Bermuda Convict Stories
Escape of Four Convicts from the Tenedos Hulk,
Bermuda, 1845
Four convicts escaped from the Tenedos hulk at Ireland Island, Bermuda on the 22nd September 1845.
The following report on their escape appears in The Royal Gazette, Bermuda, 30 September 1845.
ESCAPE OF FOUR CONVICTS.- On yesterday week four Convicts escaped from Ireland Island in an open boat – and have not since been heard of. It seems that two of the four formed part of a boat’s crew, appropriated to the service of Dr. Hall of the Tenedos, for the purpose of visiting any of the sick under his charge, that may be placed in the Royal Naval Hospital on Ireland Island. The two belonging to the boat with the Cockswain, left the Tenedos at about noon for the purpose of proceeding to the Hospital; on their way thither the men placed in the hands of the Cockswain a note addressed to a Gentleman on the Island, purporting to be from their master, and asked him to deliver it and they would call for him on their return from the Hospital – the Cockswain accordingly landed for the purpose. The Boat subsequently touched at another part of the Island and received on board two other Convicts belonging to the same ship. After supplying themselves with water, having previously two hampers on the boat, they proceeded to sea, - the wind being at S.W. – and when last observed they were going before the Wind under sail, the boat being provided with one, a lug. – As soon as it became known that they had put to sea, the fine sail-boat belonging to the Dromedary, went in chase, but night setting in she did not come up with them, though they saw the gig, and as they neared her they observed them to lower their sail and pull dead to windward. – The sail boat did not get back till next day. – At dawn on the following morning the Steamer Gleaner went out to endeavour to fall in with them, but failed, though she proceeded a long distance to sea. – The Gig was about 18 feet keel; and we are told that one of the two men taken into the boat off Ireland Isle, once effected his escape from Van Diemen’s Land, in an open boat, and was picked up after being twenty days at sea, by an American vessel bound for the United States, and was subsequently re-captured in England. – We apprehend that the weather since their escape has been such, as to render their safety, at present, very problematic.
The four men were: -
146. Edward Smith, age 23, Larceny & Former Conviction, Tried: Central Criminal Court 24 October 1842 - 7 years
252. William Brady, age 27, Uttering a Forged order for payment of Money. Tried: Central Criminal Court 2 January 1843 – 14 years.
255. Henry Eastgate, age 36, Feloniously uttering a forged Bank Note. Tried: Central Criminal Court 2 January 1843 – 14 years.
394. William Charles Prince, age 34, Stealing a Diamond Pin. Tried: Doncaster 31 October 1844 – 10 years. (NOTE: According to the Criminal Registers Prince was tried at Doncaster Borough Sessions 31 October 1844 where as the information on the Warrior says he was tried at Liverpool on 16 December 1844. The man listed below William C Prince in the Warrior Register is William Pyne who it says was tried at Doncaster 31 October 1844, it would seem the place of trial for these two men has been mixed up. The Tenedos Quarterly return gives Prince's place of trial as Doncaster.)
Edward Smith was received on board the Fortitude hulk from Newgate on 22 November 1842.
8206. Edward Smith, age 23. He was a single Porter and could read and write. He had been convicted before. On the 27th April 1843 he was put on board the Tenedos bound for Bermuda.
William Brady and Henry Eastgate, were both tried at the Central Criminal Court on 2 January 1843 and were both received on board the York hulk from Newgate on 17th January 1843.
1101. William Brady, age 27. He was a married servant and could read and write imperfectly. He had been convicted before.
1102. Henry Eastgate age 36. He was single labourer and could read & write well. He had been convicted before.
On 19 May 1843 William Brady and Henry Eastgate were put on board the Tenedos transport ship bound for Bermuda.
William C Prince was received on board the Warrior hulk from Millbank Prison in March 1844. He was a married labourer, who could read and write “Imperfectly”, and according to the Gaoler’s Report this was his first conviction, and his “Temper & feeling good, well informed.” On the 24th March 1845 he was one of 200 prisoners put on board the transport ship China bound for Bermuda.
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Two Prisoners Shot Dead on Medway Hulk,
Bermuda, July 1849
In July 1849 two prisoners on board the Medway Hulk at Ireland Island, Bermuda were shot dead by the guards, the following reports can be found in newspapers of the time.
Dublin Weekly Register, Saturday 28 July 1849
BERMUDA.
