Summary
Personal Information
Voyage
Transportation
John Hennessey was transported on the St Vincent, departing 28th Dec 1852 and arriving 26th May 1853 with 214 passengers.
St Vincent (generic)References
| Primary Source | Australian Joint Copying Project. Microfilm Roll 92, Class and Piece Number HO11/17, Page Number 639 (322). --0-- http://foundersandsurvivors.org/pubsearch/convict/chain/ai32110. --0-- Roscoe, Katy (2018), “Convicts and the Sea: the naval influence on Gibraltar Convict Establishment” at https://staffblogs.le.ac.uk/ |
| 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
"See Muchael Nash"
Photos
No photos have been added for John Hennessey.
Convict Notes
FOOTNOTE: ACCOUNTS OF THEIR TRIAL AND THE AFTERMATH — NEWSPAPER REPORTS: TRIAL: 17 July, 1849: John Hennessy, Michael Nash, Patt Dempsey, John Crowe, and Michael Colhane, were indicted for taking away gun the 6th of May last at South Cappa, from Loghlan Sharpe. For assaulting L Sharpe, at South Cappa, with intent to endanger life the 6th May last. ... (Limerick Reporter, p3). 19 July, 1849: MURDEROUS ATTACK ON LORD MONTEAGLE’S STEWARD. At the Limerick Assizes, Michael Nash, John Crowe, John Hennessy, Patrick Dempsey, and Michael Culhane, were put to the bar charged with taking arms from Lachlan Sharpe, and also with maliciously assaulting him, so as to endanger his life, and so as to do him grievous bodily harm on the 6th of May last. Three men named Michael Crowe, Michael Carroll and Patrick Walshe, were included in were included in the indictment, but not proceeded against…. A man named Connors, who had been steward to Lord Monteagle, was discharged, and the prosecutor, Lachlan Sharpe, a Scotchman, was appointed in his place. Sharpe introduced some new regulations affecting the management of the land; and had reason to… [indistinct] with several of the persons employed on the land, amongst others, with the prisoner Nash, who was a herdsman [woodsman?] and had liberty to graze two cows, but who used improperly to keep more at his lordship’s expense and Mr. Sharpe told him he should not take more privileges than his lordship allowed him, and for this reason this barbarous attack was concocted, which is a disgrace to the country and to humanity. Mr. Bennett then proceeded through the details of the case. He remarked that, in point of law, they would be warranted in finding a verdict of guilty, even if the approver was uncorroborated; but he would produce such testimony as, if believed, must entirely establish the truth of the approver’s story. An Approver deposed to the facts of the case. Crowe was acquitted—the rest found guilty.” (Morning Herald London, p3) — WITNESS ‘DROWNED’: 22 March, 1850: “David Fitzgerald, a crown witness [approver], at last summer assizes for this county, when John Hennessy, Michael Culhane, Patrick Dempsey, and Michael Nash, were convicted of a violent attack upon Mr. Loughlin Sharpe, steward to Lord Monteagle, so as to endanger life, South Cappa, on the 6th of May, and who were sentenced to transportation for life [incorrect, they were sentenced to 7 years’ transportation] was found drowned in a bog hole, near the Roman Catholic chapel of Stonehall, on Saturday, with the sinews of both arms cut through across the elbow joint, and his throat also desperately lacerated. Dr. Enright, coroner, held an inquest on Sunday, when a verdict of found drowned was returned, in the absence of any evidence to account for the catastrophe.” (Morning Herald London, p2)
For further details see his Conduct record at https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON33-1-115$init=CON33-1-115p99. --00--
IN VDL: 26 May, 1853: On arrival in VDL, JOHN HENNESSEY, convict #27944, was listed as a labourer; 26 [sic] years old, 5’7” tall with dark brown hair, grey eyes and a dark complexion. He was single, Roman Catholic and semi-literate. Native place: Limerick (https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON33-1-115$init=CON33-1-96p99). He said he had been transported for assault and robbery at Limerick. Family: Sisters Catherine, Mary, Bridget and Margaret – all at his native place (http://foundersandsurvivors.org/pubsearch/convict/chain/ai32110). --
