Thomas Cox

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Maureen Withey on 24th December 2025

Thos. Cox, for stealing from the fold-yard of Mr. Hoccom, of Worfield, one sow in-pig, and 9 store pigs; Shrewsbury Chronicle, 26 March 1819.

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Maureen Withey on 24th December 2025

ALEXANDER Pearce. - In our Paper the week before last we noticed the execution of this criminal for the Murder of Thomas Cox, the leading facts of whose untimely death have already been reported in this Gazette. From a much respected Gentleman, in whose Knowledge and veracity the most unbounded confidence may be placed, we derive the following particulars, which it is to be hoped may excite a proper feeling among that class of society to which it is earnestly addressed:- The Rev. Mr. Conolly, who attended this unfortunate man, administering to him the consolations of Religion, addressed the crowd assembled around the scaffold, a few minutes before the fatal drop was let to fall, in words to the following effect:- He commenced by stating, that Pearce, standing on the awful entrance into eternity on which he was placed, was desirous to make the most public acknowledgment of his guilt, in order to humble himself, as much as possible, in the sight of God and Man; - that, to prevent any embarrassment which might attend Pearce in personally expressing himself, he had requested and directed him to say, that he committed the murder of Cox, under the following circumstances : Having been arrested here, after his escape from Macquarie Harbour, Pearce was sent back to that Settlement, where the deceased (Cox) and he were worked together in the same gang. Cox constantly entreated him to run away with him from that Settlement, which he refused to do for a length of time. Cox having procured fishhooks, a knife, and some burnt rag for tinder, he at last agreed to go with him, to which he was powerfully induced by the apprehension of corporal punishment, for the loss of a shirt that had been stolen from him. For the first and second day they strayed through the forest - on the third made the beach, and travelled towards Port Dalrymple until the fifth, when they arrived at King's River. They remained, for three or four days, in an adjoining wood to avoid soldiers who were in pursuit of them, and were all the time, from the period they started, without a morsel to eat. Overcome by famine, Pearce determined to take Cox's life, which he effected by the stroke of an axe while Cox was sleeping. Soon after the soldiers had departed, Pearce occupied the place they had been in, where he remained part of a day and a night, living on the mutilated remains of Cox; he returned to the Settlement, made signal, and was taken up by the pilot, who conveyed him to Macquarie Harbour, where he disclosed to the Commandant the deed he had done, being weary of life, and willing to die for the misfortunes and atrocities into which he had fallen. The Rev. Gentleman then proceeded to state, that he believed it was in the recollection of every one present, that eight men had made their escape, last year, from Macquarie Harbour. All these, except Pearce, who was of the party, soon perished, or were destroyed by the hands of their companions. To set the public right respecting their fate, Pearce is desirous to state, that this party, which consisted of himself, Matthew Travers, Bob Greenhill, Bill Cornelius, Alexander Dalton, John Mathers, and two more, named Bodnam and Brown, escaped from Macquarie Harbour in two boats, taking with them what provision the coal-miners had, which afforded each man about two ounces of food per day, for a week. Afterwards they lived eight or nine days on the tops of tea-tree and peppermint, which they boiled in tin-pots to extract the juice. Having ascended a hill, in sight of Macquarie Harbour, they struck a light and made two fires. Cornelius, Brown, and Dalton placed themselves at one fire, the rest of the party at the other; those three separated, privately, from the party, on account of Greenhill having already said that lots must be cast for some one to be put to death, to save the whole, from perishing. Pearce does not know, personally, what became of Cornelius, Brown and Dalton; - he heard that Cornelius and Brown reached Macquarie Harbour, where they soon died, and that Dalton perished on his return to that Settlement. - After their departure, the party, then consisting of five men, lived two or three days on wild berries, - and their kangaroo jackets, which they roasted; at length they arrived at Gordon's River, where it was agreed, that while Mathers and Pearce collected fire-wood; Greenhill, and Travers should kill Bodnam, which they accordingly did. It was insisted upon that every one should partake of Bodnam's remain's, lest, in the event of their ultimate success to obtain their liberty, any of them might consider himself innocent of his death, and give evidence against the rest. After a day or two, they all swam across the river, except Travers, whom they dragged across by means of a pole, to which he tied himself. Having spent some days in distress and famine, it was proposed to Pearce, by Greenhill and Travers, that Mathers be killed, to which he agreed. Travers and Pearce held him while Greenhill killed him with an axe. Living on the remains of the deceased, which they were hardly able to taste, they spent three, or four days, through weakness, without advancing beyond five or six miles, Travers being scarcely able to move from lameness and swelling in his foot. - Greenhill and Pearce agreed to kill Travers, which Greenhill did, while Pearce collected fire-wood. Having lived some time on the remains of Travers, they were for some days without any thing to eat - their wants were dreadful - each strove to catch the other off his guard, and kill him. Pearce succeeded to find Greenhill asleep - took his life - and lived on him for four days. He was afterwards for three days without any sustenance - fell in, at last, with the Derwent River, and found some small pieces of opossums, &c. at a place where the Natives had lately made fires. More desirous to die than to live, he called out, as loudly as he could, expecting the Natives would hear him, and come to put an end to his existence! Having fallen in with some bush-Rangers, with whom he was taken, Pearce was sent back to Macquarie Harbour, from whence he escaped with Cox, as has been already stated, for whose death he is now about to suffer. Alluding particularly to those who ought to be deterred from the commission of crime by examples like the present, how often, said the Rev. Mr. Conolly, does the justice of Providence bring to light the dark deeds of death! and how frequently do we see it verified, that "Whoever sheds the blood of Man by Man shall his blood be shed !" Having stated that the unfortunate Pearce was more willing to die than to live, he concluded by entreating all persons persons to offer up their prayers, and beg of the Almighty to have mercy upon him. Hobart Town Gazette, 6 Aug 1824.

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AaronRichard on 3rd July 2015

Conduct record states sentence was "Life", whereas description lists as "7 years". A native of Worcestershire. Thomas Cox was the final victim of murderer and cannibal Alexander Pearce. After numerous further offences as a convict, including aiding and abetting other absconders and breaking out of Launceston Gaol, Cox was sent to Sarah Island, Macquarie Harbour in 1822, where he was to serve the rest of his sentence. In late 1823, Cox attempted escape with Alexander Pearce. Pearce had escaped once before, having had been returned to Macquarie Harbour after being the sole survivor of an earlier group of 7 escapees, who had turned to killing and eating each other to avoid starving in the Tasmanian wilderness. After absconding from their work gang on 13th November, Cox and Pearce made their way through the forest until reaching the King River. At this point, allegedly upon discovering that Cox could not swim, Pearce flew into a rage and killed Cox with his axe. He then dismembered and partially ate Cox's body. Pearce was picked up by a patrol on 22nd November 1823, with parts of Cox's flesh in his pockets. He led the authorities back to the place on the river where they found Cox's mutilated body. Pearce was tried and found guilty of Cox's murder, and was hanged at the Hobart Town Gaol on 19 July 1824.