Summary
Personal Information
Crime
Voyage
Transportation
Edward Kelly was transported on the Hougoumont, departing 10th Oct 1867 and arriving 9th Jan 1868 with 281 passengers.
875 ton ship was built at Moulmein in 1852. http://www.australiangeographic.com.au/journal/on-this-day-in-history-australias-last-convict-ship-docks.htm ---------------------------- Incorrect Image ....This is a four masted steel hulled Barque in the drawing , im surprised Australian Geo didn't do a bit more research on this .......The Hougoumont was a works ship on the Forth Bridge Project in 1885 ....the one potrayed as a drawing in Aust Geo is the later version of this ship.....the photograph i have attached is the correct and original convict vessel. --00-- 1867 "The hired convict ship Hougoumont, which has been taken up by the Government for the conveyance of a numerous party of convicts to Freemantle, Western Australia, left the Nore on October 1, and proceeded down Channel, after receiving on board 150 convicts from the establishments at Chatham and Millbank. The convicts from the Chatham establishment, at St. Mary's, embarked from the dockyard on board the paddle-wheel steamer Adder, Mr. W. J. Blakely, and were in charge of a numerous party of convict guards and wardens, all heavily armed. Among the convicts shipped were a party of fifteen Fenians, who were engaged in the late conspiracy in Ireland, together with the officers and crew convicted of scuttling the ship Severn, and some others who have achieved notoriety from their crimes. The Fenian convicts, like the remainder of the prisoners, were chained together in gangs, but it was observed that they were kept apart from the other convicts in a portion of the vessel by themselves. The steamer Petrel also took down a number of convicts from the establishment at Millbank for shipment on board the Hougoumont, in charge of a strong escort and convict guard. On Tuesday, October 8th, the Hougoumont arrived in Portland roads. Shortly before midday ninety convicts were marched down to the Government pier at Portland under a strong escort of the 12th Light Infantry. The party included twenty-three Fenian convicts, among whom it was said, was Moriarty. The Government steamer employed in the breakwater service was used for conveying the convicts on board the Hougoumont transport ship. The convicts were chained together on embarking, and on board the steamer a strong guard of marines from her Majesty's ship St. George was formed, and saw the convicts safely placed on board the Hougoumont. The Governor of the penal settlement at Freemantle, Captain Young, is on board the Hougoumont, and returns in that ship to his sphere of duty after paying a visit to his native land." Source: Sydney Morning Herald, Thu 19 Dec 1867, p4, English Shipping, available on Trove at https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/28608271?searchTerm=hougoumont.
HougoumontReferences
| Primary Source | Australian Joint Copying Project. Microfilm Roll 93, Class and Piece Number HO11/19, Page Number 258 |
| 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
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Photos
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Convict Notes
1871, 14 March: Edward Kelly received a Conditional Pardon (vide #12020/21) and two months later, on 11 May, he sailed for New Zealand on board the Queen of the South (see Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930; Convict Department, Registers; General Register for Nos 9599 - 10128 cont. (R16)).
EDWARD KELLY is named in this republished letter, from one of the Fenians who was given a free pardon and who went to America per the Baringa in 1869 (see the Freeman’s Journal, Sydney, Sat 2 Jul 1870, p13): NEWS OF THE RELEASED IRISH POLITICAL PRISONERS. The Boston Pilot — per favour of Mr. John Boyle O’Reilly, the military political prisoner who escaped from Western Australia — publishes the following letter received by that gentleman. We regret the want of success which met those [15 men who went there aboard the Baringa] who expected to find happy homes in California: “34, Minna street, between 1st and 2nd streets, San Francisco, Cal., March 9, 1870. MY DEAR O’REILLY,— It was more by chance than good luck I happened to hear of your being in New York, and so I write to be one of the first to congratulate you on your escape from Western Australia. Of course we were aware of your escape, but did not know in what quarter of the world you were. The majority of us thought you were soldiering down in South