Summary
Personal Information
Crime
Transportation
Henry Eyre 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 237 (120). --00--Edgar, W. (Bill). (2018). “The precarious voyage of her majesty’s convict ship ‘Nile’ to the Swan River colony, late 1857 – and the unexpected aftermath.” The Great Circle, 40(1), 20–43. |
| 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
No one has claimed Henry Eyre yet.
Photos
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Convict Notes
FOOTNOTE: WA BDM records show Robert Henry Eyre died on 27 November, 1898, aged 62. There is no record in the database for Henry Eyre's death, and it seems likely the brothers were confused with Robert Henry's death being entered incorrectly as Henry's on the latter's record from Fremantle jail.
FOOTNOTE: Robert Henry Eyre, Henry's older brother, was also transported to WA and arrived on 1 June, 1858, per the Lord Raglan. See his bio at https://convictrecords.com.au/convicts/eyre/robert/58864
From the Northam Advertiser, Sat 11 Apr 1896, p1: "York Notes. Mr. Henry Eyre, of Greenhills, near York, had a sad experience in town last week, they say, by having some of his ribs broken." --00--
IN WA: From his Fremantle jail record: EYRE, Henry; inmate #4605, arrived 1 Jan 1858 per Nile Alias: William Date of Birth: 1840 Date of Death: 27 Nov 1898 Place of Death: York Marital Status: Unmarried Occupation: Labourer Literacy: Literate Sentence Place: Liverpool, Lancashire, England Crime: Robbery & assault Sentence Period: Life Ticket of Leave Date: 20 Dec 1860 Conditional Pardon Date: 2 Nov 1866 (https://fremantleprison.com.au/). --00--
8 September, 1857: Sent from Portsmouth to board the Nile for transportation to WA. By this time he had served 1 year 5 months 7 days in prison (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951; Portsmouth Prison; Registers of Prisoners; 1855-1858). --00--
11 March, 1857: Admitted to Portsmouth prison, inmate #3761. Portland, Portsmouth, Chatham and Spike Island in Ireland were listed public works stations and the second stage in the penal process. After separate confinement, prisoners were “placed on work parties at various locations, most commonly naval stations, where maintenance of facilities was vital for the effective protection of Britain’s far flung commercial and military influences around the world. While there, attitude and behaviour were monitored closely. In theory, only after consistently positive reports was a prisoner moved on to the third stage of his incarceration—transportation.” (Edgar, p40) Henry Eyre was listed as 16 years old when convicted, single, a shop boy, Church of England, able to read and write well. No previous convictions. Next of Kin -- his mother, Eliza Eyre, 10 Hardwick Square, Pembroke Place, Liverpool (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951; Portsmouth Prison; Registers of Prisoners; 1855-1858). --0--
1 July, 1856: Admitted to Millbank prison, Westminster; served 8 months 10 days in separate confinement; behaviour "good". “After a sentence of transportation was handed down [it seems there was no distinction between transportation and penal servitude, whatever the theory], the prisoner entered into a separate stage where he was placed into an individual cell, isolated from others, apart from brief periods of exercise and attendance at chapel. However, no communication of any kind with other prisoners was permitted at any time. The philosophy behind this penal methodology had its provenances in the religious, monastic traditions; i.e., that in the isolation of his cell the malefactor would be able to contemplate the errors of his way, unadulterated by the negative influences of former contemporaries, and be reformed.” (Edgar, 2018, pp39-40) When first put into practice, the mandated period of separate confinement was 18 months. By the late 1840s, authorities had conceded that such conditions of imprisonment were “injurious to many prisoners’ mental health” and the stint was reduced to 12 months. Periods of separate confinement were reduced further “as a prisoner displayed good behaviour tendencies” (Edgar, p40). Millbank, Wakefield, Pentonville and Mountjoy in Ireland were the “Probation” or “Separate” prisons, as were some local jails. --0--
JAILS: 31 January, 1856: Held at Kirkdale for 101 days; behaviour "good". --0--
22 March, 1856: At the Liverpool Assizes, Henry and Robert Eyre were each sentenced to transportation for life for "assault with another with intent to rob while armed with an offensive weapon" (England & Wales, Criminal Registers, 1791-1892; England; Lancashire; 1856). --0--
NEWSPAPER reports of the committal: From the Manchester Guardian, February 1, 1856: "The Murderous Assault at Mr. Durandu’s Bullion Office COMMITTAL OF THE PRISONERS The brothers Robert and Henry Eyre, who yesterday week attempted to rob the bullion office of Mr. Durandu, in South Castle Street, and committed a murderous assault upon Mr. Hughes, the cashier, when he was entering the office with the cashbox (containing about £1,500) under his arm - were again brought before the magistrates yesterday. Mr. Hughes was present as a witness. The boy Stoddart having described the entrance of the prisoners into the shop, and the attack upon himself. (It will be remembered he was thrust into a private office and detained there). Mr. William Hughes, clerk to Mr. Durandu, was examined. He said:'About twenty minutes before ten on Thursday morning, I went out of the office to Mr. Hornby’s for the cash box. On my return, the taller prisoner stood against the wall inside the shop. When I entered I thought he might be there to transact some business. I put the cash box on the counter, and had hardly done so when he stepped before me and hit me with some instrument. A mist came before my eyes, and he struck me several times with this instrument until he knocked me down. When he knocked me down he jumped upon me and, and got hold of my throat, and the younger prisoner came forward with the poker and struck me on the head, laying on for two or three minutes. I am quite clear that it was the younger prisoner who struck me with the poker. The elder prisoner tried to throttle me. When I was down I kicked at the younger prisoner and caught the poker with my right hand once or twice. While he was striking at me Mr. Levy came in. The cash box during the whole of the struggle lay on the counter where I had placed