James Dore

341

Maureen Withey on 11th November 2021

Hulk record. Record of York, Laurel & Hardy. HO-1-1_1 Image 28. From Chelmsford, 13 Sep 1813, Received on board: Jas. Dore, age 39, Offence, Felony, tried in Chelmsford, 4 Aug 1813. Life. Discharged 17 Jan 1814, Surry, NSW.

71

Robin Sharkey on 23rd January 2014

James Dore (but DORR in NSW) arrived in NSW on the "Surrey" in July 1814 after a trial at Essex on 4th August 1813. He was given life for stealing a horse (per his NSW Cond Pardon). The indent said he was a thatcher and sheep shearer by occupation, aged 40, but in NSW the CP recorded that he was a wheelwright. Once he had his TL in NSW he became a grower of tobacco leaf and manufacturer of tobacco in the Hawkesbury area. In 1814 when he arrived he was assigned to Rowland Hassall and stayed with him until 1820 when he was given a TL (Per his 1819 petition). in 1817 he married Irishwoman Mary Lyons from Limerick who'd arrived per "Providence" in 1811 and was under sentence of 7 years for stealing watches in Limerick City. She was then aged about 42 and he was about 44 years. The two seem to have made a solid marriage together, never appearing before Magistrates' benches or drawing attention to themselves in any negative way. They had no children. Their farm was prosperous. In 1825 James followed up on an earlier petition for a Conditional Pardon which had evidently gone astray. While he was checked out with all the magistrates courts, he was told in December 1825 that he was referred to the Government Regulations on the matter - which probably meant 'not yet'. He had a government servant assigned to him at least in 1823, and by 1825 he was renting 100 acres at Castlereagh and growing tobacco which, he stated, he cured and manufactured himself: “to considerable perfection, so much so that the last prize given by the Agricultural Society for that article was adjudged to him.” * He said that by industriousness he had acquired considerable property, his character was unimpeached since arrival in the Colony, and he was extremely desirous of a further extension of liberty. *IN the 1828 Census there was one government man previously assigned to him and one FS man who'd come with James on the Surrey. HE and Mary had 52 acres all cleared and 40 acres cultivated, 3 horses and 14 head of cattle, and their farm was Westmore's. John Downes of CO Clare had been assigned to Bridget on his arrival in January 1828, James being a TK he was not supposed to have convict assignees. * 17th January 1831, James petitioned again, seeking a Conditional Pardon. The record books recording his application stated that his crime had been horse stealing. His application was supported by the Rev Thomas Hassall, George Druitt, J Wright Esq and John McHenry Esq. * Unfortunately Mary died before he was granted his CP in 1834. Her death was recorded in 1831, being buried on 5th June 1831 at Castlereagh. * James married again within the year, with permission given on 27 April 1831, and thereby opened his life to turbulence and unhappiness. Bridget Smith was 40 yrs old to his 57 yrs and had arrived in 1827 on "Brothers" (2). She'd been tried in Dublin for house robbery and was a native of Roscommon, supposedly widowed, with one child. * By 1835 James had put a notice in the Sydney Monitor (30/12/18138) that he would not accept responsibility for Bridget Dorr's debts after 28 December 1835 as she had absconded from him without provocation. * But she came back because by May 1837 they were living together again. On the evening of 16th May: he retired to bed in the evening leaving Bridget and one Edward Kelly, sitting together by the fire. After observing the conduct of Kelly to his wife, he got out of bed to interfere but found the door between the two rooms fastened. So then he attempted to get into the next room through the window, when Kelly struck him on the head with a chisel and then knocked him down and kicked him. Bridget was standing by at the time but James couldn’t say whether she was assisting Kelly. Kelly was found not guilty n the Sydney Supreme Court on 7th August 1837 of assault with intent to kill, and Bridget was not guilty of aiding and abetting. Defence witnesses reported that the occurrence originated in a drunken quarrel, and the surgeon’s evidence was that James’ injuries were trivial. (Sydney Monitor 9/8/1837). It is difficult to imagine that James could have gone back to domestic bliss with Bridget, and probably his life was never again as content as it had been with Mary Lyons. By the time of the trial he was 64 years old. * Date of his death not yet found.