Richard Gorman

341

Maureen Withey on 21st April 2023

RECORDER'S COURT. The Recorder sat on Tuesday for the trial of Prisoners. Richard Gorman was found Guilty of stealing a shawl, a bee cap, and pair of gloves, the property of Mr. William Hodgens, from off a jaunting car, as it was passing through D'Oliver-street. Dublin Evening Post, 22 Sep 1825. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Richard Gorman was found guilty of stealing certain articles from a jaunting car. The Recorder—The notoriety of your character induces the Court to pronounce a sentence upon you, apparently of a harsh nature, but you are a noted offender, Gorman—Arrah, d’ye hear him?—a noted offender —I was never in gaol before. The Recorder—Your character has been long known and a noted offender; for the sake of example, the sentence is, that you, Richard Gorman, be transported for the term of seven years. The prisoner, whose countenance indicated llttle short of an expectation to swing most loftily, appeared very agreeably surprized, and jurking the collar of his coat, exclaimed with a laughing countenance, Very good, your Worship, and retired, apparently more delighted than if he had been ordered to be liberated. Saunders’s News-Letter, 21 Sep 1825.

341

Maureen Withey on 30th October 2019

Was sent to Moreton Bay penal establishment on board the ship “City of Edinburgh”, where a mutiny by the prisoners took place on 11 Jan 1829, resulting in the soldiers opening fire, and killed one prisoner. Six prisoners were injured and taken to hospital. An enquiry into the event took place and the mutineers were identified and punished. The Colonial Secretary’s correspondence has some details: Colonial Secretary correspondence, dated 12 Jan 1829. Letter giving names of 6 men received at General Hospital from “City of Edinburgh”: John Marr/ “Minerva” Richard Gorman/ “Regalia” John Jobson/ “Countess of Harcourt” William Jackson/ “Regalia” George Luland/ “Fortune” 2 Owen Mealy/ “Asia” 4. The inquest of the dead prisoner gives some more information about the mutiny: CORONER'S INQUEST. A Coroner's Inquest took place yesterday, at the Rose and Crown Tavern, Castlereagh street, to investigate the circumstances attending the death of John Jackson, one of the prisoners of the crown embarked on board the City of Edinburgh, destined for Moreton Bay, who was accidentally shot, when a serious tumult took place on board that vessel, on the 11th instant. It appeared, after a deliberate enquiry, which lasted three hours, that the deceased, although not immediately connected with the said tumult, which fact was gathered from the circumstantial and very convincing deposition of Mr. David Murray, in charge of the Phoenix Hulk, or prison Ship, that he was indiscriminately shot by one of the soldiers in the execution of his duty in older to subdue the serious and alarming tumult that then existed on board. The Coroner and Jury, under all the circumstances came to the following conclusion, "That the deceased died in consequence of a wound inflicted by a musket shot from one of the soldiers on duty, after a mutiny had actually existed for some length of time amongst the prisoners, and which they (the Jury), consider to be justifiable homicide. Sydney Gazette, 24 Jan 1829. Moreton Bay records: Richard Gorman, original conviction, Dublin City, 21 Sept 1825, felony, (shawl), sentence, 7 years, trade, carman. Colonial conviction: General sessions, Bathurst, 19 Sept 1828, assault and robbery, sentence, 2 years. to Sydney, 8 Nov 1830.

62

Keith South on 7th April 2015

Richard was a native of Dublin, a Carman aged 19 and convicted of Robbing cars.