Simon Kinver

218

Dianne Jones on 15th January 2022

IN WA: From his Fremantle jail record: KINVER, Simon; inmate #4624, arrived 1 Jan 1858 per Nile Date of Birth: 1836 Marital Status: Unmarried Occupation: Shepherd Literacy: Literate Sentence Place: Bodmin, Cornwall, England Crime: Killing a sheep Sentence Period: 15 years Ticket of Leave Date: 25 Jan 1860, at Perth Conditional Pardon Date: 4 Apr 1863 (https://fremantleprison.com.au/). --00--

218

Dianne Jones on 15th January 2022

From the 'News of The World', May 25, 1856: "COUNTRY NEWS , CORNWALL Extraordinary Destruction of Sheep During the last six or seven weeks much excitement has prevailed in the neighbourhood of Tregreare, the seat of John King Lethbridge, in consequence of the great and mysterious slaughter of sheep and lambs belonging to him and the occupiers of the farms immediately adjoining. A watch was set, but the slaughter continued, sheep and lambs were killed on several occasions, in the very field surrounded by perhaps a determined party of at least 15 or 20 on the look-out. All kinds of conjectures as to the destroyer were made; some were of the opinion that wild dogs their neighbourhood, others that a wolf was secreted somewhere near the scene of the disasters. At length Mr. Lethbridge’s shepherd found a hole, lined with dog’s hair in a hedge, and a similar nest in an adjoining plantation. This discovery filled the whole of the party with hope and encouragement; the men turned out in great force; the locality was in fact, literally surrounded by anxious watchers; but in spite of all this the slaughter continued. Six weeks thus passed. In the meantime Mr. George Adams, of Lidcott Farms, called to his councils Mr. Lethbridge’s principal farm servants (except the shepherd) and a neighbouring farmer. Mr Adams asked whether it had not occurred to them strange that Simon Kniver [sic], the shepherd of Mr. Lethbridge’s flock, should always be the first man to find the carcasses of the cattle destroyed. Simon Kniver was the only man, of all the men on the look-out, who had seen dogs in the fields. He also was the only man who had fired at the dogs, and this not when in the company of any other person. Simon, too, had discovered the 'dogs nests' in the hedge and plantation. This brought to the mind of one of the party that Simon had his hair cut, about the time the hairy nests were discovered; and that the hair found therein was very like his own. The result of this conference was that instead of watching any longer for dogs, a determination was come to, to watch the shepherd. Mr. George Adams was right, but one ewe and lamb swelled the list of those already destroyed before Simon Kniver was detected and in custody. He made a desperate attempt at an escape; but after a short run was captured. He was brought up before the magistrates at Launceston, and after a lengthened examination of witnesses, was fully committed to take his trial at the next Cornwall sitting of the Assizes on two distinct charges of maliciously killing and maiming cattle. Since being in custody the prisoner has stated that he did not kill more than one half of the sheep destroyed and he ought not suffer for the whole. It came out in evidence, that while watching with others the prisoner would pretend that he heard dogs, or some singular noise, in some particular place near, which he would name, and then he would rush to the spot, and after being absent for a short time would return and report the death of either a sheep or a lamb, or perhaps several of each; in this interval he had slain his victims. He is about 21 years old and has been in the employ of Mr. Lethbridge from a boy." (http://www.perthdps.com/convicts/w4624.htm)

221

D Wong on 5th November 2015

Simon Kinver was born at Laneast, Cornwall. Father: William Kinver Mother Margery Kennor 22/8/1856: Royal Cornwall Gazette: At Bodmin Summer Assizes, Simon Kinver was tried on another case of brutal inhumanity. Simon Kniver had indulged his cowardly and cruel nature in mutilating sheep. He was detected, and found guilty, and sentenced to fifteen years transportation. Our readers will remember that this man’s name is “Kinver” – not “Kniver”. He is about 21 years old, and has been in the employ of Mr Lethbridge from a boy. Simon was 5’5P tall, 20 years old, fresh complexion, brown hair, grey eyes, middling stout, broken right thumb nail. 25/1/1860: TOL 4/4/1863: CP Perth.

4

Lucy Cross on 2nd November 2015

Stole and mutilated sheep belonging to Thomas Adams, farmer of Laneast, Cornwall. Simon is the son of William and Margery/Mary Kinver, recorded as Kinford in the baptism record, as Wesleyan Methodist.