America, but I am very glad to find you are better off. Before we left Western Australia we visited the boys in prison; they all seemed to be in pretty good health — that is as far as health in a prison goes — and spirits. I give you, on the other side, the names of those here with me, those in prison in Fremantle, those gone home, those free in Western Australia, and of our soldier friends still prisoners in bush parties, and out on a ticket- of -leave. I am afraid there is but very little chance of their getting out. On the road up from Perth to King George’s Sound we met a few of our military friends, stationed in different bush parties on the road; they all seemed to be in good health and spirits, except [James] Wilson. He looked like a man that had to put up with a great deal of annoyance, as I believe he has, from his warder, who is continually reporting him for the slightest cause. Martin Hogan is up in the Champion Bay district. I did not see [Patrick] Keating, neither do I know where he is; but I heard that he and [Patrick] Killeen were working in different parties on the York road. [Michael] Harrington is somewhere about Northam; Keeley [James Keily/Kiely] is in some other quarter. With the exception of those, I have seen all the others. Although we had a police escort, we managed to speak to the boys ‘for a’ that.’ We had rather hard times after getting out of prison; some of us had to go miles away into the infernal bush, where I suppose we would be now, only for the noble-hearted Irishmen and women in the Australian colonies. You would not believe how kind they were to us. I could not find words enough in the dictionary to express their goodness; where-ever we went we found them the same… Had we stayed in Sydney we would have all got first-class situations from the wealthy Irishmen there; but like fools, as we were, nothing would do us only to come out to this place, where we are loafing about for the last six or seven weeks, and can’t get employment. Were it not for the money we got in Australia we would be ‘hard up’ indeed; some of us would be off soldiering for Uncle Sam — perhaps down in Arizona, or some other place — by this time. There are only five or six out of the fifteen of us at work. Since I made out the list, I have learned from a letter received by Denis Hennessy from Western Australia, that Hugh F. Brophy was to start for home the following mail, and that James Flood was about going to New Zealand. That is all the news from that benighted land. Send all the news from home, as I have not had a letter from any one since last August. We do not know how the wind blows in that quarter. Letter from M. Cody yesterday. Father Lynch gone home to Ireland for twelve months. Father McCabe, of Bunbury, in his place. Hoping soon to hear from you, I am yours, very sincerely, JOHN B. WALSH.” LIST… In San Francisco, California: John Keneally, Patrick Doran, Denis B. Cashman, Patrick Dunne, Denis Hennessy, Thomas Fogarty, Eugene Geary, David Cummins, Michael Moore, David Joyce, Patrick Leahy, John Sheehan, Maurice Fitzgibbon, John B. Walsh, Patrick Wall. In Prison in Fremantle, West Australia: John Flood, 15 years, Corn. D Keane, 10 years, J. EDWARD KELLY [my emphasis], life imprisonment, Daniel J. Bradley, 10 years, Michael Cody [alias James Dunn], 20 years, Thos. Baines, 10 years, Thos. Fennell, 10 years, James Kearney, 7 years, Geo. Connelly, 15 years. Gone Back to Ireland: Thomas Daly, Morgan McSwiney, Jeremiah O’Donovan, Michael Noonan, John S. Casey, Thomas Cullinane (alias Bowler) Eugene Lombard, Patrick Riordon, Simon Downey, Robert May. Free in Western Australia: Hugh F. Brophy, Cornelius O’Mahony, Joseph Noonan, Jeremiah Aher, James O’Reilly, John Goulding, Thomas Duggan, Laurence Fulham, James Flood, Luke Fulham. Our Military Friends Prisoners in different Bush Parties, and on Ticket of Leave in Western Australia: Sergeant Major [Thomas] Darragh, life, 11th Regiment. James Wilson, life, 5th Dragoon Guards. Martin Hogan, life, 6th Dragoon Guards. James Mecoy, 15 years, 61st Regiment. Patrick Keating, life, 5th Dragoon Guards. Thomas Delaney, 15 years, 5th Dragoon Guards John Foley, 7 years, Royal Horse Artillery. Thos. Hassett, life, 24th Regiment. J. [John] Shine, 20 years, 60th Rifles. Patrick Killeen, 7 years, Royal Horse Artillery. Michael Harrington, life, 61st Regiment. Robert Cranston, life, 61st Regiment. — Keely [James M. Kiely], life, 53rd Regiment. On Ticket-of Leave: William Foley, 5th Dragoon Guards. John Lynch, 5th Dragoon Guards. John Donoughue, 24th Regiment.
