Summary
Personal Information
Crime
Voyage
Transportation
James Fannin was transported on the Merchantman, departing 10th Oct 1862 and arriving 14th Feb 1863 with 192 passengers.
1018 ton ship built in Sunderland 1852/53. Two (2) voyages to Australia with convict transportee's - both to Western Australia. On these voyages, she also carried 'Pensioner Guards' and their families, a few free passengers and soldiers. The 1862 voyage went via Bermuda and picked up British and local prisoners.
Merchantman (generic)References
| Primary Source | Australian Joint Copying Project. Microfilm Roll 93, Class and Piece Number HO11/18, Page Number 509 (256) |
| 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 |
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Convict Notes
Clonmel, Friday.—Wilful Murder.— James Fanning, a young man, was placed at the bar charged with the murder of a person unknown, in field outside the town of Clonmel. It appeared that the murder took place June, 1852, and the last assizes a lad named Rourke pleaded guilty to the offence, and was sentenced to death, but had punishment subsequently commuted transportation for life. The deceased was a stranger who took up his abode for a night in field near Clonmel, where lads and girls of bad reputation were in the habit of sleeping during summer; and it was sworn that he was murdered for the money seen with him, and his month afterwards stuffed with hay. The circumstances which led to the prisoner’s arrest were peculiar. He had recently been a prisoner in Kilkenny gaol for some trifling offence, and wrote a letter to his father, asking for 6s., to be sent him in order to procure attorney to defend him. He promised to be a good member of society for the future, and his father careful to write to him under the name of Dwyer, as be did not wish his real name to known, by reason of a transaction connected with Clonmel. This letter having been discovered, led to farther and to the transmission of the accused to stand his trial for the murder. Judge Moore charged the jury, who after deliberating for an hour, brought in verdict of guilty; but with recommendation to mercy, Rourke, who had pleaded guilty last assizes, the more active of the two in the murder, and had his sentence commuted to transportation for life. Judge Moore in impressive terms pasted sentence of execution ; but stated that he would transmit the recommendation of the jury to the Lord Lieutenant, and it lay with the Government to decide if his life should be saved. The prisoner, who is a very young man, seemed quite unmoved, and made no observation when the sentence was passed. Dublin Evening Post, 19 July 1853. Bermuda Indents, HO-11-18_4 p.35. Irish Convict, James Fannin, date of conviction, 15 July 1853, Life. members.iinet.net.au/~perthdps/convicts/con-wa32.html James Fannin, No.6870, age 32, Tried at Tipperary 1853 for murder, sentence Life.