John Lamph

74

iain Frazier on 19th May 2024

Family connections for John (Lamph) are: LAMPH John (Lamphe/le) was born about 1798, perhaps at Markethill co.Armagh Ireland, & became a stonemason. He was convicted of a robbery in co.Armagh in December 1818 & escaped, with arms & others, through a sewer. He was tried for house robbery, on 18 3 1819, of John (Mason) of Cranby Armagh at Armagh in 1819, sentenced to Life & arrived in Hobart Town as a convict on 4 3 1820 after a voyage of 5months on CASTLE FORBES. He was at some time charged with neglect of duty & ordered to work for 14days in own time. At another time he absented himself from a muster to organise a public fight attended by thousands of convicts. He absconded from Derwent Tasmania in 1823, was apprehended & held in Sydney Gaol on 8 10 1823 & returned on 16 10 1823 on brig ANN from Sydney. He married Sarah (Peck her first marriage) on 15 8 1825 at St Johns Launceston. He was recorded in 1830 employed on public works, in 1832 with Ticket of Leave & 1833 as employed by P (Gorman). In 1835 he received an allottment in Upper Collins St Hobart Town; he was required to build a stone house. He purchased 320acres at Bream Creek in June 1834. By 1834 he had built a simple dwelling for ??? (Heaney) which he operated with licence as public house 'Irish Harp' at St Giles in partnership with ??? (Heany). He had an argument with his partner, resulting in him being gaoled. He then moved his victualling equipment to Harrington St, called Brian Bruhe, & operated as public house with partner ??? (Taylor) who was also given a licence. On 28 11 1834 he supposedly assisted in apprehension of 5men after burglary at Ross Bridge, who were hanged in February 1835 claiming innocence & perjury, for which he was granted a Free Pardon in February 1835 & was appointed as District Constable on 17 2 1835. In May 1835 he was a constable & supposedly assaulted by ruffians at Brian Bruhe; they were acquitted & John, who apparantly effected the most violence, was gaoled for perjury in both the cases mentioned here in July 1835. On 17 8 1835 he was removed to Richmond as constable. He died on 23 3 1838 at Bream Creek as a farmer. [Some details taken from this Website] Sarah (Peck) was born in 1807 on Norfolk Island (Ref:'People...' shows her born on 17 6 1791 & dying on 23 10 1795). She is not listed as leaving Norfolk Island with her parents as part of the first evacuation on 25 12 1807 on HMS PORPOISE to Derwent Van Diemens Land (Tasmania), arriving on 17 1 1808, to New Norfolk. She was baptised on 3 11 1808 at St Davids CofE Hobart. She is apparantly recorded on 2 10 1818 as Sally age13. She married secondly Samuel (Barber) farmer on 6 10 1840 at St George church Sorrell Tasmania?. Details of Sarah (Peck)s family are given in entry for Joshua (Peck/Peek SCARBOROUGH/CHARLOTTE 1788) on this Website. John (Lamph) & Sarah (Peck) produced 3children: all girls 1.daughter (Lamph) was born in 1826 & baptised in Roman Catholic (St Marys?) church Hobart Town. 2.daughter (Lamph) was baptised in Roman Catholic (St Marys?) church Hobart Town. 3.daughter (Lamph) was born in 1834 & baptised in Roman Catholic (St Marys?) church Hobart Town. REFERENCES Craig James Smee 'Births and Baptisms Marriages and Defacto Relationships Deaths and Burials New South Wales 1788-1830' ..a complete listing from church & other records in the early colony. Irene Schaffer & Thelma McKay 'Exiled Three Times Over! Profiles of Norfolk Islanders Exiled in Van Diemens Land 1807-1813' James Hugh Donohoe 'Norfolk Island 1788-1813-The People and Their Families' Reg Wright 'Forgotten Generation of Norfolk Island & Van Diemens Land'

