John Ward

Level 53

Robyn Everist on 13th November 2025

TAHO Conduct record https://libraries.tas.gov.au/Digital/CON31-1-45/CON31-1-45P56 Burial record https://libraries.tas.gov.au/Digital/RGD34-1-1/RGD34-1-1P064

Level 346

Maureen Withey on 19th July 2024

Supreme Criminal Court.— (Friday, Dec.. 7, 1827.) GeorgeLacy, Samuel Measures, John Ward, John. Maguire, John McMillan, William Jenkins, James Kirk, and James Reed, the nine misguided and unhappy men who were brought up from Macquarie Island last week, charged with the murder of a constable named George Rex,were this day put upon their trial. - It appeared that these men were prisoners in the small island or penitentiary contiguous to the larger one. On the night of the 17th Nov. they contrived a plan to escape. They seized upon the constable Cook and other six in number, who they thought would prevent them. Having bound and gagged them in the most cruel manner, they placed' them in such situation among the rocks on the Islands, as to prevent them from communicating with each other; They then began with Rex,-whom three of them took and pushed into the water, where they held him till he was dead, while the other six were looking on. Having constructed a raft of the tables, beds, &c. which they could procure, they all embarked with the intention of making their escape to the main ; but when they had got into deep, water they found it sinking with them, and they returned again to shore. Only three then went on the raft, and succeeded in getting among the woods on the main, where, however, on the alarm being given, they were promptly pursued and apprehended; All these transactions were. distinctly seen by those whom they had bound and placed in different situations on the island, and their case was clearly and satisfactorily Proved.--, This painful trial lasted the whole of Friday and Saturday, till a very late hour, and when the Jury returned their verdict of Guilty, His Honor the Chief Justice, almost overcome by the lamentable and unexampled spectacle of nine human beings convicted of so cold blooded a murder, passed the awful sentence of death upon them. The Australian, 4 Jan 1828. VAN DIEMAN'S LAND. Murders. Another most dreadful murder was perpetrated at Macquarie Harbour on the 17th of October last, the body of Constable Geo- Rex, nine men—namely, John Ward, Samuel Measures, William Jenkins, James Head, Thomas Williams, James Kirk, John M‘Mallen, John and George Lacy, bolding him under water until was suffocated. The whole of the prisoners were brought to Hobart Town, fried, and convicted; and on the 17th of December they all underwent the dreadful penalty of the crime of murder. Mayo Constitution, 4 Sep 1828.

Level 338

Penny-Lyn Beale on 2nd July 2021

Alphabetical Registers of Male Convicts. (CON23/1/3) No; 167 Name; John Ward Height; 5 Ft 5 3/4 in Complexion; Fresh Hair; Lt. Brown Eyes; Lt. Brown Age; 18 Trade; Shoemaker's Apprentice Trial; [1] Middlesex - April 1819 - 7 years [2] Hobart Town - 14 Nov 1825 - 7 years Ship; Dromedary Native Place; Guildford Remarks; EXECUTED; 17 Dec 1827

Level 338

Penny-Lyn Beale on 22nd June 2021

Burials in the Parish of Hobart in the County of Buckingham in the Year 1827 No; 342 Name; John Ward Abode; Goal When buried; 17 December 1827 Age; No age noted; EXECUTED; for Murder Ship’s Name; Dromedary Quality or profession. Convict By Whom Ceremony was preformed; W Bedford John Ward ("Flash Jack") - 17 December 1827 - Hanged at Hobart for his role in the Rex murder