Category Archives: Convicts

Mug Shots – Poverty and Illness

The first three of today’s mug shots show what can happen when the law interacts with poverty and alcoholism. There was no capacity in the 19th century court or prison system for social workers, or drug and alcohol counsellors. The gaol instead was filled with mentally ill, poor, or addicted prisoners. In 1876, William Kelly,Continue reading “Mug Shots – Poverty and Illness”

Murder at Moreton Bay – Henry Muggleton

“Be Quick” Sometime between 3 and 4 in the morning of 19 February 1830, in the Prisoners’ Barracks at Moreton Bay, a voice whispered, “be quick”.  It was a bright moonlit night, nearing dawn. Some of the prisoners were awake, others oblivious. The Barracks were quite full – almost 100 men – and prisoners bunkedContinue reading “Murder at Moreton Bay – Henry Muggleton”

Convict Runaways – John Sterry Baker

John Sterry Baker. John Sterry Baker was one of the earliest Convict runaways in Queensland and he was the first to live among the Indigenous people for a significant number of years (14 in all). His story is not as well known as those of James Davis (Duramboi), David Bracewell (Wandi) and Sheik Brown, becauseContinue reading “Convict Runaways – John Sterry Baker”

Murder at Moreton Bay – William Johnson

On 11 December 1827 at about 8 am, a prisoner named John Stones was working at the Moreton Bay settlement making bricks, when a fellow convict William Johnson approached him with the startling announcement “Morris Morgan has threatened to knock my brains out many times, and I hit him with an axe.” Morris Morgan wasContinue reading “Murder at Moreton Bay – William Johnson”

Convict Runaways – Sheik Browne

Sheik Browne One of the more fascinating Convict runaways of Moreton Bay was a man named Sheik Browne (or Brown or “Black Jack”). Very little is known of his life before and after his spectacular series of escapes from custody, recorded so painstakingly in Prisoner Registers, Official Correspondence and Court files. In his records, SheikContinue reading “Convict Runaways – Sheik Browne”

A long, strange trip (Part 1)

I was going to write a quick post about the Moreton Bay prisoners who were born far from the United Kingdom, and found their way to the settlement. I’ve decided to make this Part 1, because of the sheer number of extraordinary stories that I came across. AFRICA Francis Andrews, born about 1796 in Africa,Continue reading “A long, strange trip (Part 1)”

Convict Runaways – Samuel Derrington.

Samuel Derrington LOCAL NEWS. DEATH OF MR. SAMUEL DERRINGTON. A very old resident of East Maitland, Mr Samuel Derrington, died on Sunday, from decay of nature, after a long life which had contained an uncommon experience. Mr. Derrington was, in his young manhood, brought by circumstances into the bush on the coast of Queensland, andContinue reading “Convict Runaways – Samuel Derrington.”

Mug Shots – The Snob, the Violent Pretty Boy and the American Sailor.

19th century and early 20th century “mug shots” are often extraordinary, capturing the spirit and story of the accused in a quite poignant way. Our modern digital photographs, taken as a matter of routine in the blink of an eye, usually portray the accused in the dishevelled state that offending, arrest and questioning will cause,Continue reading “Mug Shots – The Snob, the Violent Pretty Boy and the American Sailor.”

Minor Offences

There are few historical resources as compelling as old newspapers. The contemporary accounts of the criminal courts are by turns hilarious and thought-provoking. Hilarious in accounts of the drunken, bumbling criminals whose court cases provided entertainment to the public gallery. (I’ve been unable to resist quoting a couple of the dafter ones in this post.)Continue reading “Minor Offences”