), 13 April 1829.
ALice Bennis had been a servant in Cork in the house of Mrs Thraile, widow of a surgeon in the Navy. The broad brush of her crime is reported in the newspaper below: Chutes Western Herald, Monday 13 April 1829 , p.3 "Bartholomew Neale, and Alice Bennis, servants, convicted at Cork Assizes, for a conspiracy to murder Mrs Thraile, widow of Surgeon Thraile, Royal Navy, are sentenced to be transported for life. "The circumstances of this case were very extraordinary. Mrs Thraile is an aged lady, and has a niece, Mary Morrisson, a native of Scotland, living with her. On the decease of her aunt, this young female falls in for an annuity of 200l. She became familiar with the servants, who were aware of this matter, and was eventually seduced by Neale, a youth of 18 years, to who, it appears, she lent a too willing ear in the conspiracy to murder Mrs Thraile. The plot was blown by another servant, aunt was saved, and the niece became a witness in convicting the [two] prisoners [Neale and Mrs Bennis]. Alice Bennis died at Parramatta on 4 July 1837 and the doctor noted on her convict death record is Anderson. Dr Matthew Anderson was the surgeon at the Colonial Hospital in Parramatta in 1838 and had been for a decade prior, as well as being the surgeon at the Feale Factory and the female Orphan School and being a Parramatta magistrate, and prominent in St John’s Church congregation. He retired a year after Alice Bennis’s dearh.
1829 - New South Wales, Australia, Convict Indents. Asia - 13 Jan 1830. Indent No; 51 Name; Alice Bennis Age; 51 years, Married - 1 Child Native Place; Cork Trade or calling; Professed Cook Offence; Suspicion of Murder Trial; Cork - 1 April 1829 - Life Height; 5 ft 5 1/2 in Assigned; Mrs Maria Dowlery Noted against name; DIED; in the Hospital Parramatta - 4 July 1837 1837 - New South Wales, Australia, St. John's Parramatta, Name: Alice Bennis. Age: 60. Prisoner. Ship Asia Date: 6 Jul 1837 - Parramatta, Cumberland, New South Wales, Australia