Summary
Personal Information
Voyage
Transportation
John Breen was transported on the Earl Grey, departing 27th Aug 1836 and arriving 31st Dec 1836 with 50 passengers.
Built at Newcastle Upon Tyne in 1835. 571 tons. Made 4 voyages to Australia transporting convicts. n.b. Registers of some voyages are not yet complete - currently being updated. Please note if searching records.
Earl Grey (generic)References
| Primary Source | Convict Indents various; SRNSW ref: 1829 Vol. 4/4014 & 4/4015; 1830 to 1835 Vols. 4/4024 & X633 to X637; 1836 to 1842 Vols. X638 to X642A; 1849 Vol. 4/4526.; List number: 36-3078, Book entry number: 212. Return of General Muster of Convicts in New South Wales on 31 December 1837; TNA ref: Reel PRO 71-72 Vol. 10/32-35, published in "General Return of Convicts in New South Wales 1837", edited by N.G. Butlin, C.W. Cromwell & K.L. Suthern, published by ABGR, Sydney 1987.; ; Book entry number: 2399. |
Claims
No one has claimed John Breen yet.
Photos
No photos have been added for John Breen.
Convict Notes
3/3/1841: TOL 5/5/1842: TOL Information from Rootsweb: Contributor: Ron Norton. John was granted land at Wheeo, between Crookwell and Goulburn, NSW. Wife Margaret died at Wheeo on 9/5/1865. 1866: Married Sarah Dowd (from County Galway), at Yass. 19/11/1875: John Breen died at Wheeo, NSW, aged 71 years and is buried in the Wheeo Cemetery, which is now on private property. Parents listed as Darby and Sophia on NSW BDM.
John Breen was committed to a stay on board the Prison Hulk Surprise, berthed in County Cork, an horrific form of imprisonment. A list of 33 convicts from Tipperary, including John Breen, committed to the Prison Hulk "Surprise", may be found on the website http://www.igp-web.com/tipperary/hulk.htm, together with a copy of the hand-written letter to the "Master" Thomas Drummond from Chris. Beatty(?), self-titled "Keeper"! Further evidence may be found in The National Archives Ireland-Australian Transportation Database: Match 10 from the data base is as follows: Last name: BREEN. First name: JOHN. Sex: M. Trial place: Co Tipperary. Imprisonment place: Prison Hulk Surprise. Document date: 07/08/1836 (Document ref1: CRF 1836 Misc97).
John Breen, a farm labourer, was convicted at the Clonmell Assizes, Co. Tipperary, for manslaughter and transported to NSW for 7 years.He arrived in December 1836 on board the Earl Gray. He was assigned to J. Conlan at Lake Bathurst before being granted land at Wheeo. His wife, Margaret, arrived in Sydney on the William Jardine on 24 September 1849. Their three sons, Jeremiah, aged 22, Michael, aged 17 and Dennis, aged 14, arrived in Sydney on the Panama on 14 September, 1849. NB: Copied from records by Sturt Anderson, 11 May, 1989.
ARTICLE FROM THE 'CLONMELL ADVERTISER' IRELAND Tuesday, 19 July, 1836. MANSLAUGHTER. Patrick Bryan, Pat Fogarty and John Breen were indicted for the manslaughter of James Mulholland. Witness Daniel, his son, said the deceased was his father, who was Pound Keeper at Littleton. About 1pm witness saw 4 men running down to the Pound where some cattle were being brought out to be counted. He saw a fight take place in which his father got a blow which broke his leg, of which he died. His father was 96 or 97. He lived for 12 weeks after the injury. The witness and others persued the 4 men into a house and kept them there till police arrived (4th whereabouts unknown). Witness Bernard saw the fight and one of the 4 men hit his father with a stone on leg. For defence - Edmund Murphy gave Breen a good character reference, but had not seen him for seven years. Judge: If a stone is picked up with malicious intent and if the stone hit a person not intended then, it is still manslaughter. The jury, without retiring, gave verdict of guilty. ARTCLE FROM CLONMELL HERALD Blow occurred while a riot was going on by 4 men who ran to rescue a horse (and 3 men who were going to count the horses which were taken out of the Pound to be sold). The prisoners were 3 of the 4 men who were sent to resue the horses. N.B. COURT RECORDS WERE DESTROYED BY FIRE IN 1922.
1837 Dec John Breen, Aged: 32; Tried at Tipperary [TIP IRL], Arrived per ship Earl Grey, 1836; Residence: Lake Bathurst [NSW AUS]; [Assigned to] J Conlan.
John Breen, Arrived: per Earl Grey 1, 31 Dec 1836; at Sydney NSW; Age: 32 years; Education: None; Religion: Roman Catholic; Marriage Status: Married; Male Children: 3, Female Children: 1; Total Children: 4; Born at Tipperary [TIP IRL]; Employment: Farm labourer; Trial Crime: Manslaughter, Trial Court: Tipperary Summer Assizes, Tried at [TIP IRL], 19 Jul 1836, Trial Sentence: 7 years; Previous convictions: None; Height in feet & inches: 5 7; Complexion: Ruddy; Hair: Light brown; Eyes: Grey; Licence Number: TL 41/590; Marks or Scars: Yes