341

Maureen Withey on 7th August 2019

John Lamph also had interests as landlord of a licenced public house. He seemed to be the subject of rumours, as the editorial below shows: We are induced to suppose that there is considerable abuse practised upon the Sitting Magistrates, at their Meetings for granting licenses, for at the last licensing day, a license was granted: to a man named Heany; to keep the Irish Harp, in St. Giles's in a house built by one John Lamph, a ticket-of-leave man, and from information we'-have collected from a Correspondent, the said John Lamph was the ostensible landlord, and our Correspondent further says, that he was passing, the Irish Harp, the other day, when Heaney and Lamph were quarrelling about profits and other matters, in: the hearing of a country Magistrate, (a fellow country man), wild wisely told the honies not to' quarrel about their partnership, for fear of being fined, and ultimately that an application was lodged at the Quarterly Meeting, for a license to one Taylor, in Harrington-street, a mere hut, not two complete rooms in it, called the Brian Brohu, or King of Munster, which was readily granted, and then. Mr.— Lamph moved all the kegs, casks, and glasses from the Harp to the King of Munster, where himself and wife are the principal tapsters; these are quere doings. The Colonist and Van Diemen’s Land Commercial Advertiser, 25 Feb 1834, (Trove) Wednesday March 5th. John Lamph, charged by Mr. Heaney, with taking forcible possession of his house. It appeared that the parties had each some interest in the Irish Harp public-house, as well as the Irish row, and Lamph had made some claim on the goods and chattels at the Harp, which Heaney disputed, and he gave Lamph an Irish ejectment—by forcing him out, and lodging him in the watch-house. Although there had been a great row, yet it appeared civil proceedings were the only resort for the parties, and the charge was dismissed. Colonial Times,11 Mar 1834 Charles Rowley, James Vallely, and George Halleran, were committed for further examination, on a charge of having violently assaulted and wounded District Constable John Lamph, at the Brian Bruho public house, with intent to do him some grievous bodily harm. This was a most outrageous and audacious attack by a mob of complete ruffians. Morning Star, 12 May 1835 Supreme Court. On Wednesday. Charles Howley, James Vallely, George Halloran, and Christopher Welsh, were acquitted of a charge of assaulting John Lamph, with intent, &c.; and also on a second charge of assaulting Obadiah Bolton. John Lamph and Obadiah Bolton were committed to gaol by the court for wilful and corrupt perjury in the foregoing case. The Hobart Town Courier, 10 July 1835 He also was a police constable: COLONIAL SECRETARY'S OFFICE. Feb. 19, 1835, THE following alterations in the Police of the Territory have taken place, — APPOINTMENTS. To be a District Constable — Mr. John Lamph, free, from the 17th inst. Appointments.— To be Constables— Mr. Thos. Daley, District Constable at Hobart, from the I7th instant, vice Mr. John Lamph, removed to Richmond; Launceston Advertiser, 27 Aug 1835. He was instrumental in the capture of robbers and thier subsequent hanging, when the accused all procalimed their innocence and accused Lamph "Lamp" in the newspaper report , of perjury. Thomas Kirkham, John Ashton, John Burke, Charles Nosworthy, and William Weston, for stealing a quantity of property from Mr. James Hamilton's store at Ross, and putting Mr. James Hope in bodily fear (Nosworthy and Weston as accessories before the fact), were then put upon their trial. It appeared that the five prisoners with M. Rice concerted the robbery two days previous to the commission of it, at the hut of Nosworthy and Weston, and that in consequence Kirkham, Ashton, Burke (who was the Captain), and the approver, Rice, went armed to Mr. Hamilton's house on the night of the 24th November last. Ashton blacked his own and comrades' faces with a box of blacking which he had brought with him. The dogs in the neighbourhood having set up a great barking the inmates of the house were disturbed, and a boy opened the street door, when the four men rushed in. While Rice kept guard with a gun, the other three tied Mr. Hope and two boys, and then proceeded to plunder the store of an immense quantity of goods, some of which were afterwards taken from each of the prisoners. The approver Rice was apprehended near New Norfolk by district-constable Peel upon another charge, and during the time he was in gaol he confessed all the facts of the robbery, and upon his statement, Mr. Peel with other constables went up the country to the hut of Nosworthy and Weston, where they found all the five in bed together. They secured the prisoners' arms, and then took them into custody; first taking Kirkham, Burke, and Ashton, upon the pretence of their being runaways, to Mr. O'Connor's, where they were secured, and then returning for the prisoners Nosworthy and Weston, whom they had left in the hut, not daring to apprehend the whole at the same time; by which scheme they contrived to secure the whole five without exercising violence. The Judge explained to the Jury the law upon the case, and after his summing up at some length the evidence, the Jury retired, and returned in a few minutes with a verdict of guilty against all the prisoners. His Honor in passing sentence of death upon each of them, told the prisoners Burke, Ashton, and Kirkham, that he could hold out no hopes of mercy to them. Burke displayed throughout his trial a violence of temper which was quite indecorous, even in a man so situated. Hobart Town Courier, 6 Feb 1835. The Execution of the Four Men, Who Lamph had “caught” Execution of Burke, Weston, Ashton, and Kirkham. This destruction of human life took place on the scaffold of Hobart Town gaol yesterday morning. The spectators were numerous, as were the military commanded by the Adjutant of the 21st. Who appeared to be drilling a young officer. At five minutes past eight, four javelin men ascended the scaffold — a novel procedure. Burke ascended the fatal ladder, accompanied by the Rev. Mr. Connolly, with a firm and undaunted step. His countenance had undergone no change since we saw him in the dock. He addressed the multitude in a low voice, requesting them as far as we could learn, to take warning by his fate, and soliciting their prayers. He appeared extremely anxious to address the assembly more at large, but Mr. Conolly with a Christian feeling kept him reading a prayer hook which he held in his hand. Ashton, a youth of about twenty-two, and of a prepossessing appearance, next ascended the scaffold. The Rev. Mr. Bedford approached him; he calmly raised his pinioned right hand, and said, ' Keep away from me; the whole of you stick to perjurers, even to those who have murdered us, and you are as bad as the rest. I'll have nothing to do