it. [Mr Hughes, who appeared very ill and feeble, sat during his evidence. His head was bandaged with cloths.] Mr Levy, one of those who came from the next door to the rescue, next gave evidence. He thought at first the noise in the shop was occasioned by the boy, and Hughes, playing, and several persons outside told him when he was going in that they were 'skylarking'. The elder prisoner rushed out when Mr. Levy came in, but he detained the younger one. The elder prisoner was afterwards caught by Robert Duggan, a labouring man, who was passing on the other side of the street. Duggan having also given his evidence, the life preserver (heavily loaded with lead) and the poker were produced. Both were broken from the force with which the blows had been dealt. Mr. Wall, surgeon at the Northern Hospital, said that Mr. Hughes had sustained an extensive scalp wound on the right side of the head, 2½ inches in length, and down to the bone. There were other severe contusions about the head. Though the wounds were not decidedly dangerous in themselves, Mr. Hughes was weak from loss of blood and erysipelas and other serious consequences might have ensued. The 'Life Preserver; is a formidable weapon having a flexible shaft, 8" long, possibly of whale-bone, and a lead weighted end, bound with cord. In use it was intended to be aimed at the arms or legs in order to disable the assailant. A blow to the head could easily result in fatal injuries. The prisoners on being asked what they had to say, Robert Eyre said that, when he went into the shop, he struck the boy with a life preserver, but not heavily. He did strike Mr. Hughes, the cashier, with a poker, but so lightly that he did not knock him down. If he had struck as hard as he could he, doubtless, might have killed the cashier. The poker (the prisoner declared) was not broken by the violence of the blows, but by getting twisted during the struggle in his (Eyre’s) arm. It broke at a part where it was very thin and much worn. He and Mr. Hughes fell in their struggle several times against the grate. The prisoner then read the following statement, which he had drawn up himself. He manifested a good deal of emotion as he read, and before he had proceeded far, he was so agitated that one of the clerks took the document from him and finished reading it - I am undefended by any legal man. I take this as the only method left to me to communicate the particulars, and to point out the several circumstances under which I committed the offence of which I am charged. I do not mean to say that any circumstance could have justified me in committing such a crime; but from the state of extreme want, the state of actual starvation, I was in at the time, I scarcely knew what I did. I had no redress. I could get nothing to do. I tried the docks for work, but in vain. I applied to the authorities for relief. I was told to go to the parish. I went to the parish. I was told I’d be sent to my own country. I applied to my friends and relations, but the friendship that existed in prosperity, had disappeared when adversity came on, and, on the morning when this occurrence took place, I was returning from the docks without the slightest hope of obtaining any assistance for a helpless family of small children who had eaten nothing for 36 hours. No wonder, then, that I should be tempted to commit an offence which I knew it was madness to attempt; but when I beheld the pale faces and emaciated forms of five small brothers and a mother, suffering under the circumstances I have already named, my mind became agitated, I cared not what became of me, and I felt I was hurried on to destruction by some irresistible influence. The purport of this is to beg the magistrate to deal with me summarily, and, as an act of mercy, not commit me for trial, and thus give me an opportunity of reforming my character, which I heretofore always endeavoured to preserve unsullied from the slightest improper conduct. With regard to my brother being concerned, in the case, I must say that he was directed and influenced entirely by the instructions I gave him. He did not know the consequences of such a proceeding. He can produce a three years’ character from constant and trustworthy situations, up to the day on which the sad occurrence took place. If I could now get an opportunity to join one of the regiments of dragoons, I would willingly do so, and such is my intention when it pleases God to restore me to liberty. I would have done so long since, but I never could bring myself to leave a young and helpless family unprovided for. I will now say no more upon the subject, but beg that the mercy of the court may be extended to me. I never before injured any person, in either word or deed; neither do I ever intend to do so again. It is true my conduct may seem atrocious in this case, and the uninterested observer may deem it criminal in every sense of the word; but, if they were acquainted with the dreadful privations (the foregoing details of which are but an outline) which led me to the commission of the deed, they would not censure me so much. If any person would go and see my family, they would immediately admit that this statement is not in any way exaggerated. In conclusion, I most sincerely hope and beg that, no matter what the magistrates may do with me, that they will acquit my poor brother as it was all my fault. ROBERT H. EYRE. The Statement was composed, by and in the handwriting of the elder prisoner. It was a clear mercantile hand. Mr. Samuel Holme (to the prisoners): I shall not add to the poignancy with which you must feel your position by any remarks, but I should be guilty of a great dereliction of duty if I did not allow this case to go before a jury. This letter, well expressed and grammatical in its construction, shows that you have had some education. The circumstance of your having taken such a dangerous instrument as that life preserver with you shows forethought in the case, and as your brother, notwithstanding all you have said, was one of the parties who committed this grievous and most atrocious assault in open day, I cannot do less than commit you both to take your trial at the assizes. The prisoners were then removed. Both are young, the eldest being only about 20 years of age. The dress of both prisoners was ragged, but their countenances did not indicate the extreme want which the elder prisoner stated they had suffered." --0--