Summary
Personal Information
Crime
Voyage
Transportation
James Whitney was transported on the Hercules, departing 24th Dec 1824 and arriving 7th May 1825 with 135 passengers.
The "Hercules" ship was built in 1801 at South Sheilds, England. 1801 voyage from Ireland to New South Wales, Australia. Sailed via Rio de Janeiro and the Cape. A mutiny occurred just prior to their arrival at Rio - after 45 minutes it was quashed but 13 convicts had been killed. Jeremiah Pendergass was named as the ring leader and shot. 44 deaths in total on this voyage. There was then another ship, also named, "Hercules" built 1822 at Whitby, England who made 3 trips to Austraia, in 1825, 1830 & 1832.
Hercules (generic)References
| Primary Source | Australian Joint Copying Project. Microfilm Roll 88, Class and Piece Number HO11/5, Page Number 241 (122) |
| Source Description | This record is one of the entries in the British convict transportation registers 1787-1867 database compiled by State Library of Queensland from British Home Office (HO) records which are available on microfilm as part of the Australian Joint Copying Pro |
| Original Source | Great Britain. Home Office |
| Compiled By | State Library of Queensland |
| Database Source | British convict transportation registers 1787-1867 database |
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Convict Notes
NSW 1828 Census index. James Witney, age 30, G.S. Per Hercules, 1824, 14 years, protestant, Labourer to Mr L. Platt, Newcastle district.
An act of the most atrocious barbarity was recently committed Yardley Hastings. a village in Northamptonshire. A poor man, residing there, procures a livelihood carrying parcels to and from Northampton, for which occupation he employs six donkies. Three of them were, usual, turned out at night into the Churchyard, where they were found in the morning in the most dreadful agony. A monster had cut out the tongues of all of them, and inflicted several slabs in the sides of two! The inhuman wretch whose name is James Whitney, has, we are happy say, been discovered, and committed to Northampton Gaol. When taken he was nearly covered with blood, and the knife with which he perpetrated this act of unparalleled atrocity was found upon his person. The monster had previously been in the habit of feeding the poor animals; nor does he assign any motive for his conduct. Warwick and Warwickshire Advertiser, 7 June 1823. ----------------------------------------------------------------- NORTHAMPTONSHIRE ASSIZES. James Whitney, convicted at the last summer assizes of cutting out the tongues of three donkeys, and stabbing two them, in the church-yard Yardley Hastings, was brought up to receive judgment. Mr. Baron Bullock informed prisoner that the learned Judge who tried his case, had entertained doubts whether his offence could be considered under Black Act, inasmuch as he was not convinced that asses could be called cattle. But the case had been laid before the Judges, who were unanimously opinion that it must considered that it must considered as being under the above Act. It therefore became his painful duty to pass upon him, the prisoner the sentence of death. He might, indeed, receive milder punishment, as the capital offence had been repealed by an act of Parliament passed since commission of the prisoner's crime, but still would become him to prepare for the worst. The learned Judge then passed upon him the sentence death in the usual form. Cambridge Chronicle, 12 March 1824.