with you.' Weston was the next, who appeared to be an aged man. (This was one of the men that was supposed to be recommended to mercy.) On ascending the platform, he declared he was a murdered man. We may as well give his dying words — ' Good, morning, lads,' said the old ' man in a stentorian voice, ' I'm come here to die ; not to die but to be murdered through the perjury of Rice, Lamp, and Peel. I die innocent. May the Almighty judge you, Lamp and Peel ! At the conclusion of the old man's address, a thrill of horror and indignation burst from the assembled multitude, which no language of our's can do justice to. While Weston was addressing the multitude, Burk turned abruptly from Mr. Connolly, and kicking one of his shoes over the gaol wall, exclaimed ' There, they have robbed me of all I had in the world, they are now taking my life— let them take them with the rest.' In the act of taking off the second shoe, he was prevented by Mr. Connolly, to whose religious instructions he attended till he made his final exit. Kirkham reached the platform with a hurried step, and having taken his place under the fatal beam, viewed the surrounding multitude. There was no ' bravado' in his demeanour, any more than in any of the other three who were in the same unhappy situation. To those whom he had known in the surrounding multitude, he spoke calmly and freely. He declared, that on the evidence of those persons, whose names it is needless to repeat, that he was a murdered man. 'I am not,' says Kirkham, 'afraid of death ; neither was I ever ashamed or afraid to look any man in the face ; I am now going to die-- God bless you — ' I am going to see another Governor— but your Governor did sign my death warrant; as he would my ticket-of-leave ! ! ! ' Having declined Doherty's cap, having got one of his own, Burke went round the fatal platform — they all shook hands and kissed each other. They then dropped into the hands of a Judge, with whom all things rest ! The True Colonist, 14 Feb 1835. (Trove) The following editorial was published after Lamph was convicted of purjery. Retributive Justice. We never witnessed such universal satisfaction evinced on the result of any proceeding in the Supreme Court, as was depicted in every countenance on Thursday evening, when it became generally known that Mr. Justice Montagu had committed the two celebrated Janissaries, Lamph and Bolter, for wilful and corrupt perjury, on the prosecution of Rowley, Valladay, Halloran, and Welsh, on a charge of assaulting John Lamph, with intent to murder, or do him some grievous bodily harm. Mr. John Lamph is a character of some notoriety, and obtained his Pardon for the conviction of Weston, Burke, and the other two men, that were executed for the burglaries at Ross Bridge — who all died declaring their innocence, and showering imprecations on the heads of Lamph, Rice the approver, and another.; They are gone to answer before that Judge who cannot err. Lamph is now while we are writing this sitting under the Gallows, on which they expiated their crime of which they were convicted on his evidence, and that of Rice an accomplice; and on that Gallows where four innocent men might in all probability, been sent out of this world by the misguided hand of Justice, had not the Judge under the direction of a superior power, detected the- perjury and sent the perjurers to answer to offended justice, for a crime which we consider is in its consequences, the most dangerous to society of any that can be committed, as it is certainly the most common; in this Colony, and therefore calls for punishment most loudly. There is something in this case which gives rise to very serious consideration with respect to the constitution of Juries in this Colony. All who heard the evidence, on the trial of Halloran and others, concurred in expressing their astonishment that the Attorney General in performing the, functions of a Grand Jury, should ever have sent these men to trial, particularly on a capital charge— it appearing clearly to every man in Court, from the evidence for the prosecution, that the whole was a drunken row at the "Brian Boru," a house which is the property of the said Mr. Lamph. Every man censures the quasi Grand Jury and public prosecutor for this bit of "experimental" Justice, in keeping those men in Prison so long, and then sending them to be tried for their lives on such a frivolous offence, where in fact the complainer was the first aggressor. It is considered very lucky that they were not sent before the Quarter Sessions, as the result might have been different there. The case altogether affords another proof, that a Grand Jury would be a better protection for the liberties of Englishmen than an Attorney General, who in all his Public Functions, appears to place the essence of justice in the severest administration of law. This case produced another very unprecedented proceeding on the part of the Military Jury, which though new in itself was productive of an excellent result, by shewing the perjury of Lamph and Bolter. The Judge stopped the proceedings, when the Solicitor-General had examined all his witnesses, except young Mr. Crowther, the surgeon, who had dressed Lamph's wounds. His Honor, having asked the Solicitor-General if he had any more evidence, and being answered in the negative, stated that there was no case to go the Jury—and asking the Jury if they were satisfied, directed them to retire. After they had retired for about half an hour, they returned into the Court; and said that they wished to have some more evidence. Mr. Crowther was then examined, and proved that the wound was a mere scratch on the forehead. The witnesses for the defence proved that the assault was commenced by Lamph, who without any authority; apprehended Welch as a runaway from Sydney, and being resisted, ran into Peel's house, and brought out a log of she-oak, with which he commenced beating the men at the bar, who were then acquitted. The Attorney- General coming into Court at this time, put them on their trial for a common assault on Bolter, on which they were again acquitted. The Judge then called the two Janissaries to the bar, and committed them to take their trial for perjury. There was a general burst of applause in the Court, which spread in a loud hurrah! amongst the crowd outside— every man in town rejoiced at this act of justice, and hailed it as a commencement of putting down the dreadful organized system of perjury by which the People have been robbed by the Janissaries under the infamous Algerine Laws. Lamph and Bolter, particularly the latter, have been famous for their prosecutions against the inhabitants under the fining acts— and we have no doubt but some of his victims are now in this prison. We hope this is but a beginning of the fall of the perjury system. The True Colonist Van Dieman’s Land Political Despatch, 3 July 1835 (Trove)

