A List of Offences and Punishments Extracted from the Port Arthur “Punishment Book”

 

A List of Offences and Punishments Extracted from the Port Arthur “Punishment Book”

July 1, 1840 – Having a spoon in possession contrary to orders. Twenty-four hours’ solitary confinement on bread and water.

December 26, 1840 – Absent without leave. Five days’ solitary confinement on bread and water.

January 13, 1841 – Absent without leave. Twenty stripes on the breech.

January 21, 1841 – Absent without leave. Ten days’ solitary confinement on bread and water.

February 12, 1841 – Absent without leave. Twenty stripes on the breech.

April 14, 1841 – Disorderly conduct on the chain. Five days’ solitary confinement on bread and water.

June 1, 1841 – Misconduct un using improper language to the overseer. Four days’ solitary confinement on bread and water.

June 23, 1841, Repeated disorderly conduct. Forty-eight hours’ solitary confinement.

December 31, 1841 - Absent without leave. Twenty-five stripes on the breech.

January 28, 1842 – Absent without leave. Two months’ labour in chains.

March 3, 1842 – Disorderly conduct. Five days’ solitary confinement on bread and water.

May 27, 1842 – Absent without leave. Ten days’ solitary confinement.

November 7, 1842 – Absent without leave. Twenty-five stripes on the breech.

November 9, 1842 – Insolence to the Superintendent. Ten days’ solitary confinement.

December 19, 1842 – Misconduct in sleeping out of his berth, and further, with breaking up the flooring of his silent apartment. Fourteen days’ solitary confinement.

January 7, 1843 – Misconduct in having a quantity of potatoes improperly in his possession. Five days’ solitary confinement.

 

Extracted from the book “Convicts of Van Diemen’s Land”, p. xi for educational purposes.

Allen Tiller 2023

 

 Richmond Congregational Cemetery - Tasmania

 

In her 2007 book, ‘Tasmanian Tales of the Supernatural,' Margaret Giordano writes of the apparition of a man seen wandering the Richmond Congregational Cemetery on Torrens Street. The old cemetery is now a reserve.

Reports indicate that the apparition is of a man seen as ‘hazy.’[1]

Currently, it is not known who he may be.

Researched and written by Allen Tiller © 2023

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[1] Margaret Giordano, Tasmanian Tales of the Supernatural, (Launceston, 2007), p. 74.

Hells Gates - A Tale of Sorrow - Cape Sorell - Tasmania

 

 Hells Gates - A Tale of Sorrow - 

Cape Sorell - Tasmania

Aerial view of Cape Sorell Lighthouse –  (Source: AMSA, 2014)

The Cape Sorell Lighthouse is located on the west coast of Tasmania, approximately 12 kilometres from Strahan. It was built in 1899 and is the second-tallest lighthouse in Australia. The lighthouse is named after Tasmanian Lieutenant-Governor (1817-1825), William Sorell.
Sarah Island was seen by convicts as ‘hell.’ It was a remote penal colony within Macquarie Harbor established in 1821.[1] Hells Gates was the name given to a narrow passage entry to Macquarie Harbour by convicts serving on Sarah Island.

In its early days, the lighthouse had a lighthouse keeper and two assistants. The last lighthouse keeper left in 1971. Originally the light was lit by vapourised kerosene. A solar-powered light was installed in 1998. Today the lighthouse today is fully automated.[2]

In 1908 Henry John Hooper was the assistant signalman at Cape Sorell Lighthouse. On a wild and stormy night, a small steamer called Kawitiri was voyaging through Hell’s Gate as best it could in the storm, using the light as a guide. Onboard was Hooper’s wife and his two sons, one aged 5, the other 7; they had gone with their mother to Hobart for a holiday.
The small vessel was caught in the storm and capsized. The crew and passengers were launched into lifeboats and attempted to make it to shore. Mrs Hooper and her boys' boat smashed into the rocks not far from the lighthouse where Hooper was on duty. From high upon the lighthouse balcony, Hooper heard his wife’s cries ‘John, Save Me!” – but there was nothing he could do, so he sent his mate to assist. He waited many hours for his mate to return, and when he did, Hooper had to suffer more when he learned his wife and sons had drowned.[3]

Cape Sorell - west coast of Tasmania

Researched and written by Allen Tiller © 2022

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[1] ‘Sarah Island’, Tasmania, (2022), https://www.discovertasmania.com.au/things-to-do/heritage-and-history/sarahisland/

[2] Sinclair, Ian, ‘Old lighthouse goes automatic.’ (2012).

[3] 'Tasmania's Tragic Lighthouse Keeper', Smith's Weekly, (2 January 1926), p. 9., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article234435469.

 

 Oatlands Gaol - Tasmania

The largest building remaining in the former Oatlands Military Precinct, the Oatlands Gaol opened in 1837.[1] The gaol was built to hold 300 inmates and was the ‘only regional gaol in the colony where executions were commonplace.’[2] Oatlands Gaol was designed by Colonial Architect, John Lee Archer and was erected between 1834 and 1836.[3]

The gaol held female and male prisoners and was the largest gaol complex outside of Hobart and Launceston.[4] It was the only regional gaol in Tasmania to have its own Supreme Court House attached.[5]

The Oatlands Gaol operated for 26 years, being decommissioned in 1863. It then became a municipal gaol.




