Mary Knowland

Level 338

Penny-Lyn Beale on 26th August 2024

Orphan Number: 3582 Orphan: Jane McDONALD Mother: KNOWLAND, Mary Father: McDONALD/MACDONALD, Ewan Mother's ship: Persian Father's ship: Lord Rodney Age when admitted: 5yrs Date admitted: 30 Nov 1840 Date discharged: 9 Jan 1847 Institution(s): Queens Orphan School Discharged to: Allan McKinnon Remarks: mother dead, father a prisoner - from New Norfolk References: SWD7, 28

Level 221

D Wong on 13th December 2014

Mary Knowland was transported for ‘stealing from her masters House 3 Gold rings and a Sovereign Mary was 5’0 ¼” tall, brown eyes, light brown hair, single. 1832/33: Assigned to Lieut. Gunn 21/11/183`: Married Ewan McDonald and had 6 children. 6/10/1840 Colonial Times, Hobart: ALLEGED MURDER.-We regret to find, that Macdonald, the boatman, at the Falls, near New Norfolk, is in custody on a charge of murdering his wife. From all that we can learn, however, the case will, at the utmost, amount only to manslaughter, as the unhappy event occurred in a quarrel, when Mrs. Mac-donald was drunk. We always considered Macdonald a quiet, industrious man, while we knew, that the unfortunate deceased was the reverse. 27/10/1840 Supreme Court Criminal Sittings: Ewin Macdonald, of New Norfolk, publican and boatman, charged with a fatal assault uponhis wife (amounting to manslaughter). 3/11/1840: Mr. Hugh Ross, on the part of Ewan Mac-donald, of New Norfolk, applied for permission to withdraw his plea of "Not Guilty," and to record a plea of "Guilty." His Honor said, he could not consent to the application; he had sent for the Coroner, before whom, he did not think, the enquiry had been sufficiently exhausted. He had looked over the depositions, and it was a serious doubt in his mind, whether the prisoner ought not to be indicted for a most atrocious and diabolical murder. If there were a Grand Jury in this Colony, His Honor said, that he would have directed the Clerk of Arraigns to have prepared a bill for the murder, when he would have explained his reasons for so doing. At present, however, he would abstain from saying any more upon the subject, as it might be calculated to prejudice the case. SUMPREME COURT - CRIMINAL SIDE. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3. Before His Honor Mr. Justice Montagu, and a Military Jury. Pursuant to adjournment, the Court met thisday at half-past nine, when Mr. H. Ross, whoappeared for Ewan Macdonald charged with manslaugter, again moved the Court to be permitted to retract the plea of Not Guilty, and to plead Guilty. It will be recollected that on the last Court day a similar motion was made, when His Honor stated that he could not possably accede to it, inasmuch, as from looking over the depositions, he could not tell, but that the prisoner ought not to be indicted for murder ; having, however, paid more attention to the case, and having seen both the coroner and the medical attendant, he was now of the opinion that there was not sufficient legal evidence to convict the prisoner of murder, and, the Attorney-General being of the same opinion, the plea of Guilty was recorded, and the prisoner remanded. No outcome of the case found. On 29/7/1861 the was a Inquest held on the body of Ewan McDonald – Ewan died from a temporary fit in insanity and was labeled a Lunatic being of unsound mind. Ewan hung himself by the neck with a piece of rope from a tree on about the 24th July 1861.

Level 38

Judith Wood on 12th December 2014

Ewan McDonald husband committed manslaughter. She was kicked left side below tenth rib causing mortal wound. New Norfolk district.