221

D Wong on 7th August 2019

18/3/1819 Saunders's News-Letter Dublin, Republic of Ireland: On the same night Mr. Reid had also apprehended, at Cranky, in the County of Armagh, man named John Lamph, charged with the robbery of John Macan’s house, as above stated. Lamph was, about four months ago, convicted of robbery in the County of Armagh, and escaped through a sewer; two of his accomplices, brothers, of the name of Neilson, were less fortunate, and were executed. This man made a desperate resistance, and was well armed. John Lamph was listed as 23 years old on arrival in NSW - arrived VDL 1/3/1820. Native Place: Markethill, Armagh County. Colonial Secretary Papers: LAMPH, John. Per "Castle Forbes", 1820 1823 Oct 8,11,16: Runaway from the Derwent in Sydney Gaol. To be returned per "Ann" (Reel 6011; 4/3509 pp.387, 407, 435) 1823 Oct 16: Returned to the Derwent per "Ann" (Reel 6011; 4/3509 p.429) 15/8/1825: Married Sarah Peck at Launceston - he is listed as John Lample. 1830 Muster: Public Works 1832 Muster: TOL 1833 Muster: Assigned to Mr. P. Gorman. 14/2/1835: Free Pardon. 23/3/1838: John Lamph died at Bream Creek, Tas. Listed as a farmer and 39 years old. 30/3/1838 The True Colonist, Tas: Notice. I Hereby appoint Mr. R. Drury to act as my agent. All persons having any claims against the late John Lamph, are required to forward particulars, post paid, to Mr. Drury, Sorell. her mark X SARAH LAMPH Witness, W. H. Glover, P.M.Gibbs. Bream Creek, March 23, 1838 Sarah Lamph, a widow, aged 32, married Samuel Barber, aged 40, a farmer on 6/10/1840.

341

Maureen Withey on 6th August 2019

THE Lieutenant Governor has been pleased to recommend for the approval of his Majesty, the indulgence of a Free Pardon to John Lamph, 110, Castle Forbes, for his conduct in apprehending and lodging in the Jail at Oatlands, the five men recently convicted of a Burglary at Ross Bridge. By His Excellency's Command, JOHN MONTAGU. Launceston Advertiser 26 Feb 1835