From his Fremantle jail record: KELLY, Edward; #9793; arrived 10 Jan 1868 per Hougoumont Alias: John Edward Kelly Date of Birth: 1840 Place of Birth: Kinsale, County Cork Date of Death: Jan 1874 Place of Death: Boston, USA Marital Status: Unmarried Occupation: Compositor Literacy: Literate Sentence Place: Cork Crime: High treason Sentence Period: Death, commuted to life Ticket Leave Date: 13 Mar 1871 Comments: One of 62 Fenians transported on the Hougoumont, the last convict ship sent to Australia. Its arrival at Fremantle on 9 Jan 1868 signalled the end of transportation to this country. Suggested name of The Wild Goose for ship newspaper. To New Zealand, 11 May 1871 (see https://fremantleprison.com.au/). --00-- 1869, 5 February: Thirty four Fenians who had been transported to Western Australia (as well as others imprisoned in Great Britain) were given Free Pardons / “unconditionally discharged” by the House of Commons. EDWARD KELLY was not one of them. For a full list, see the Melbourne Advocate, 22 May 1869, p4, at https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/169267360?. 1869, 19 June: From the Freeman’s Journal, p6: “THE POLITICAL PRISONERS. The correspondent of the ‘Evening Post’, writing from London on Monday evening, says: — A return has been issued to-day of the names of the Fenian convicts NOT [my emphasis] proposed to be released, stating what portion of their sentences is unexpired… Those confined in Australia are: — EDWARD JOHN KELLY [sic; my emphasis], for the remainder of his life; James Dunne, alias Cody, for the remainder of twenty years, from 8th April, 1867; John Flood, fifteen years, from 8th April, 1867; Cornelius Dwyer Kane, ten years, from 17th February, 1866; Thomas Baines, ten years, from 17th February, 1867; David Bradley, ten years, from llth June, 1867; Thomas Fennell, ten years, from 15th July, 1867; George Francis Connolly, seven years from 8th April, 1867; and James Kearney, five years, from 2nd May, 1867…”
1867, 30 September: EDWARD KELLY and 13 other “Government prisoners” (Fenians) in Millbank were removed for transportation aboard the Hougoumont (see UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951; Millbank Prison Register of Prisoners, 1867-1868). —00— 1868, 10 January: On arrival in WA, EDWARD KELLY was listed as #9793, 26 years old, and a compositor; single, with no children (see Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930; Convict Department Registers (128/40 - 43)). This record also contains his physical description. Next of kin - sister, Mrs G Corcoran [?], East Boston, Massachusetts, USA; and uncle, James Mahoney, Charleston [?], Massachusetts, USA (see Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930; Convict Department, Registers; General Register for Nos 9059 - 9598 cont., 9599 - 10128 (R15 - R16)).
1867, 10 June: Edward Kelly was sent from Cork jail to Mountjoy prison in Dublin where he was listed as 26 years old. He was held there for three weeks (see Ireland, Prison Registers, 1790-1924; Dublin; Mountjoy and Richmond 1866-1887). 1867, 4 July: He was received at Millbank jail at Westminster in London, which served as a holding facility for convicted prisoners before they were transported to Australia. At Millbank, he was listed as 26, single, able to read and write imperfectly, a Protestant and a compositor. By this time, according to jail records, he had spent 2.2 months behind bars [it was just over 3 months] (see UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951; Millbank Prison; Register of Prisoners 1867-1868).
