Arthur O'neill

342

Maureen Withey on 22nd May 2026

Omagh Assizes. The following sixteen persons were capitally convicted, and sentenced to be hanged —no day fixed for their execution:— … Michl. McElhaton, Peter McCullow, Arthur O’Neill, and James Loughrin, for burglary at the house of Patrick Donnelly. ; ... Belfast New-Letter, 22 Aug 1817.

338

Penny-Lyn Beale on 9th February 2025

No; 20 TRIAL; August 1817 - Life DIED; 8 November 1846 AGED; - REMARKS; New Norfolk - T.L. https://libraries.tas.gov.au/Digital/CON63-1-2/1355275p1

71

Robin Sharkey on 12th January 2025

Arthur O’Neill, Aged: 42 years; Born in Kildress, Co Tyrone. Kildress is a townland in the civil parish also called Kildress that is on the outskirts of Cookstown, Co. Tyrone. Tried at Omagh in Co. Tyrone. Height in feet & inches: 5ft 7& 1/2 inches; Fair pale complexion; Dark brown hair; Grey eyes; Tried August 1817 at Tyrone, Life Sentence; arrived per: Minerva (2), 30 April 1818; SRNSW, Convict Indents &c; Ship source: Minerva, 1818, Ref: Vol. number 4/4006, Volume entry number: 158. After arriving at Sydney on 30 April 1818, the convict ship Minerva was sent on to Hobart with its full load of convicts. Arthur O’Neill remained in Tasmania until he died. His Conduct Record in Tasmania notes “Transported for burglary and robbery” [CON31-1-29 at Image 271]. In convict muster in 1818 he appears as assigned to Mr Pitt, and being on stores Arthur O’Neill probably had wife Isabella when he was transported, and they had children. The evidence is that his native place was Kildress in Co Tyrone and the Parish of that name (and also townland) is immediately adjacent to the town of Cookstown. Isabella O’Neill had sought the help of Mr John Henderson of Cookstown regarding her application to join her husband who was ‘in the colonies’. The description in the index to this petition in the Irish Chief Secretary papers does not name the husband, but, given the place of residence of Arthur O’Neill and the place where the gentleman came from, it would be Arthur. Mr Henderson’s letter ‘mentions some difficulties over a previous attempt to disembark due to the infection of a child with small pox; and a note is attached to the letter of enquiry stating that Isabella O’Neill’s name ‘does not appear in the list’ of those with permission to leave for Australia”. [Reference: CSO/RP/1824/441] Sadly, it seems Arthur and Isabella O’Neill were never reunited despite his attempts to have her come to Australia and her attempts to pursue her application. If she had been allowed, perhaps the course of Arthur’s time in Tasmania might have been easier than shown on his Tasmanian Conduct Record [CON31-1-29 at Image 271]. It makes for painful reading. Five years after arriving, he had been punished on four occasions with 25 lashes on his back. Conduct Record in Tasmania: June 8, 1819, punished with 25 lashes for going on board the ship ‘Hibernia’ without a pass. May 22, 1822, punished with 25 lashes and returned to P.H? (Prisoners’ Barracks?) “for being absent from his master’s employ a great length of time, and travelling from one district to another without a pass and inducing William MacArthur to quit his master’s service and persuading him to go from one district to another without a pass”. Nov 4, 1822 – at Prisoners’ Barracks, another 25 lashes for disobedience of orders. Feb 15, 1823 – acquitted for disobedience in prisoners’ barracks. May 27, 1823 – punished with 25 lashes for being ‘drunk and disorderly yesterday afternoon’ Nov 5, 1825 – sent to the first class (ie for the worst prisoners) in the prisoners’ barracks for being illegally at large from service with A. Reid. July 31, 1827 – when in service of J. Thomas Esq – punished with 25 lashes for ‘assaulting and beating Peter Ayton yesterday’ Feb 13, 1828 – at Prisoners’ Barracks, reported for ‘feigning sickness when there was nothing the matter with him’. July 12, 1828 – put on the chain gang for one month for absconding from Colonial Hospital on 23 June and remaining absent until apprehended this day in Liverpool Street by Sain’t (?) Blues. Jan 31, 1829 – In service of R. O’Farrell – charged with stealing a bull stag the property of Eliza Collins. Remanded for further examination (ie. By the magistrates) Jan 27 1829 – In service of R. O’Farrell – neglect of duty, no prosecution Feb 10, 1829 – stealing a bull the property of Eliza Collins – Criminal (court) for further examination and criminal (court) for trial on 14t instant (14 Feb 1829) This last crime of stealing a bull to the value of £10 brought more punishment. Its owner, Miss Eliza Collins, was the illegitimate Hobart daughter of a previous Lieutenant-Governor of Tasmania, David Collins (died in 1810). Arthur O’Neil was convicted by the Supreme Court on 8 May 1829, along with Patrick Cunningham and Arthur Cunningham who were convicted of receiving the bull that he stole (they got 14 years). [Hobart Town Courier 16/5/1829, p.3]. He was sentenced in October 1829 to 7 years’ transportation. [Col Times, Hobart, 30 Oct 1829, p.4, ‘Supreme Court’]. This usually means internal transportation to another place of imprisonment, such as Port Arthur or Macquarie Harbour, both in Tasmania. In 1832 he absconded, and was apprehended [The Tasmanian, 16 Nov 1832, p.3, ‘Advertising’] Arthur O’Neil’s convict Conduct Record records on Sep 20, 1832 that he was an invalid, and had absconded. The record is then annotated “Died xxxx 9th November xxxx” This last word is difficult to decipher, as is the year of death which could be 1832, or could be 1836.

342

Maureen Withey on 9th October 2022

Irish Convict Database, by Peter Mayberry. Arthur O’Neill, alias O’Neal, O’Niell, age on arrival, 43, per Minerva I (1) 1818, Tried Tyrone, 1817, Life, DOB 1775, Native place, Kildress Tyrone Co., Trade, Labourer.