John Collins

71

Robin Sharkey on 23rd January 2025

[NOTE - there are two men named John Collins transported on Mangles in 1822. One, aged 35, was tried at Limerick, entry no 96 on the Mangles indent, and got his Certificate of Freedom in 1829. The other John Collins, aged 26, was entry no 180 on the indent, was tried at Tipperary, and committed suicide in 1825 while still a convict. This is the story of the Limerick man, who received his certificate of Freedom in 1829.] John Collins, aged 35, occupation: ploughman; was 5ft 5 inches tall, with dark hair, hazel eyes, born at Co. Limerick, and was tried at a Special Session at Rathkeale in Co Limerick in March 1822. Special Sessions were held solely to try prisoners under the Insurrection Act of 1822 which could be proclaimed in force in any County where the Justices of the Peace considered the County to be in a state of disturbance. Activities prohibited under the Act itself, such as swearing false oaths, delivering threatening notices, threatening evictions, attacking property, including stock such as by houghing cattle, holding night meetings of secret societies which planned and ordered these activities, etc. Being found guilty deemed the accused ‘an idle and disorderly person’ and got him 7 years’ transportation. John Collins’s crime was: serving a threatening notice. Others found guilty at the 1822 Rathkeale Sessions and transported on Mangles with Collins were: Michael Neill, Patrick Lysaght, John Hickey, Thomas Driscoll, James Roche, John Neville (all six for being out of home after hours), and David Donovan, and William Nix. Freemans Journal, 12 March 1822, p.3 “RATHKEALE Special Sessions “Friday March 8 (fourth day) “JOHN COLLINS, for serving a threatening notice upon Margaret Enright who is a tenant to John Studdert Esq, and who came forward on this prosecution – Guilty.” “On Friday March 8 (fourth day) Patrick Byrne, Patrick Lysaght, John Collins, and David Donovan, were then put forward and all sentenced to seven years transportation. “The persons convicted at the above Sessions were sent off last night [i.e. 11 Maarch] to Cork, with a strong detachment of the 42d Highlanders, 3d Light Dragoons, and Police. A large concourse of people were present to witness the same, computed at least to about 5000 persons. When the prisoners were taken through. The air of the streets was rent with shrieks and sobs by their relatives.” In NSW: Nov 1822 – On list of 117 male convicts off ‘Mangles’ and forwarded by water to Parramatta to be disposed of as follows: No 100. John Collins – to Windsor for general distribution 1822 Muster - John Collins, Trial Sentence: 7 years; Arrived per ship Mangles Current Status: Convict; Employment: Govt Labourer, Road Party. 1825 Sept Muster– John Collins, 7 yrs per ship Mangles 1822; Convict; Govt Servant to Mr Pennington, at Newcastle. AND ALSO: 1825 Sept Muster John Collins, 7 yrs per ship Mangles 1822; Convict; Govt Servant to Mr Nowland, at Newcastle. 1827 Granted Ticket of Leave, Number: 27/0223 1828 Census, John Collins, 38 years, Catholic; 7 years per Mangles in 1822; Ticket of Leave; Employment: Servant to Alex Livingstone, Residence: Bawthorn; Census District: Patersons Plains 1829 – Certificate of Freedom date: 11 Jun 1829; Number: 29/0597 “John Collins, mangles, (Master Coghill) 1822. Place of Trial: County LIMERICK, Special Sessions 1822. (Native place, trade and Offence are all left blank). __________________________________________

341

Maureen Withey on 30th August 2022

Irish Convict Database, by Peter Mayberry. John Collins, age on arrival, 35, per Mangles (2) 1822, Tried 1822 at Limerick Co., 7 years. DOB, 1787, Native place, Limerick Co., Trade, Ploughman.