Owen Flannagan

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Maureen Withey on 5th August 2019

Supreme Criminal Court WEDNESDAY, May 28th. 1828 The Supreme Court sat in Banco this morning for the purpose of hearing motions and passing sentence on several prisoners convicted during the previous week. Owen Flanagan, convicted as an accessory after the fact to a robbery in the dwelling-house of James Evans, at Penrith. To be transported for the term of seven years. Sydney Gazette, 30 May 1828,

341

Maureen Withey on 4th August 2019

His brother Patrick Flannagan was also transported on the same ship. Both brothers also received colonial sentences and were sent to Moreton Bay. Moreton Bay convict Record. Owen Flanagan, Mangles 4, Convicted at Roscommon, July 1825, House robbery, & years. Trade- labourer. Colonial Conviction, Crim. Court, Sydney, 28May 1828, Pig stealing, 7 years. To Sydney 25 June, 1835. Run 19 Nov, Ret. 25, 1828; Run 1 Dec, ret. 8 Dec 1828; Run 27 Dec 1832. Ret. 16 Feb 1833? from Sydney, forwarded by mistake. Description: Owen Flanagan, native Place Roscommon, age 25, height 5 ft 4 ½ . Fair comp. lt. Brown hair, grey eyes. R.C. religion. A man is under examination by the Police, who stands charged with outwitting the Commandant at Moreton Bay, under the following circumstances. His name is Patrick Flanagan, and he was sentenced by the Supreme Court nearly four years ago to be transported to Moreton Bay for fourteen years; his brother Owen Flanagan, being sent there about the same time for three years. On arriving at the settlement, they exchanged christian names, each representing himself as the other, and accordingly at the termination of the three years, Patrick procured himself to be sent up to Sydney in the name of his brother Owen. The stratagem was so far successful, and as soon as Patrick was clear of the coast, Owen came forward and demanded his own freedom, alleging that if the Commandant had suffered himself to be imposed upon by his brother, that was nothing to him, and therefore, as his sentence was really only for three years, which had now expired, he was resolved to work no longer. Captain Clunie, however, as according to his account he had already practised one deception, was not bound to believe this statement, and accordingly detained him, sending a report up to Sydney, that the proper enquiries might be made. Sydney Gazette, 22 Dec 1832.