Summary
Personal Information
Voyage
Transportation
John Holmes was transported on the Surrey Or Surry, departing 9th Jan 1836 and arriving 17th May 1836 with 108 passengers.
Built at Harwich in 1811 a square-rigged transport ship of 443 tons and copper lined she had two decks with a height between decks of 5 ft. 8 ins. In 1818, she had a major refit increasing the decks (and convict carrying capacity) to three. She was owned by the London firm of F. & C.F. Mangles.
Surrey Or Surry (generic)References
| Primary Source | State Records of NSW, Convict Ship Indents, "Surry" NSW Gov Records; Freemans Journal (Ireland), Friday 27 March 1835 p.1 "Daring Outrage". |
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Convict Notes
CONVICT SHIP INDENT: John Holmes, per Surry (8) 2, at Sydney; 17 May 1836; Convict, Crime: Assaulting habitation; Tried at Limerick, 18 July 1835; Sentence: 7 years; Previous convictions: None Aged: 30 years, no education, Roman Catholic, Married with three children - two sons, one daughter, Born at County Limerick, Farm Servant; Height: 5ft 85 & 1/4 inches; Complexion: dark; Hair: brown; Eyes: blue; Marks or scars: Yes; NSW CONVICT RECORDS 1837 - John Holmes, Aged: 33; Tried at Limerick, per ship Surry 1836; Residence: Patrick’s Plains; [Assigned to] R. Rodd. 1841 Ticket of Leave Number: 41/1476 Year: 1841; Allowed to remain in the District of Patricks Plains; Name: John Holmes; Place of Trial: Limerick, Ship: Surrey, Year: 1836 (Sydney Herald, 3rd. August 1841, p.4 Undermentioned have obtained Tickets of Leave – at Patrick’s Plains, John Holmes, Surry 8) 1843 Certificate of Freedom, number 43/1308, Dated 15 August 1843. John Holmes, Arrived per Surrey 1836; (previous)TL 40/1728. NSW Gov Gazette, 13th June 1843 p.789 Certificates of freedom have been prepared for the undermentioned persons – Brown, John per Surry 8.
_______________________________________ IRISH CRIME John Holmes and John Brown (who also arrived per ‘Surry’ with Holmes) were part of a gang of six men who, with fire-arms, assaulted the house of Michael Hayes of Carrigmore before dawn on Wednesday 25 March 1835 and threatened and intimated the two women inside - Haye’s sister and his wife. Terrifyingly, a gun was placed into the mouth of Hayes’s sister by one of the men who also burned priming at her, which would have increased her terror that they were going to carry out their threat to pull the trigger. Only Holmes and Brown were apprehended on the day of the assault, the other four escaping into the countryside. No other newspaper reports were found about any of the other four men being arrested, Here is the report of the crime in the Freemans Journal (Ireland), Friday 27 March 1835 p.1 (taken from the Limerick Chronicle): “Daring Outrage “On Thursday morning, between the hours of five and six o’clock, the dwelling house of Michael Hayes of Carrigmore (Limerick) was entered by six armed persons who ransacked the premises and, not meeting Hayes, whose wife and sister were in bed at the time, they ordered the latter to sit up. On complying they insisted she open her mouth, into which they put the muzzle of a gun, swearing they would give her the contents of it if she did not tell them where her brother was. Tye fellow who had his gun thus placed burned priming at her. “Hayes was returning to his house and one of the party presented his piece [ie firearm] and missed fire at him. Hayes retreated and gave the neighbours the alarm, who, after a chase of five miles, secured two fo the ruffians who are now in the Tipperary bridewell. “The only reason that can be alleged for this atrocious outrage is the circumstance of Hayes being employed by Stephen E Collis Esq, agent to the Earl of Listowell; that he prevented certain persons of taking unlawful possession of part of his Lordship’s property at Carrigmore, barony of Coonagh. It is hoped that the other four who escaped will be shortly brought to justice “Much praise is certainly die to the country people, who rendered every assistance in apprehending the two fellows at present in custody, whose names are John Holmes and a man of the name of Brown. The entire of the fire-arms that these men had were secured by Hayes and the county people in the pursuit.”
115216 Holmes John - Surry 1836. 1837 Patrick Plains GRC. Age 28. Assigned to R. Rodd. 109129 Holmes John - Surry 1836. 1841 3 August Patrick Plains SG. Granted Ticket of Leave.
Born - Limerick County Ireland. Crime - Assaulting habitation. Married 2 male 1 female children.