Maurice Woods

Level 72

Robin Sharkey on 4th March 2026

As Maurice was convicted in March 1797, his seven year sentence had expired shortly before his death, and he would have been a free man. It was sad that he was unable to live out an ordinary life free, able to make a way in his new world.

Level 72

Robin Sharkey on 4th March 2026

Maurice Wood must have been only eighteen years old when he was found guilty in March 1797 of stealing a saddle from Mr O’Callaghan, and was sentenced to transportation for 7 years. His trial was at Limerick (whether county or city is unclear). He had been employed since a very young age, possibly when he was merely eleven years (based on the contents of a petition) as a servant with Mr Sealy of Maglass near Castle Island in Co. Kerry. He was 5 feet 6 inches high, of a sound constitution. Although he was tried at Limerick, he was from Castle Island, Co. Kerry, and was known to many gentlemen – possibly because of his working in the house of gentry (the Sealys of Maglass). ‘When a transportation sentence was handed down, the convict was usually returned to the local or county gaol until preparations were made for transmitting him or her to the port.’ Maurice was held for some time in a bridewell (see petition) but it is not stated which one. Although Castle Island had a bridewell, but he was probably held in a bridewell in Limerick, near where he was charged. Transmission to Cork “ Transportees from the southern counties were housed in the city gaol at Cork. Built over the old gate to the northern part of the city, it was in decay and constantly overcrowded.” (per National Archives of Ireland – Ireland-Australia transportation). In1798 many Irish had been tried regarding the Uprising that year and sent from Dublin to Cork where they waited for months in smaller ships on the harbour for the arrival of a convict transport ship. However, Maurice was unlikely to have been kept there, and more likely in Cork city gaol. Petition 19 December 1799 He had already been imprisoned for over eighteen months since his trial, and was by then twenty years old (his own word), and in Cork awaiting transportation, when he wrote a petition seeking mitigation of his sentence. His letter of petition is dated 19 December 1798. However, he would not be loaded onto the transport ship ‘Minerva’ for another seven months (August 1799). His petition revealed a lot of information: • Tried at Limerick in March 1797 • Offence: “stealing a saddle from a Mr O’Callaghan” • Sentenced: Transportation for seven years. Now aged twenty (at December 1798) and stated he was “a young healthy man of 20 years of age, 5 feet 6 inches high, of a sound constitution”. • He stated he’d “not ever been charged with another offence save this one”. He was willing to “serve his majesty by land or sea”, in other words, to enlist in the army or navy. He asked that the Lord Lieut Governor “be pleased to mitigate his sentence by granting him permission to enlist or in such other manner to your Excellency shall seem most meet”. The attached testimonial (which Maurice called a ‘certificate’) was as to his good character and was signed by ten gentlemen of the county of Kerry where he was born and raised. There was also a reference from the sheriffs in the bridewell where he had been confined. The two sheriffs, named Abraham Kane and Isaac Jones, stated that Woods “during his confinement in our Bridewell has behaved himself honestly and soberly.” In the 1837 Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, Castle Island is described as having “a small bridewell near the old barracks; it is one of the eight in the county (Kerry) and contains rooms for the keeper, six cells, two day-rooms and two airing yards.” However, Maurice was probably in a bridewell in county Limerick. The gentlemen from the area of Castle Island said they had known Maurice Woods since a child. While difficult to read in parts, the petition appears to say he had resided in the area for eighteen years, seven of which he'd been employed in the capacity of a servant with Mr Sealy of Maglass. (This was a townland in the civil parish of Nohaval in Co Kerry). In that time “he behaved himself perfectly well in every way good ... And never heard he did anything improper, illegal or misbehaved”. The gentlemen were: Ralph Marshall, William and Eusebius Sealy, Richard Meredith, George, Richard, and Edward Gorham, Anthony Charles, Christie?; and a James Jxxx (illegible surname). Maurice must have been held in very good stead by these gentlemen for them to bother helping him. Ralph Marshall Esq, gentleman of Kerry, was perhaps a fair-minded man. In 1807 he would be a formulator of wording for a petition, with other Co. Kerry gentlemen freeholders, about the evils resulting from the mode of levying tithes, and suggesting an alternate system. He died in 1809, fighting in the Spanish peninsula war against Napoleon, leaving a widow and young children. His obituary appeared in Saunders News Letter, 16 December 1809. https://castleislanddistrictheritage.com/visitors-comments-on-castleisland/ William Sealy Esq was of Magh House, residence of the Sealy Family on the lands of Maglass. (per https://landedestates.ie/property/1927), This family was Maurice Woods' employer. A Sealy brother, Eusebius, was of Brickfield on part of Maglass, and in 1808 would marry a Miss Sealy of Cork, and was later a magistrate. William Meredith was the son of Richard Meredith who about 1730 established the estate ‘Dicksgrove’ near Castle Island. It was considered the ‘seat’ of the Meredith family for many decades to follow. The Gorhams were less prominent, however in 1793 Richard Gorham, gent, took a commission as Ensign in Co Kerry militia (Freemans Journal, Thur 8 August 1793 p.2) Despite its weightiness, the petition did no good. The Lord Lieutenant was not letting Maurice Woods serve in the armed forces; he had to be transported to NSW. In NSW When convict ship ‘Minerva” arrived at Sydney Cove on 11 January 1800, Maurice would have then been twenty-one years old. On board were dozens of men guilty of involvement in the 1798 Rebellion. 1801 Muster Morris Woods, Convict; Residence: Toongabbie. “Recently employed by Mr Laycock.” Thomas Laycock was the Quartermaster of the NSW Corps Regiment, so Maurice’s experience, and good character as indicated by the gentlemen of Castle Island, must have stood him in good stead. In 1804 Maurice Woods DIED. He would be aged 25 or 26 years. He was buried on 28 June 1804 in Sydney –the old burial ground on George Street (modern-day Sydney Town Hall is over the top of the site). His religion was Church of England; and his death was registered at St Philip's Church of England, Sydney ****************************