Henry Rice

342

Maureen Withey on 20th August 2022

Before Justice Jebb, and a respectable Jury. Laurence Gorman, Henry Rice, and James Malone, for burglary and robbery in the house of Jane Townsend. Jane Townsend sworn—Resides at Galloping green Co. Dublin; is a widow; the of January about three o’clock in the morning, was alarmed, has a little boy ; saw a light, and three men breaking open the bar door; keeps a public-house, and sells buxiery?; one the men had pitchfork, and another had pistol; they ransacked all the papers, but found no money; they then went into the room where the money was, and she threw herself on her knees, and implored them not ill use her; one of the men threw the priming out his pistol; she opened the drawer and gave them what was in it; she also took what silver was there and put it on table, which one of the men took up and pin in his pocket; she threw what notes and other property she had behind her bed and ; in her pocket-book there were two good notes, a forgery, and some papers—(pocket-book, papers, and the forged note produced and identified); the robbers remained in the house about an hour, and took every thing she had in the world ; did not leave her a five-penny piece ; saw three men in the house, and one walking outside as if on guard ; fully identifies the prisoners Gorman and Rice; the former of whom saved her life; she cannot identify Malone; Rice had a dark handkerchief round his head ; they confined her in a Cellar. (Here the prisoner Gorman called upon Mrs. to admit that it was from his confession that them were taken.) Michael Burke (an approver) sworn.—Knows the widow Townsend house, ... Saunders News-Letter, 23 Feb 1819. Laurence Gorman and Henry Rice for burglary and robbery, at the house of Mrs. Jane Townsend, Galloping-green, County of Dublin— Death. Mr. Justice Jebb observed that in compliance with the recommendation of the Jury, as well as the actuation of his own feelings, he would submit the case of those unhappy men to the consideration of Government—at the same time exhorted them not to be deluded by such hopes, but to employ their time in religious atonement for their offences. Saunders News-Letter, 20 Feb 1819.

221

D Wong on 1st October 2016

Henry rice was 26 years old on arrival and was transported for 'Burglary and Robbery. Henry was born in Gory, Wexford County, the son of Terrence and Margaret - he was 5'9" tall, red brown hair, brown eyes, HHB 14 Jany 1791 rt arm & number of others on left. 23/5/1823 Hobart Town Gazette: A mode of building has been recently introduced here, which is said to have been carried to great perfection in some countries in Europe. The substance used is earth, sprinkled with water sufficiently to admit of its being rammed into a solid mass. A mould, about seven feet long, is used; and the thickness even for two stories is said not to exceed 14 or l8 inches. The result is a warm and durable house. We recommend all those who are desirous of building with expedition to look to this mode of constructing their houses at first; a specimen of which may be seen at the Coal River, on the farm of Henry Rice, now let to Mr. J. Evans, who has erected the house alluded to; and we should feel obliged to any one, conversant with this mode of building, who would favour us with particular information as to the execution of it; which we shall be happy to publish for the benefit of those who are about to settle, and to whom such information may be so useful. 19/11/1824 Hobart Town Gazette: Another Inquest was held on Tuesday, before the same Coroner, on view of the body of Mary Davis, a young woman whose death occurred the preceding night, under the following lamentable circumstances :—Henry Rice, a farmer residing at Glenarchy, deposed, that the deceased, who arrived in the Colony by the Mary Ann, was his housekeeper, by whom he had an infant, nearly a year old. They all left Hobart Town on the preceding evening with a cart and four bullocks, one of which was unruly. The deceased with the child were in the cart, and witness was imprudently riding on the front, with his feet on the pole, when the accident happened ; witness turned the cart off the high road to save his bullocks' feet, as the road had been newly made with stone. "One of the wheels struck a tree —the unruly bullock pulled on, and overturned the cart ; witness then called the deceased, obtained no reply, but heard the baby scream, and on looking under the tail board, found the deceased covered with blood, and her bonnet broken— she was lifeless. Witness took the child from her arm, and in agony cried " murder !" After which, he scarcely knowing what he did, loosened the oxen, and two men, named Michael Wade and Hugh McShane, with some others, came up. The witness and the deceased were sober, though they had been drinking. Wade and McShane confirmed Rice's statement of the manner in which the unfortunate woman lay at the time they heard the cry ; and Mr. Henry Crocket, an assistant Surgeon, who examined the deceased, proved, that she had an extensive wound in the forehead, with a fracture reaching from the right temple to the back of the head, which he considered to have caused her death, and to have been produced by some heavy pressure. Verdict—Accidental Death. No marriage registration found - the child was Johanna Maria Rice, born in 1824 - registered Hobart. 3/11/1827: Married Mary/Maria McShane/McShean at St Davids, Hobart - he was listed as 34. They had 1 son, Henry John Rice 1829 born Sydney and died 1888, Tasmania. 24/11/1827: Bound over to keep the peace toward Owen Wade for 3 months. 18/7/1828: Illegally retailing - fined £50 and costs. 16/1/1828: Illegalling retailing - fined £10 and costs. 21/6/1828 Hobart Town Courier: NOTICE. ANY Person found trespassing on my Farm, containing 160 Acres, situated in the district of Glenarchy, by cutting wood, grazing cattle, &c. shall be dealt with according to law. [Glenorchy] HENRY RICE June 18, 1828. 13/8/1829: Henry Rice died in Sydney - son John born in Sydney. Mary McShane must have returned to Tasmania, she had family there and on 23/12/1847 married Bernard Fox (minerva 1817) and had two more children. Mary died 3/6/1890 at Hobart.