Summary
Personal Information
Crime
Transportation
John Costello was transported on the Nile, departing 18th Sep 1857 and arriving 1st Jan 1858 with 271 passengers.
Nile (generic)References
| Primary Source | Australian Joint Copying Project. Microfilm Roll 93, Class and Piece Number HO11/18, Page Number 252. UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951; Portland Prison; Prison Records; to 1875. Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930; Convict Department, Registers Character Book for Nos 4508-5585 (R8). |
| 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 Pro |
| Original Source | Great Britain. Home Office |
| Compiled By | State Library of Queensland |
| Database Source | British convict transportation registers 1787-1867 database |
Claims
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Photos
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Convict Notes
FOOTNOTE: Newspaper report of his trial/court martial in India: From the Friend of India and Statesman, 12 October, 1854, pp7-8: "John Costello, Private in H. M.'s 87th, has been tried by a Court Martial for the murder of his wife, convicted and sentenced to death. The Commander-in-Chief approves the sentence and adds, 'On the first favourable opportunity after the rains, the prisoner is to be forwarded, under proper escort, to Meerut, and thence by water to the Presidency, in order that he may undergo the sentence awarded him as a felon.' A man left for death should either be executed or pardoned. To keep him in that horrible suspense until after the rains is a needless aggravation of his sentence.—It has subsequently been stated that Costello will be transported." (https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/)
Clarification: In almost all records prior to transportation, John Costello was referred to as a shoemaker. Only one listed him as "a shoemaker, latterly a soldier". After arrival in WA, he was most often called a shoemaker.
Coincidence: A third article, in the WA Record, 22 September, p8, reported: "Fact often supplies incidents which read stranger than the creation of fiction. The man John Costello who was found drowned on the beach at the rear of "Bottle Row" some few weeks back was rescued from drowning on the very same part of the Bay some 14 years ago by Mr. H. Grimshaw." (https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/211976361).
Burial: A second newspaper reported John Costello's burial took place on Tuesday, 16 August. It said he was "well known in the district, being an old resident and he was an inoffensive, harmless old man." (https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/211603943) --00--
Death by drowning: From the Geraldton Murchison Telegraph, Fri 19 August, 1892, p3: "ON Thursday morning last the body of an old identity named John Costello, was found washed up on the beach at the back of Mr. Baston's cottages. Costello was employed by Mr. Wells, surveyor of Geraldton, to do odd jobs, and was in the habit of going to the jetty every evening for a couple of pails of sea water. From what little evidence has been obtained up to date the assumption is that the old man fell off the jetty on Monday night last [15 August]. On that day Mrs. Wells left Geraldton by the Australind for Freemantle, and Mr. Wells also left town for the country. The girl who was left in charge of the house on Tuesday morning mentioned the fact that Costello had not come home the previous night, and was then missing. The matter, however, was not reported to the police, as the girl left town for Narra Narra on Tuesday, thinking no doubt that the old man would turn up all right. However as no one appears to have seen Costello alive since Monday night there is little doubt but that he fell off the jetty and was drowned sometime that evening [15 August]. An inquest on the body was held yesterday at the Hospital and adjourned until Monday. Dr. Elliott identified the body and testified to having examined it. He found no external marks of violence except such as were post mortem, and expressed the opinion that Costello came to his death by drowning. The deceased was about 64 years of age." (https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/260025745) --0--
In WA: From his Fremantle jail record: COSTELLO, John; #4527, arrived 1 Jan 1858 per Nile Alias: CASTELLO Date of Birth: 1828 Date of Death: 18 Aug 1892 [see newspaper report below] Marital Status: Widower, no children Occupation: Shoemaker Literacy: Semiliterate Sentence Place: Murree, Punjab, India Crime: Murder of his wife Sentence Period: Life, commuted Ticket Leave Date: 3 Dec 1859 Conditional Pardon Date: 10 Sep 1864 (https://fremantleprison.com.au/). --00--
12 March, 1857: He was admitted to Portland prison in Dorset (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951; Portland Prison; Prison Records; to 1875). Opened in November 1848 as the first male convict public works prison, it received prisoners who had already undergone periods of separate confinement at Millbank, Pentonville and specially contracted local prisons (https://www.prisonhistory.org/prison/portland-prison/). He was recorded as prisoner #6799, 26 when convicted, single and Roman Catholic. His next of kin was his brother William Costello, from Ballinderry, Galloway [sic; County Galway]. His behaviour was "good" (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951; Portland Prison; Prison Records; to 1875). --0-- 10 September: John Costello was sent from Portland to board the Nile for transportation to WA. --00--
Jail: While in prison in Calcutta, he spent 11 months in separate confinement. He was allowed to associate with other prisoners during the voyage back to England which, jail records suggest, took around 3 months and 10 days. 26 May, 1856: John Costello was admitted to Millbank prison, at Westminster, in London. Millbank served as a holding facility for convicted prisoners before they were transported to Australia. He was held in separate confinement there for 9 months and 14 days. --0--
Committal: 27 May, 1854: John Costello, soldier, was committed for trial for the murder of his wife. --0-- Trial for murder: 10 July, 1854: He was tried by General Court Martial at Murree, Punjab, India (now Pakistan), convicted and sentenced to death, commuted to transportation for life (see Portland prison record). --0--