Thomas Kernan

342

Maureen Withey on 25th September 2025

27 Dec 1814. On list of prisoners to be sent to Newcastle per "Lady Nelson" By ship E. Spencer, Thos. Kenan, Convicted by Crim Ct, Dec 8, sentence, 5 years. ------------------------------------------------------------ COURT OF CRIMINAL JURISDICTION. On Monday the Court met at ten, and proceeded to the arraignment of the prisoners, who were 23 in number. ... Wednesday.- -Thomas Donovan and Thomas Keenan, for stealing 18 baskets of Brazil tobacco, the property of Mr. John Dixon, value 260l. On the night of the 30th of September last ; George and Mary Stevenson, for counselling and advising, aiding and abetting in the crime ; and Michael Burn, charged with feloniously purchasing and receiving 3 baskets, being part of the said tobacco, knowing them to be stolen, were next put to the bar for trial. The first evidence called was Thomas Bradbury, an admitted evidence for the Crown, who, after a strict admonition from the Court reminding him of the express condition of his being brought to the bar as an evidence, instead of a principal or an accomplice, proceeded to state, that he was servant, together with one Moses Prosser, to Mr. Dixon, when the robbery was committed; that the prisoner Stevenson proposed to him the robbery of his master's premises of the tobacco, stating at the same time he could find a purchaser for any quantity of it; that Mary Stevenson (wife of John Stevenson) joined her husband in the proposal, and he consenting; Moses Prosser was also induced to assist in the felony; which was accomplished with the aid of the prisoners Keenan and Donovan, the latter of whom lodged in the house of Stevenson, and was by him recommended to be of the party, as he was a stout man, and capable of much exertion in removing the plunder. The night of Friday, the 30th of September, was fixed for the execution of the project, and the key of Mr. Dixon's dwelling house answering to the lock of the warehouse, an easy access was made ; the whole of the 18 baskets were, between the hours of 7 and 8, removed from within by the witness and his fellow servant. Prosser, conveyed away by the prisoners Keenan and Donovan, and by them concealed in the earth on the Sand hills; where 14 of the baskets were shortly after found by the Police Officers, & restored to the owner; 3 others were sold by Keenan; who, not knowing, as it subsequently appears, of the constables having found and removed the 14 baskets from their place of deposit on the Sand-hills, charged the removal on Donovan, who retorted the challenge, and thus a general distrust arose, which perhaps considerably tended to the implication of some of the persons charged in the indictment. The only evidence that attached to Michael Burn was that of this witness (Bradbury); who stated that Burn had been once present at a conversation relative to the removal of the tobacco from the Sand-hills, and at that time made some mention of a settlement for what he had already purchased. The evidence of Moses Prosser, also an admitted Crown Approver, went chiefly to corroborate that of the foregoing witness, down to the period of the stealing of the tobacco from his master's warehouse; thereby implicating all the prisoners at the bar, except Burn, whom he had never seen in the transaction; and his testimony was strengthened beyond doubt by that of John Butcher, a third servant of Mr. Dixon's, who had been artfully withdrawn from his master's premises by Stevenson and his wife, while the others effected the robbery upon the warehouse, which was unconnected with the dwelling house. The whole of the evidence being gone through, and the prisoners setting up no kind of defence; the Court retired to consider its verdict, which shortly after pronounced Donovan, Keenan, and Stevenson Guilty ; Burn -Not Guilty ; and Mary Stevenson saved only by her coverture, on presumption of her acting under the immediate control of her husband. The three found guilty were remanded for sentence; the others directed to be discharged. The Sydney Gazette, 10 Dec 1814. -------------------------------------------------- ... the whole of the prisoners who had been found guilty on their various charges were recalled to the bar to receive sentence ; which was pronounced in the following order ; viz. …  Thomas Donovan, and Thos. Keenan, for stealing 16 baskets of tobacco the property of Mr John Dixon, ... and William Flynn, for receiving stolen goods, each 3 years hard labour at Newcastle, and to be contained in prison when not employed— Sydney Gazette, 17 Dec 1814.

