Summary
Personal Information
Crime
Transportation
Michael Coffee was transported on the Lonach, departing 16th May 1825 and arriving 4th Sep 1825 with 144 passengers.
On Sunday last arrived from Ireland, with 143 male prisoners, the ship Lonnorch, Captain W. H. Driscoll. She sailed from Cork the 16th of May, and lost one prisoner on the passage. The guard consists of Lieutenant Donelan, 57th Regt, with a detachment of the same corps. Dr. Osborne, R. N. is the Surgeon Superintendent. Passengers, Mr. Drew and Mr. Stubbs. Sydney Gazette, Thurs 8 Sep 1825.
Lonach (generic)References
| Primary Source | Connaught Journal, September 2 1824. Irish Convict Database by Peter Mayberry. Moreton Bay Convict Register. |
Claims
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Photos
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Convict Notes
Absconded Prisoners. 1. Coffer Michael, Lonarch, 36, County Kerry, 5 feet 7, grey eyes, brown hair, fresh comp. from Mr. Lawson's Clearing Party. Sydney Gazette, 22 Dec 1825.
The following reports are probably about this Michael Coffee: Windsor. March 3. Michael Coffee was charged with being found drunk; he pleaded a shipmate had given him some rum. It will be well to inform Coffee, that his servitude for a ticket of leave recommenced this day. Sentence, 48 hours solitary confinement. Sydney Gazette, 13 Mar 1827. -------------------------------------------------- Police Reports. Windsor. APRIL 7.—Michael Coffee was charged that he had taken up an axe in his anger, and had threatened to apply it to the forehead of William Pizzey; Pizzey was not so great a numskull but he knew iron was harder than bone, and he had no desire they should be placed in competition in his case, so he sought remedy in the law. The overseer gave the prisoner a very bad character; by this misconduct, the "cup of coffee" will be embittered for some time to come. Sentence, six months to an iron gang. Sydney Gazette, 23 Apr 1827. -------------------------------------------------- Michael Coffee, was brought forward charged with returning to Barracks on Saturday night in a drunk and disorderly condition. Michael admitted that he had been tipsy at the time, but, said he, if I was disorderly, “They dragged me, and pulled me, and struck me." Now Michael might be a very intelligent Irishman when sober, but when drunk it was clear from the evidence that he was a born devil. It is true that a certain poet has endeavoured to excuse Hibernians for their propensity to the exhilarating in the following lines: “No wonder that those Irish lads Should be so free and frisky, For sure St Pat, he taught them that, As well as drinking whiskey; No wonder that the Saint himself To drink it should be willing, Since his mother kept a shebeen shop In the town of Enniskillen." It is very clear, however, that even had this authority been quoted, his Worship would not have abated the sentence, which was confinement to a solitary cell for one week. Sydney Gazette, 21 Nov 1827.
Irish Convict Database by Peter Mayberry. Michael Coffee, age on arrival, 36, per Lonach (1825), Tried at Tralee Kerry Co, 1824, Life. For Stealing from dwelling house see Connaught Journal Galway 2 Sep 1824. DOB 1789. Native of Kerry Co. Butchers Clerk. ------------------------------------------------------ At Tralee Assizes - Timothy Foley and Michael Coffey, for robbery, and Daniel Hanifane for a rape on a girl whom he has since married, are to be transported for life. Connaught Journal, September 2 1824. ----------------------------------------------------- Moreton Bay Convict Register. Michael Coffee, per Lonach, Tried Kerry, 13 Aug 1824, for Stealing from a dwelling house, Life, Butcher & Clerk. Colonial Conviction: Gen Sessions, Sydney, 21 May 1828, attempting to defraud, 3 years. Died 20 Jun 1828. Description: Michael Coffee, native of Kerry, age 40, 5 ft 7 ½ in; dark comp, brown hair, dk grey eyes, catholic.