VOYAGE: From the medical journal of the St Vincent, by Thomas Somerville, Surgeon Superintendent, Folio 2: 14 February, 1853: “John Hennesey, aged 27, convict; sick or hurt, contusion; put on sick list 14 February 1853, discharged duty 3 March 1853.” (https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/browse/r/h/C4106910) --00--
3 February, 1853: Sent aboard the St Vincent for transportation to VDL. --00--
On Gibraltar, JOHN HENNESSEY was described as 29 years old, sentenced to 7 years for “robbery and assault”; first conviction; born in Limerick; Catholic; light brown hair, grey eyes and fair complexion, 5’6¾” tall; semi-literate; labourer; single; relatives/family – at Limerick (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951; Misc.; Register of Prisoners; 1810-1822 [mislabelled]). --
Gibraltar and Bermuda were listed public works stations (and the second stage in the penal process). On Gibraltar, as “convicts worked together with free men on the dockyards, lines between them became blurred. Convicts, like seamen, were ‘easily recognised’ by ‘their swarthy, weather beaten complexions…[and] muscular well-knit frames’. The discipline on the penal settlement was also influenced by the naval department, who superintended part of the works. In the 1840s, for example, convicts were provided ‘a half gill of rum’ at 11am and 5pm, which they drank from a trough. This mirrored the daily allowance of diluted rum, known as grog, to Royal Naval seamen in the Victorian era. Convicts were also allowed to use part of their earnings, to buy goods, usually tobacco, which they were allowed to smoke in the evening in the barracks. Though official correspondence cited health reasons for grog allowance, it seems likely that the convict authorities feared insubordination if they were banned from drinking and smoking, which were provided to the sappers and dockyard workers whom they worked alongside… In 1854, the acting overseer stated that “half of the offences were committed when the men were excited by rum”. For more serious offences, convicts were flogged with a ‘cat o’nine tails’ whip against the ‘flogging mast’, and during an investigation Dr William Baly concluded that the whip which was used was an old naval cat, which was ‘much heavier than any now used in the government prison and hulks at home, or in the army.’” (Roscoe, Katy (2018), “Convicts and the Sea: the naval influence on Gibraltar Convict Establishment” at https://staffblogs.le.ac.uk/). --
TO GIBRALTAR: 3 October, 1851: HENNESSEY, JOHN #1943, arrived on Gibraltar from Ireland per Rodney. He was held on the Europa hulk (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951; Misc.; Register of Prisoners; 1810-1822 [mislabelled]). --
NEWSPAPER REPORT OF THE TRIAL: 18 July, 1849: “ASSIZES—Monday, July 16. ATTACK ON LORD MONTEAGLE’S STEWARD. John Hennessy, Michael Nash, Patt Dempsey, John Crowe, and Michael Culhane, were indicted for taking away a gun on the 6th of May last, at South Cappa, from Loughlan Sharpe; also for assaulting L. Sharpe, at South Cappa, with intent to endanger life, on the 6th May last. A witness told the court a group of men were at Nolan’s public house after the fair at Newbridge. Michael Nash told the witness “to beat Loughlan Sharpe”. He said he saw Michael Culhane strike Mr Sharpe “with a flesh-hook in the ear”. The witness and a man called Carroll went upstairs to look for a gun, and Carroll found it; when they came back Mr Sharpe was “knocked down, and John Hennessy had a leg on his throat” (Dublin Evening Mail, p3). —0--
BACK IN IRELAND: TRIAL: 16 July, 1849: Convicted at Limerick with others and sentenced to 7 years’ transportation for assault and robbery (http://foundersandsurvivors.org/pubsearch/convict/chain/ai32110) —0—