10 years for pinching sheep

From perjury to sheep theft, new research has revealed the fascinating stories of Corkonian convicts who wound up Down Under.

The research, undertaken by Ancestry.com, details the stories, crimes and sentences of criminals from Cork who were sent to Australia between 1788 and 1921 to serve their sentences overseas.

During this time, close to half a million Irish people are said to have been moved to Australia, making up 12 per cent of all convicts transported to the country. For this reason, Australia is said to be the most Irish country outside of Ireland.

Uncovered by the research were a series of typed records and hand-written documents which provide first-hand accounts of the convictions and the sentences faced by these Rebel County rogues.

 

Sheep stealing

Sullivan, who had no previous convictions at the time of his arrest, received a sentence of ten years for his crime.

According to records, John Sullivan was five feet and five inches tall with a pale and freckled complexion and brown hair and eyes. His eyebrows were also described as meeting in the middle.

In 1840, Sullivan was transported to Australia on the ship Middlesex.

 

Wool theft

On 29 November 1839, 26 year old Mary Murphy was tried and found guilty of stealing wool. For this, she received seven years in prison. Records detail Mary as a 26 year old single Catholic woman who had no formal education or previous criminal convictions.

She worked as a kitchen maid and was transported to Australia on the Isabella in 1840.

Mary was five foot two and had a 'ruddy complexion' with dark brown hair and chestnut eyes.

Mary was also described as having eyebrows that met in the middle.

 

7 years for watch

In June 1839, John Daly was found guilty of stealing a watch for which he received a seven year prison sentence. The 22 year old carpenter had no previous convictions and was reported to have some literary skills. He was transported to Australia one year after his arrest aboard the ship Nautilus.

Records describe him as being five foot seven inches tall with a small scar on each side of his forehead and some scarring across his breast.

Records also claim he had hairy arms and legs and some scarring across his hands.

 

Stolen goods

Eliza Bailey, a 17 year old single Catholic woman living and working in Cork, was found guilty and imprisoned for receiving stolen goods on 6 June, 1839.

A kitchen maid with no previous convictions, Eliza was handed a seven year sentence for her actions and was banished to Australia aboard the ship Margaret to serve out to remainder of her sentence.

Eliza was five foot tall with brown hair and chestnut eyes and eyebrows that were 'partially' meeting in the middle, and a crooked nose.

 

Iron man

On 14 March 1839, Cork labourer Denis McCarthy was found guilty of stealing iron from his place of employment.

For this, the 21 year old married man and father of three young children received a seven year prison sentence.

McCarthy had no formal education and in 1840 joined sheep thief John Sullivan aboard the Middlesex ship to Australia.

Joe Buggy, a spokesperson for Ancestry.com, said: “Many Irish took the same journey as Captain James Cook when they were transported to Australia for crimes committed at home. This led to families becoming separated and many starting a new life in their new country.

“The Australian Convicts Collection allows families to answer some of the unanswered questions about how and why their relatives ended up in Australia.”