Eleanor Sharket

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Dianne Jones on 21st June 2022

From the "Ireland-Australia transportation database" (http://findingaids.nationalarchives.ie/) Last name: SHARKETT First name: ELEANOR Full name: ELEANOR SHARKETT Sex: F Age: 30 Trial place: Co. Sligo Trial date: 02/08/1847 Crime desc: Murder Sentence: Death Document ref1: TR 7, p 259 --00--

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Dianne Jones on 21st June 2022

NEWSPAPER reports post-trial: 11 August, 1847: From the Freeman's Journal: "James Sharkett, Eleanor Sharkett and Bridget Burke, to be hanged on Friday, 24th September, 1847..." (https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/). 1 October, 1847: From the North British Daily Mail: "AT SLIGO.—The execution of James Sharkett and Ellen [sic] Sharkett, for murder, which was to have taken place on Friday, has been postponed until the 5th of November." -- NOTE: Some time after 1 October, 1847, the death sentences for all three were commuted to transportation for life. --0--

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Dianne Jones on 21st June 2022

NEWSPAPER report of the trial: 6 August, 1847: From the Freeman's Journal, p1: "... (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) 2d August, 1847. CROWN COURT. WILFUTL MURDER-FRIGHTFUL CASE. Mathew Gara, James Sharket, Eleanor Sharket and Bridget Burke, were indicted for the wilful murder of Michael Burke, James Sharket having given him a brutal wound with a hatchet on the back part of the head, on the 2d November last. Mathew Gara having refused to join in challenge with the other prisoners, he was put aside, and the other three prisoners placed upon their trial. A respectable jury having been sworn, Anne Giblin was produced, she is a little girl (about thirteen years of age) and daughter of the prisoner, Bridget Burke; her appearance on the table created a great sensation in court; she said, looking at the prisoner, 'How are you, mother?'; she repeated this in an affectionate tone several times. Baron Richards examined her very closely as to her knowledge of the nature of an oath, but finally allowed her to be sworn. Mr. French, Q.C., then examined her. She swore she knew Michael Burke; he is now dead; he lived in the same house with her (the witness here identified the prisoners); on seeing her mother she shrieked and cried bitterly; she was obliged to be held on the witness chair; the prisoner also became affected, and the greatest sensation pervaded the court; the prisoner called to the daughter, and asked, 'Do you recollect what you told me in the hospital?' The child answered she did; the prisoner asked her what she told her, but the court stated she could not interfere. To Mr. French -- On the night Mick Burke met with his death, her mother, James Sharket, and Ellen Sharket, were there; Mathew Gara was there that night; her sister Mary and her brothers were in the house; they are all younger than her; it was after supper that Nelly Sharket and Jemmy Sharket came in; Nelly Sharket brought a bottle of a whiskey with her into the house..” The child testified that all the adults were drinking whiskey. Later in the evening, they put a drunk Michael Burke to bed upstairs but James Sharkett and Mathew Gara returned with a hatchet hidden in a handkerchief. She said James Sharkett killed Michael Burke with the hatchet. The children were sent to neighbours to raise the alarm and to say the household had been attacked by robbers. A jury found James Sharket, Eleanor Sharket and Bridget Burke guilty of murder. All were sentenced to death. Mathew Gara was acquitted. --0--

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Dianne Jones on 21st June 2022

TRIAL: 30 July, 1847: Committed for trial at Sligo with three others for the murder of Michael Burke at Clogher, County Tyrone, in November 1846. 2 August, 1847: Convicted and sentenced to death. --0--