| Name: | Michael Connell |
| Aliases: | none |
| Gender: | m |
| Date of Birth: | 1807 |
| Occupation: | Brass worker |
| Date of Death: | - |
| Age: | - |
Life Span
Male median life span was 53 years*
* Median life span based on contributions
Sentence Severity
Sentenced to 14 years
| Crime: | Pocket picking |
| Convicted at: | Middlesex Gaol Delivery |
| Sentence term: | 14 years |
| Ship: | Guildford |
| Departure date: | 22nd March, 1827 |
| Arrival date: | 25th July, 1827 |
| Place of arrival | New South Wales |
| Passenger manifest | Travelled with 191 other convicts |
| Primary source: | Australian Joint Copying Project. Microfilm Roll 88, Class and Piece Number HO11/6, Page Number 116 |
| Source description: | This record is one of the entries in the British convict transportation registers 1787-1867 database compiled by State Library of Queensland from British Home Office (HO) records which are available on microfilm as part of the Australian Joint Copying Project. |
D Wong on 27th February, 2021 wrote:
**Not to be confused with Michael Connelly per “Guildford 1829” tried Dublin City for Highway Robbery.***
Old Bailey:
MICHAEL CONNELL, JOHN BALL.
Theft: pocketpicking.
14th September 1826
Verdict Guilty; Not Guilty
Sentence Transportation
MICHAEL CONNELL and JOHN BALL were indicted for stealing, on the 20th of August, 1 handkerchief, value 2s. 6d., the goods of William Davis, from his person.
WILLIAM DAVIS. I am a musical instrument maker, and live in Coventry-street. On Sunday evening, the 20th of August, I was at this end of Long-acre , walking alone - I did not know I was robbed till Boston ran after me in Queen-street, and asked me if I had lost my handkerchief - I said I had; he said, “Come along with me, here are the boys who have got it.” I had not seen the prisoners before, but I had seen a person taller than them watch me.
WILLIAM COUSINS. I am an officer of Bow-street. I was on duty in Long-acre; Boston and two or three others were with me: Boston came and touched me on the shoulder, and said, “Come this way - they have just got the handkerchief,” pointing to Connell, who was turning the corner; I went to him, and he put his hand into his pocket - I said, “Let your pocket be;” he put his hand into his pocket again, and I found this handkerchief in it; the prosecutor was then gone down Queen-street.
JOHN BOSTON. I am a patrol. I was in Long-acre, and saw the two prisoners; Connell took the handkerchief from Mr. Davis’ pocket, while Ball was close by him, and he must have seen it; I had followed them from Mr. Bowditch’s, the coach-maker; they turned into Drury-lane, and I told Cousins of it. I saw the handkerchief taken from Connell.
JOHN HUGHES. I am a patrol. I apprehended Ball, and found two handkerchiefs on him - one, he said, belonged to his sister, and the other to his brother.(Property produced and sworn to.)
CONNELL’S Defence. I was coming up Long-acre, and saw a great many officers; I saw a young man in a long brown coat drop this handkerchief, which I took up; Boston then asked what I had got - I said it was nothing to him; he said if I did not give it him he would get an officer. Soon afterwards the other prisoner was brought to me, but I had never seen him before.
BALL’S Defence. I was coming up Long-acre, from Queen-street chapel - I passed a great many officers, who caught this young man for something, and then they caught me, and said I belonged to him.
CONNELL - GUILTY. Aged 18.
Transported for Fourteen Years
BALL - NOT GUILTY.
Michael Connell was listed as 19 years old on arrival.
Native Place: Woolwhich.
Occupation: Brass turner’s boy.
Michael could read, was protestant, single, 5’6” tall, fair freckled complexion, black hair, dark to black eyes, heart darts with cross, with anchor on right arm, a man JP & M C on left.
Assigned to John Fox or Cox at Richmond.
1/12/1833: TOL Bathurst. Altered to Williams River 29/12/1834.
21/10/1841: COF - Michael was now 33, 5’9½” tall, blue ring middle finger of left hand, K back of same hand.
1/12/1843 Melbourne Times, Victoria:
Highway Robbery.— An investigation of the robbery committed upon Mr Lang, which was postponed on Thursday morning in consequence of the absence of Mr Brodie the chief constable was proceeded with in the afternoon of the same
day, when a female named Ann Dempsey was placed at the bar’- Constable Swindell having ascertained that Mr Lang met the lady on the night in question at the Golden Fleece and she being unprotected, the gallant butcher insisted upon escorting her home.
No evidence, however, being adduced to identify her with the robbery, she was admitted as a witness against the four men who have been apprehended, George Falkner. John Agnew, John Raner, and Michael Connell, and at once identified them as the
parties who assaulted and committed the robbery upon Mr- Lang, It appeared from, her statement that Mr Lang had just got his foot upon the threshhold of her door, when he was pushed down with considerable violence by the four ruffians, and
dragged into the house ; she being alarmed ran for assistance, but on returning with the constables, the prisoners had disappeared. The prisoners belong to a gang, of scoundrels who come to town for the express purpose of committing robbery, and then
proceed immediately to the bush, thus eluding the vigilance of the police. In this instance the booty which the thieves obtained was not so large as they anticipated, Mr Vinge perceiving that Mr Lang had taken rather more wine than usual after dinner, having fortunately induced him to deposit his watch (which the scoundrels had made a previous attempt to purloin) together with what money he had in his possession, with the exception of a little silver, in the custody of the Landlord. Considerable fears were expressed both by Mr Vinge and the chief constable that some violence would be offered to tbe girl, Ann D’Empsey, by other members, of the gang to which the prisoners belong, in consequence of her having given evidence against them, and it was ultimately arranged that she
should be placed under the charge of some trustworthy person, Mr Brodie regretting that he was a single man, and lived in so censorious a world, or he should have been most happy to afford the Damsel the protection she required.
21/12/1843 Geelong Advertiser, Victoria:
SUPREME COURT, CRIMINAL SIDE.
On Monday last the Judge pronounced sentence upon the prisoners convicted at the last criminal sessions, as follows: -.
Michael Connell, John Agnew, John Ryan, and George Falkner, for the robbery on Mr. Lang, Melbourne - Transportation for fifteen years.
8/4/1844: Arrived VDL per ‘Flying Fish’.
Description: 36, fresh complexion, 5’9½” tall, black to grey hair, dark brown eyes.
4/5/1852: TOL
29/3/1853: TOL revoked for not attending muster.
19/12/1854: TOL
D Wong on 27th February, 2021 made the following changes:
date of birth: 1807 (prev. 0000), gender: m, occupation, crime
This record was discovered and printed on ConvictRecords.com.au