342

Maureen Withey on 16th September 2025

Thursday last, the following six prisoners were brought to our Castle, escorted by a detachment of the Blues : Henry M'Gleade, Joseph M'Gleade, and Thomas Kernon, alias Karnan, alias Rinnan, charged by the Coroner's inquest, taken at Manchester, on the 18th day of May last, with the wilful murder of William Heywood, of Manchester aforesaid, These men are also charged with having burglariously broken and entered the dwelling house of Philip Antrobus, of Manchester and with having stolen therein divers Bank of England notes, and a quantity of wearing apparel.   Lancaster Gazette, 13 June 1812.

342

Maureen Withey on 26th August 2020

LANCASTER ASSIZES. At our Assizes, which commence this day, before the Hon. Sir G. Wood and the Hon. Sir J. Bayley, there are 80 prisoners for trial, viz. ...Henry McGleade, Joseph McGleade, and Thomas Kinnan, for the wilful murder of William Heywood, of Manchester; also, for a burglary in the house of Philip Antrobus, of Manchester; ... Lancaster Gazette, 22 Aug 1812. LANCASTER ASSIZES, AUG. 27. The Assizes at Lancaster closed this week, when the following prisoners: … Henry McGlead, Joseph McGlead and Thomas Kernan, for burglary ; ... all received sentence of death. Leeds Mercury, 5 Sept 1812. Lancaster Assizes concluded on Monday, when fifteen received sentence of death, and five were left for execution. Chester Chronicle, 11 Sept 1812. Left for execution, viz. John Wright, for forgery, James Cogan for highway robbery; Henry and Joseph McGleade, for burglary and Thomas Robinson for cutting and stabbing. Cumberland Packet, 8 Sept 1812. --------------------------------------------------- Moreton Bay Convict Register. One of 18 male prisoners per Isabella, 2nd May 1830. No 2082. Thos. Kernan, Earl Spencer. Original sentence, Lancaster Ass. 22 Aug 1812. Life. Brickmaker. Colonial conviction: Tried at Gen. Sess. Sydney, 25 Feb 1830. for Stealing. Sentence, 3 years. Died in hospital, 2 April 1831.

342

Maureen Withey on 26th August 2020

Irish Convict Database, by Peter Mayberry. Thomas Kernan, age 35, per Earl Spencer (1813), Tried 1812 at Kent, England, life, DOB, 1778, native place, Meath, Brickmaker. Description, 5ft 4 ins, sallow complexion, brown hair, hazel eyes. ------------------------------------------------------ Colonial secretary Index. KERNAN, Thomas (Per "Earl Spencer", 1813) see Keenan Thomas. KEENAN, Thomas. Per "Earl Spencer", 1813. 1814 Dec 27 - On list of prisoners to be sent to Newcastle per "Lady Nelson"; listed as Kernan (Reel 6004; 4/3493 p.404) 1815 Apr, Oct - On monthly returns of prisoners punished at Newcastle (Reel 6023; 4/1718 pp.43, 47) 1815 Apr 18 - Runaway from Newcastle; apprehended (Reel 6066; 4/1805 p.183) 1815 Oct 4 - Returned to Newcastle (Reel 6066; 4/1805 p.197) 1816 Aug 24 - Runaway from Newcastle who returned to Newcastle having been speared by natives (Reel 6066; 4/1806 p.44) -------------------------------------------------- By the last advices from the Settlement of Newcastle it appears that two runaways who had escaped from thence during Capt. Thompson's command and whose names are Jeremiah Sullivan and Thomas Keenan, returned to that Settlement on the 23d instant, both severely speared : the former so badly as not to be expected to live - And also, that 3 men who had deserted so lately as of the 20th instant, named Thomas Norman, John Lee, and Isaac Walker, returned on the 24th, all severely speared, who report, that Thomas M'Carthy who accompanied them at the same time they deserted, had been killed by the natives -These melancholy instances of the fate of those deluded people who thus venture to desert from their duty, we should hope would operate as a warning against any future attempts of this nature, by shewing them what they have to expect from rashly exposing themselves to the hostility of the natives, rather than endeavouring, by habits of industry and attention to their duty, to open a path to their future comfort and prosperity. Sydney Gazette, 31 Aug 1816.

46

Peter Hinds on 19th June 2020

Thomas Kernan was despatched from Sydney onboard the Isabella on 24 April 1830 bound for Moreton Bay (see The Campbelltown Convicts).