1867, 2 April: Listed as Edward Kelly or John Edward Kelly, 26, he was admitted to Cork jail, accused of "appearing in arms and firing on HM troops". He was described as 5'5½" tall with brown hair, dark grey eyes, and a fresh complexion. He was Protestant and could read and write. Born at Kinsale, Co Cork, he was a compositor (see Ireland, Prison Registers, 1790-1924; Cork; Cork 1861-1873). 1867, 2 May: He appeared before the Special Commission at Cork, was convicted of high treason, and sentenced to death - to be hanged on 19 June, 1867. This was commuted to penal servitude for life. The following is an account of his trial published in the Hobart Mercury, 13 July, p3: "At the Cork Special Commission, during the trial for high treason, on May 23rd, of Captain McClure, John Edmund Kelly [sic], David Joyce, and Cullinane, or Boyle, the first-named prisoner withdrew his plea of "Not Guilty." Although warned that his pleading guilty could not alter his sentence, he deliberately admitted the crime with which he was charged. The other prisoners were convicted,but recommended to mercy. Chief Justice Monahan sentenced the four prisoners to be hanged on the 19th of June, their heads to be afterwards cut off, and their bodies divided into quarters. Kelly expressed the hope that all pleas for mercy on his part would be disregarded as he was willing to die. The other prisoners did not speak." --00--
1867, 30 March: EDWARD KELLY was one of three Fenians arrested by police near Mitchelstown, County Cork. This account of their capture was published in the Melbourne Herald, on 12 June, p3: "FENIANISM AND THE STATE OF IRELAND. ...They showed fight, and one was mortally wounded — since dead. Captain McClure, who led the attack on Knockadown coastguard station, was one of the captured. The troops came from Mitchelstown on Sunday morning to the south-east end of the Valley of Aherfoucha. Forty men, under Major Bell, went down the slope, across the stream, and surrounded the south west sides of the wood in skirmishing order on the opposite bank. The cavalry, which had followed at some distance, went up the valley along the road, crossed the bridge, and wheeled downstream to meet the infantry, thus completing the line of circumvallation around the wood. The police, with Mr. Redmond and S. I. Rudge, went to the top of the western mountain, while Mr. Browne and the men of the 6th surrounded the house on the eastern hill, where the search was fruitless. When the report of firearms was heard by this latter party of men they dashed down the hill in order to hold a position to the south of the valley and check escape in that quarter. The skirmishers, on being posted, received orders that no person should be allowed to pass out of the wood, and one of them perceiving a figure moving through the trees at a distance of about eighty yards challenged him, and a shot was the reply, whereupon he jumped into the wood and was immediately fired at again. He then took aim at his assailant, but failed to shoot him. The other men at once advanced into the wood, and seeing two men running from them towards the river commenced a general fusilade. Just at this moment Mr. Redmond, who had dashed down the opposite hill, in rear of the military, ran through their line under fire in pursuit of the fugitives, one of whom (Captain McClure) he overtook as he jumped into the river. Mr. Redmond grappled with him from behind. McClure then tried to take aim at Mr. Redmond over his shoulder, and the soldiers rushed forward to bayonet him. But in attempting to shoot Mr. Redmond in this manner he left himself open to be easily overpowered. Meantime, some of the last shots had struck Crowley as he too was jumping into the river, into which he fell mortally wounded. The soldiers plunged in after him, and drew him out on the bank. It was found on examining him that one of the shots had struck the lock of his musket, breaking the third finger of his right hand, shattered the stock of his gun, and then rebounded, making a large welt across his stomach. Another shot had entered the middle of his back and passed under his right armpit. At a farmhouse the people refused to take him, and he had to be taken to Mitchelstown, but he died in Dr. Rogers' phaeton before he arrived. A third man had been observed by Ensign Meredith crouching in a ditch, with rifle in hand, and being called on to surrender, he at once threw down his gun, which was identified as a coast guard's weapon. He gave his name as Edward Kelly, and he had a haversack with him containing a few pounds of raw pork and some ammunition. In a pocket-book found on this man there were several entries and names of many persons, who, it is believed, were implicated in the conspiracy. This he called his “journal of the campaign”, and the last entry, when five were together, was made on the 7th March. He had also a green silk flag with white fringe, a green handkerchief, and a map of the county Cork. The two prisoners, McClure and Kelly, were escorted to Cork gaol. It is stated that McClure, after his leadership in the attack on Knockadown station, left in a small sloop for America, but was driven back by stress of weather, and returned to the Galtees in expectation of meeting some stray rebels there. The funeral of Crowley, who held about 100 acres of land near Youghal, took place on Monday. About 2 o'clock the body was removed from the workhouse, and about 100 women and children, each bearing a branch of laurel, formed themselves four deep on the road. Then came some young men, also four deep, but none of these had any laurel. The coffin was borne on the shoulders of men, some laurel thrown on it, and was not placed in the hearse until it reached some distance outside the town. Three Catholic clergymen were present." --0-- A report of the same incident from the Hobart Mercury, 14 June 1867, p2, gave extra details about Edward Kelly: “…Kelly who might easily have shot the person who arrested him, is a man of apparently feeble constitution, and looks ill and emaciated, suffering from privation, and painfully conscious of his position. He has been identified as a compositor who had been employed on the Cork Herald.” --0-- From the Leader, 15 June 1867, p22: “Edward Kelly, taken at Kilclooney Wood in the fatal affray with the military flying column, lodged, after his arrival from America, with the Buckleys, at Sundays Well, near Cork.”
Pardoned in 1870-71. Moved to the United States in 1876.