William Daly

Level 218

Dianne Jones on 18th July 2022

DEATH: 19 August, 1854: he was admitted to hospital. 14 or 19 December, 1854: William Daly died at HM Hospital in Hobart (https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON33-1-115$init=CON33-1-115p48). --00--

Level 218

Dianne Jones on 18th July 2022

IN VDL: 26 May, 1853: On arrival in VDL, William Daly was listed as convict #27893, a labourer, 37 years old, first conviction. He was married with two children, Catholic, born Co Mayo, and illiterate. He said he had been transported for rape and denied the charge (http://foundersandsurvivors.org/pubsearch/convict/chain/ai17053). Family: Wife Mary in Hull; brother John; sisters Mary and Ann — at his native place. For further details see his VDL Conduct record at https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON33-1-115$init=CON33-1-115p48 and his Indent record at https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON14-1-47$init=CON14-1-47_00234_L. —00—

Level 218

Dianne Jones on 18th July 2022

On Gibraltar, he was listed as 35 years old, born in Mayo, Ireland; Catholic; dark hair, light hazel eyes and dark complexion, 5'5¾" tall; illiterate; labourer; married with children. --0-- 3 February, 1853: Sent aboard the St Vincent for transportation to VDL (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951; Misc.; Register of Prisoners; 1810-1822 [mislabelled]). --00--

Level 218

Dianne Jones on 18th July 2022

30 January, 1848: DALY, WILLIAM #1102, arrived on Gibraltar from Millbank prison, England, per Mount Stewart Elphinstone. Held on the Europa hulk (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951; Misc.; Register of Prisoners; 1810-1822 [mislabelled]). Gibraltar and Bermuda were listed public works stations (and the second stage in the penal process). On Gibraltar, as “convicts worked together with free men on the dockyards, lines between them became blurred. Convicts, like seamen, were ‘easily recognised’ by ‘their swarthy, weather beaten complexions…[and] muscular well-knit frames’. The discipline on the penal settlement was also influenced by the naval department, who superintended part of the works. In the 1840s, for example, convicts were provided ‘a half gill of rum’ at 11am and 5pm, which they drank from a trough. This mirrored the daily allowance of diluted rum, known as grog, to Royal Naval seamen in the Victorian era. Convicts were also allowed to use part of their earnings, to buy goods, usually tobacco, which they were allowed to smoke in the evening in the barracks. Though official correspondence cited health reasons for grog allowance, it seems likely that the convict authorities feared insubordination if they were banned from drinking and smoking, which were provided to the sappers and dockyard workers whom they worked alongside… In 1854, the acting overseer stated that “half of the offences were committed when the men were excited by rum”. For more serious offences, convicts were flogged with a ‘cat o’nine tails’ whip against the ‘flogging mast’, and during an investigation Dr William Baly concluded that the whip which was used was an old naval cat, which was ‘much heavier than any now used in the government prison and hulks at home, or in the army.’” (roscoe, Katy (2018), “Convicts and the Sea: the naval influence on Gibraltar Convict Establishment” at https://staffblogs.le.ac.uk/). --0-

Level 218

Dianne Jones on 17th July 2022

NEWSPAPER REPORT: 12 March, 1847: “Assault. William Daley, 35, charged with feloniously assaulting Eliza Hockney, at Kennington, on the 13th Nov. last. It appeared that the girl's father lived at East Holton, and that she left his house to take a place at Mr. Blackburn's, of Abar, where she stopped for two days, and then went on the road to go to Brigg. She was overtaken by the prisoner, who walked on the road with her, and after several attempts succeeded at last in throwing her into ditch and violently assaulted her. The girl screamed out, and scratched the fellow's face, and her screams being heard by two ploughmen, they were coming to her assistance when the prisoner made his escape. The girl's clothes were torn, her bonnet crown out, and she appeared much frightened. She then went back to Mr. Blackburn's, and the prisoner the night after also went into Mr. Blackburn's for half an ounce of tobacco, when he was apprehended. Prisoner has a wife and family, who are now in the union. — His Lordship made a very careful summing up of the evidence, and the jury returned a verdict of guilty. — His Lordship said it was no long time since that prisoners found guilty of rape were punished by the most severe sentence of the law, viz. death. That law, however, had been altered, and prisoners found guilty of that offence were ordered to be transported ...” (Lincolnshire Chronicle, pp2-3) --00--

Level 218

Dianne Jones on 17th July 2022

TRIAL: 6 March, 1847: Convicted and sentenced to 15 years' transportation for the rape of Eliza Hockney, 19, near Brigg. Listed as 35 years old and illiterate (England & Wales, Criminal Registers, 1791-1892 for William Daly; England; Lincolnshire; 1847). --0--