18 men were hung at Oatlands Gaol between 1844 and 1860.

• Alexander Reid - 24 April 1844 – Hanged at Oatlands for shooting and wounding Constable Murray.[6]
  
  
•  Thomas Marshall – 24 April 1844 – Hanged at Oatlands for the murder of Ben Smith.[7]
  
  
• Richard Jackson - 1 May 1845 - Hanged at Oatlands for the rape of Elizabeth Davis.[8]
  
  
• John Phillips – 4 February 1846 – Hanged at Oatlands for setting fire to the magistrate's oat stacks following a conviction for sly grog selling.[9]
  
  
•  James Sullivan – 9 May 1848 – Hanged at Oatlands for the attempted murder of Constable James Kelly at Swanston, near Andover.[10]
  
  
• Patrick Shea – 9 May 1848 – Hanged at Oatlands for the attempted murder of Constable James Kelly at Swanston.[11]
  
  
• James McGough – 9 May 1848 – Hanged at Oatlands for the attempted murder of Constable James Kelly at Swanston.[12]
  
  
• John Shale – 9 May 1848 - Hanged at Oatlands for wounding John Connell with intent to murder.[13]
  
  
• Thomas Smith – 4 August 1848 – Hanged at Oatlands for stabbing with intent to murder Constable Clough at Jericho.[14]
  
  
• Jeremiah Maher – 4 August 1848 – Hanged at Oatlands for stabbing with intent to murder Constable Clough at Jericho.[15]
  
  
• William Henry Stevens - 25 April 1851 - Convict. Hanged at Oatlands for Assaulting James Moore, being armed with a gun on the high road between Antill Ponds
• and Tunbridge.[16]
  
  
• George Mackie – 21 July 1851 – Hanged at Oatlands for the murder of Thomas Gilbert at Waters Meeting, near Cranbrook.[17]
  
  
•  John Crisp – 27 October 1851 – Hanged at Oatlands for Wounding with Intent Constable William Donohoo at Swansea.[18]
  
  
• William Henry Stephens – 25 April 1851 – Hanged at Oatlands for the attempted murder of Thomas Moore at Antill Ponds.
  
  
• Patrick McMahon – 28 October 1852 – Hanged at Oatlands for rape of a child.
  
  
• Michael Casey – 5 August 1856 – Hanged at Oatlands for the attempted murder of John Hewitt at Falmouth.
  
  
• Abraham Munday – 27 October 1857 – Hanged at Oatlands for attempted murder by poison of George White at Courland Bay.
  
  
•  Richard "Long Mick" Ennis – 27 October 1857 – Hanged at Oatlands for the murder of George Sturgeon at Kitty's Corner, near Antill Ponds.
  
  
•  John Vigors – 31 January 1860 – Hanged at Oatlands for Shooting with Intent at John Baker at Ellerslie.[19]

For more information on Oatlands please visit Southern Midlands Council's website here: https://www.southernmidlands.tas.gov.au/oatlands-gaol/

Researched and written by Allen Tiller © 2022

[1] Brad Williams, ‘Oatlands Gaol Historical Study and Archaeological Survey’, Southern Midlands Council, (2004), p. 9, https://www.southernmidlands.tas.gov.au/assets/southernmidlands_williams_arch_survey_2004.pdf.

[2] Ibid., p. 2.

[3] Barry and Eleanor Bjorksten, ‘Oatlands Gaol Remedial Works Report.’, Southern Midlands Council, (2004), p. 11, https://www.southernmidlands.tas.gov.au/assets/southernmidlands_bjorksten_2004.pdf.

[4] Williams, ‘Oatlands Gaol Historical Study and Archaeological Survey’, p. 9.

[5] Brad Williams, ‘Oatlands Gaol Interpretation Plan.’, Southern Midlands Council, (2011), p. 4, https://www.southernmidlands.tas.gov.au/assets/southernmidlands_gaol_interps_plan.pdf.

[6] 'Execution at Oatlands.’, The Courier, (26 April 1844), p. 3., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2951132.

[7] Ibid.

[8] 'Oatlands Assizes.', The Courier, (8 April 1845), p. 3., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2948998.

[9] 'Oatlands Assizes.', The Courier, (17 January 1846), p. 2., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2946459.

[10] 'Domestic Intelligence.', Colonial Times, (12 May 1848), p. 3., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article8762811.

[11] Ibid.

[12] Ibid.

[13] Ibid.

[14] 'Domestic Intelligence.', Colonial Times, (8 August 1848), p. 3., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article8763241.

[15] Ibid.

[16] 'Oatlands.', The Courier, (30 April 1851), p. 2., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article296097.

[17] 'Execution at Oatlands.', The Cornwall Chronicle, (26 July 1851), p. 468., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article65574090.

[18] 'Executions.', The Tasmanian Colonist, (27 October 1851), p. 2., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article226525096.

[19] 'Execution and Confession of Vigors at Oatlands.', Launceston Examiner, (2 February 1860), p. 3. (AFTERNOON), http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article38999069.