Patrick Fitzpatrick

71

Robin Sharkey on 10th December 2024

Patrick Fitzpatrick, known as Pat, was tried for sheep stealing at the County Clare Lent Assizes held in the week from Monday, 8 March to Friday, 12 March 1819. (Dublin Journal, 24 Feb 1819, p.3 re County’s Lent Assize dates). From the ship’s indent his details were: Aged: 27 years, Born at Clare. Labourer; Height 5ft 6 inches; dark sallow complexion, brown hair, hazel eyes. IRISH CRIME Kilkenny Moderator, 20 March 1819, p.4 “ASSIZES INTELLIGENCE, Ennis, March 13 “Yesterday evening the criminal business of our assizes was concluded by passing sentence on the following persons, found guilty of various offences: “ … PAT. FITZPATRICK and John Beatty, for sheep stealing – to be hanged on the 10th April. The frequency of this crime in the country prevented the Court from extending mercy to them.” Fitzpatrick and Beatty weren’t necessarily involved together in the same incident. It’s possible sentence was pronounced on them together because they had both been found guilty of separate sheep stealing incidents. Yet, somehow Fitzpatrick was reprieved from being hanged – his family probably approached influential people in the locality to apply for mercy on their behalf to the powers in Dublin Castle. They had to move fast since there were only 21 days till he was to be hanged. Instead, he was transported to NSW for life, on the ‘Minerva’. John Beatty, however, did not turn up in New South Wales so was presumably hanged according to his sentence. Four other prisoners tried at the same County Clare Assizes as Pat Conneen, were transported on the Minerva so they were all together in gaol as well as being on the convict ship. These were: Pat Coneen (also reprieved from being hanged - burglary), Michael Clancy and Pat Minogue (sheep stealing) and John McMahon alias O’Brien. in N.S.W: Within two months of landing in Sydney in mid December 1817, Pat was sent as punishment to Newcastle, possibly for a minor kind of matter – insolence and refusing to follow orders – or for a more important matter like trying to abscond from service [Col Sec letter dated 12 Feb 1820, On list of prisoners sent to Newcastle per 'Princess Charlotte'.] In June he was on the monthly returns of prisoners punished at Newcastle (this was usually flogging). By September 1822 – at the 1822 Muster - Fitzpatrick had been released from Newcastle and was assigned in Mr Baker’s road party, resident at Parramatta. But within a few months he had absconded from Bakers Road Party - see Sydney Gazette, 13 Feb 1823. The Office of the Principal Superintendent of convicts advertised at different times that he had absented himself from his employment: Sydney Gazette of 27 January 1824, p.1 – he was missing from the Clearing Party of Rob Crawford, Esq. (This means his clearing party had been assigned to work on the private land of Mr Crawford). He was still missing from the Crawford clearing party one year later: Sydney Gazette of 13 January 1825, p.5 But by September 1825 – at the 1825 Muster - Fitzpatrick had lodged in Sydney Gaol.

341

Maureen Withey on 5th July 2021

Irish Convict Database, by Peter Mayberry. Patrick Fitzpatrick, age 27, per Minerva I (2) 1819, Tried Clare Co., 1819, Life. DOB, 1792, native of Clare. Labourer.