George Jenks

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Robin Sharkey on 6th July 2020

George Jenks was indicted at Devon for maliciously cutting and stabbing John Gunn, with intent to kill and murder him; a second count charged him with cutting and stabbing with intent to do some grievous bodily harm. [Taken from 'Western Times' Saturday 26 March 1836, p. 3] -At the 1836 Devon Spring Assizes commencing 17 March 1836, John Gunn gave evidence that he was a fisherman living at Topsham: on 5th October at 9 o’clock in the evening he met the prisoner Jenks near the church yard wall and said to him “Steady mate” Jenks said “ you____ kiss my ___” Witness said “if you repeat that language I shall be obligated to kick your ____ “ Jenks repeated the language and then struck Gunn a blow on the left side and another blow in the left thigh .. Gunn saw a knife in Jenks’s hand when he was coming towards him a third time .. The judge admitted that the witness gave provocation but this could not justify the prisoner in stabbing him. Jenks was found guilty of cutting and stabbing with intent to do some bodily harm. Sentence: Death recorded. In the England Criminal register for Devon, Spring Assizes, George Jenks was aged 20 and could read and write WELL. Attempted Jail Break [Taken from Exeter and Plymouth Gazette, Sat April 2 1836 p.3] George Jenks was confined in the same ward of High Gaol of Devon as the other six men who’d been given a Death Recorded sentence at the March Devon Assizes. On Monday 28 March 1836, only a few days after the Assizes sentencing had ended, all seven men together attempted to break out of gaol by overpowering the guards as they were being moved from the airing room back to their cell. They tried to take the keys, managed to get the governor and two other turnkeys locked into a ward and struggled for a time with another turnkey. However, other jail guards came to assist and inevitably the prisoners were subdued and confined in separate cells till the following day, double-ironed. Seven weeks later, on Monday 16th May, they were all removed to the Ganymede Hulk at Woolwich. The Ganymede Hulk records state that George Jenks was aged "24", was convicted of Cutting and Maiming, and was disposed of on 9 November 1836 from the hulk to Van Diemens Land. He sailed on “Sarah” to VDL. Of his fellow Devon Jail prisoners who had attempted to break out, one had been sent to NSW on 2 June (James Barnes), four to NSW on 8 October (McGuire, Clist, Facey and Mason), and one (Thomas Fitzgerald) went to VDL on “Lady Kennaway” in July 1836.