DISTRESSING OCCURRENCE AT IRELAND ISLAND.- The Bermuda Herald of Thursday, 5th July, contains the following account of a conflict attended with loss of life, between the military and the convicts on board the Medway convict ship:- An inquest was held on Tuesday last, on board the Medway convict ship, by Charles C. KEANE, Esq., coroner, on view of the bodies of Thomas Kerrigan and John Tobin, who had been shot. The following is the substance of what was elicited before the jury:- The four or five hundred convicts on board the Medway were assembled that morning on the spar deck (the forward part of the ship), to witness the punishment of one of their number, James Cronin, for mutinous conduct. The overseer, F.B. Black, Esq., and his officers, with the convict guards, fully armed, and their pistols being loaded with ball cartridge (the usual practice, we believe), were drawn up on the quarter deck – they numbered twenty in all. The medical officer was also present. The quarter-deck is divided from the spar deck by a railing about five feet high. The man to be flogged had a brother on board the ship, older than himself, who had permission from the overseer to absent himself from witnessing the punishment; but this kindly offer on the part of Mr Black was refused, and he appeared with the other prisoners. When the proper officers were in the act of securing the man to the gratings or ladder, his brother rushed forward, and leaping on the barrier and waving his hat, called to him by name. He (the elder Cronin) then addressed some words in Irish to the convicts, which was answered by a wild cheer, and a rush of some 250 to the barrier, upon which they clustered like bees, preparatory to a descent upon the quarter-deck. The men were desperately excited. The overseer waved his hand, and called to the men to “fall back;” which order was quite disregarded. Mr Black (plainly perceiving what must be the object of the prisoners – viz, the rescue of Cronin and the probable butchery of himself and his small party) gave orders to the guards to “fire,” which was immediately followed by a volley from the front rank. This did not have any immediate effect, the desperate men entertaining the idea that only blank cartridges were fired. The rear rank of guards, which had been kept in reserve, then moved to the front, and under cover from Mr Black, fired. Two of the mutinous convicts fell dead, and 12 were wounded. This instantly quelled the mutiny; the men hurriedly retreating to hiding places about the forward part of the ship. The punishment was then administered to the younger Cronin. After a lengthy investigation the jury unanimously returned a verdict of “justifiable homicide.” One of the wounded men died on Tuesday afternoon. An inquest on his body was held yesterday. The verdict has not yet transpired. The ringleader, Cronin, was wounded in two places. Two others are maimed for life, one having had his leg amputated at the knee, and the other having received a ball in the spine.
The convicts on board the Medway were all Irishmen.
The event is also reported in the Southern Reporter and Cork Commercial Courier, Thursday 26 July 1849.
EMEUTE AT BERMUDA
(FROM THE TIMES.)
We are informed from Bermuda of a tragical affair which had taken place on board the Medway convict hulk at Ireland Island, which resulted in the death of three of the prisoners and the wounding of 11 others. It appears that on the 3rd inst. one of the convicts was ordered to be flogged for mutiny, and, early in the morning of that day, was brought up for the purpose. As usual on such occasions, the other prisoners were ordered on deck to witness the punishment. When the man was tied up, a sudden shout, an opening of knives, and a rush to the after part of the vessel proclaimed the mutinous intentions of the body of the convicts; but the guards of the ship being placed along the deck, in sections of five, under command of Mr Black, the inspector, were instantly ordered to fire in sections. The command was promptly obeyed, and with such precision of fire, that 14 out of the 15 bullets discharged took effect, killing 3 and wounding 11, some of the latter so dangerously that two were not expected to survive. The noise of the firing on board was heard by a military post of the 42nd Regiment, a detachment of which hastened on board, when order was quickly restored, and the flogging completed. An inquest has been held upon the bodies of those killed, and a verdict of “Justifiable homicide” returned. The convicts on board the Medway are all Irishmen, and Roman Catholics, many of them the dupes of John Mitchell. The movement was headed by a man named John Cronin, brother to the man whose flogging was to take place, but he had been informed by the inspector that his presence to witness the punishment of his relative would be excused, but he insisted upon coming on deck, and excited the prisoners by loud cries to gain mastery of the ship. Mr Black is stated to have exhibited great command on this trying occasion. There had been some refreshing showers in Bermuda, which, following the dry weather, did much good. There was, however, a scarcity of water.
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