Martin Short

71

Robin Sharkey on 24th June 2021

1800 Conspiracy for an Uprising, NSW In August/September 1800, Martin Short was involved with several other Irish convicts in NSW, in plans for an uprising. However, word had leaked out to the authorities, and an enquiry began on 4 Sept 1800. From the enquiry, which had some Irish informers, Martin Short's house had been the place of a meeting on 23 August where they discussed the numbers of men recruited. A week later Short was at a second major meeting at a house at Parramatta. As one of the apparent leaders, Martin Short (with Michael and Richard Byrne, Farrell Cuffe, and Michael Cox) was sentenced to 500 lashes and was one of 18 men re-transported. They left for Norfolk Island on “Buffalo” on 21 October 1800. By 1804 on Norfolk Island Short was working as a carpenter. IN 1806 the Irish managed to actually stage an uprising at Castle Hill and many of those captured there, or merely suspected of involvement were banished to the Coal River - Newcastle, NSW. Martin Short was there by 1805. In the NSW Census of 1806 however, he had a Conditional Pardon and was listed as a Carpenter.

71

Robin Sharkey on 24th June 2021

Martin Short was one of a large party who broke into a Dublin house and took firearms from it. Pat Whelan was tried with Martin Short for the same incident and was also found guilty, and was also transported on 'Minerva'. The newspaper report of trial does not state that the men were United Irishmen but this is typical of Irish political crime in order to arm themselves. One of the indents of the 'Minerva' on which he was transported marked his name with an "r" meaning rebel. Freemans Journal, Tuesday 19 December 1797, p.3 “Commission Intelligence “Monday December 18 “A County jury having been impanelled, Patrick Whelan and Martin Short were put to the Bar, charged with having broken into the house of a Mr Yates and taking from thence firearms of different kinds — one count of the indictment was for, also, firing at the aforesaid Mr Yates. "MR YATES SWORN – Deposed that on the night mentioned in the indictment, his house as attacked — that he looked out of his bed-chamber window, and it having been a moon-light night, he plainly distinguished the face of the prisoner Whelan a few paces from the door — that he went downstairs to where he had a parlour where he had firearms deposited, with an intent to make a defence, but being without his breeches, he returned to his chamber to put them on, this taking up some time, before he returned there was a breach effected in the hall door, and his arms demanded — he took up a blunderbuss, intending resistance, when he was wounded by a shot from without and the blunderbuss fell from his grasp — the persons without then repeating the demand for arms, Mr Yates handed out a carbine and bayonet, but they desired to have the remainder particularising the exact number and description. "Whelan the prisoner had been confidential servant and shepherd to the witness, who respected him much, and had done him many and repeated acts of kindness prior to the event. "On his cross-examination, he deposed a positive knowledge of Whelan, and that it was impossible he could have been mistaken. Joseph Coleman, sworn "Deposed that he was of the party that went to Mr Yates’s house; that returning from work he went into a public-house where he met those persons, and that they forced him to accompany them; that on their way thy met with the prisoner Short, whom he believed they made also to go with them under the influence of fear; that there were 20 of them armed and that if they did not injure him and the prisoner Short then they would, he supposed, at a future time. That Short went with them the whole of the way and was the person who broke Mr Yates’s door, but not before he had twice refused to do so. Witness swore that the prisoner, Whelan, was not of the party, but that there was a person dressed like him, but was positive as to his not having been there. This part of the witness’s evidence was replied to by Mr Yates who said that, on the night stated in the indictment, the prisoner was not habited as he appeared at the bar. [He, Coleman] Witness was an approver and acknowledged that he gave information to save his own neck. "Mr Clinch, High Sheriff of the county Dublin, deposed that after having taken up Short, he [Short] confessed his having been of the party who committed the burglary and robbery in question and that he it was who broke the door — and that this confession was made voluntarily, and without any hope or fear being held out to induce it. "David Mitchell, John Locke Esq, and William Lyons, were examined to the character of the prisoners, whom they deposed to be men of excellent character and known to them for many years, particularly Short, of whom Mr Lock deposed a knowledge from his infancy, and that he was the best son to a mother, that ever lived. "The jury having retired for about half an hour, returned a verdict, both guilty on all counts of the indictment." On the voyage out when Minerva came across a Spanish galleon, the rebel Wicklow leader Joseph Holt claimed in his memoirs he was asked by the chief mate if he would fight, and he claimed to be able to choose the men to work the gun, choosing six, two of whom were Martin Short and Pat Whelan. He described them as "six good and resolute men on whim I could depend." ___________________________________________

221

D Wong on 14th May 2020

Martin Short was a carpenter, he worked as a carpenter for the Government for 7 years before starting his own business. 1806: CP. Joseph Holt returned to Ireland and Martin Short bought his land at Liverpool 1818: Absolute Pardon. 1828 Census: was a householder in Pitt Street, Sydney.