Ovel

Tried Port Louis, 2 December 1843
Arrived Ocean Queen, 3 April 1844
“Killing my master by striking him on the head”
Native Place: China
Labourer

Conduct Record
Indent

19 March 1851 charged with “Absconding & remaining at large until apprehended on board the “Shamrock” being there with intent to leave the Colony.

A DISAPPOINTED EMIGRANT.-A Chinese was ushered into the presence of the police magistrate on Tuesday morning, charged as an absconder. He arrived by the coach on the previous night; and from, a description hastily drawn up and forwarded, Mr. Davis suspected him to be a prisoner of the crown named Ovel, (transported for life from Mauritius for cutting up murdered children and making them into pies,) who absconded from the service of Mr. Webb, confectioner, of Murray-street, Hobart Town, on Monday morning. The prisoner had taken his passage by the Shamrock, and had obtained a special clearance under the name of Assa Eugene. He was remanded to give time for further enquiry. With reference to the horrible offence imputed to the prisoner, the police magistrate believed he was not the perpetrator of the revolting and bloody crimes mentioned by the chief district constable; that such crimes had been committed at the Mauritius was, however, a fact; and it was equally true that the debased and guilty wretch who committed them was in this island. Children in his neighborhood at Mauritius were missed, and finger bones and other unemployed portions of human beings were round on the premises, but no direct proof of the offence could be obtained, otherwise a different punishment had been inflicted. The perpetrator of these diabolical crimes was convicted for a minor offence, and transported for life to this colony. He would.be a meet companion for Annette Meyers.
Launceston Examiner, 19 March 1851 (second page)

Ovelle, p. h., a Chinese in the service of Mr. Webb, the Pastry. Cook, was charged by his master with refusing to work. By permission of the Magistrate, Mr. Brewer defended the prisoner. It appeared, from Mr. Webb’s statement, that he had originally hired the prisoner at the Comptroller General’s Office for twelve months, which bad expired a short time ago ; after that, Mr. Webb entered into another engagement with the Assistant Comptroller General, Mr. Nairne, for twelve months longer, raising the prisoner’s wages to j£40 a year. The prisoner however refused to work, as he considered his time was up, and wanted go to another place. In answer to Mr. Brewer, Mr. Webb stated, that no written agreement had been entered into on either occasions, nor was the prisoner present, when the engagement was made ; the prisoner bad been in Mr. Webb’s Service since he had been in the country, and had never been in the Barracks. Mr. Brewer, then contended that, as there was no written agreement there could be no service : the regulations provided, that an agreement should be entered into, which had not been done in this case. Mr. Wilmot said, that, according to the regulations, unless a passholder could get higher wages, he was bound to serve his present master: he, Mr. Wilmot, was clearly of opinion that the prisoner was in Mr. Webb’s service. It was then arranged that, the prisoner should return to his service, and on that condition he, at Mr. Webb’s request, was merely admonished.
Hobarton Guardian, 29 January 1853

`
Note at end of Conduct Record

Wetia Hong

Tried Port Louis, Maritius 6 November 1841
“For attempt at murder.”
Labourer, aged 50

Indent
Conduct Record

Ticket of Leave 10 November 1849
Revoked 2 July 1859
Restored 12 August 5?
Revoked 4 October 1853
Restored 28 February 1854
Conditional Pardon 13 February 1855


20 July 1854 TL/Hobart/ Misconduct in harbouring Chinese Seamen from the Victoria. Three months hard Labour

Atik Wong

Tried Hong Kong
“I broke into a brick house and took clothes from Captain Pedder the Harbour Master with 4 others”
Native place: China
Labourer, aged 30

Indent
Conduct Record

One celestial Robbing Another.
Wong Atick, notwithstanding a very voluble defence he made, was convicted of stealing a gold finger ring, the property of John Ahong, watchmaker, of Elizabeth street. Other articles had been stolen as well but that was the only one Mr Ahong could identify. The prisoner had been apprehended by Detective Constable Seabridge with the ring and other articles in his possession, and amongst them a key which opened all Mr. Ahong’s doors. Wong Atick had formerly been residing with Mr Ahong, but had been expelled. The bench sentenced him to six months imprisonment with hard labor.

Cornwall Chronicle, 22 October 1859
More…

Ayee Lowe

(Laon, Ayee)
Tried Hong Kong 1844. “Stealing 40 dollars from a house”
Native Place: China
Laborer & barber, aged 24


Conduct record
Ident

Married Matilda Mace (per Cadet) 1851. (Note one witness is Hannah Hong.)

Marriages, Launceston RGD37-1-10

Conditional Pardon 1852

“Low Ayee” departed for Melbourne, “Yarra Yarra”, 19 October 1853
Matilda Mace departed for Melbourne, “Yarra Yarra”, 20 November 1853

Osprey, from Hong Kong Supreme Court


The “Osprey.”-On Sunday morning, the three-masted schooner Osprey, arrived here from China, with ten Chinese prisoners, who have been sent here by the first sitting of the British Supreme Court, at Hong Kong ; we have received no papers, but we learn that Hong Kong is fast progressing as a British Colony ; and, we sincerely hope, that we may find a market there for some of our superfluous Produce, and even for our wool. The Osprey as a consignment of tea, &c, for, we believe, Messrs. Burns & White.
Colonial Times, 28 January 1845


The Chinese Convicts.- The ten Chinese convicts, recently arrived from Hong Kong, have been forwarded to Norfolk Island by the Sir John Franklin.
The Courier, 13 February 1845

Name/Native place
Acheong Chum, China
Atik Wong, China
Ayon Wong China
Fat Cephang, China
Akow Chaong, China
Ayee Low, China
Almas, China
Pono, ?
Piedro Soares/ Pedro Swareg, Portugal
John Brennan, Ireland

Indents
Conduct Records (images 104-113)

The first five are all from China (given as their Native Place). All five were laborers and had the same statement of offence.
“I broke into a brick house and took clothes from Captain Pedder the Harbour Master with 4 others”

Acheong Chum
Laborer, aged 40

From his conduct record, he died Norfolk Island, 9 March 1845, with the note “Report of Death, date 31/8/54”

Atik Wong
More here.
Labourer, aged 30

Conditional pardon 13 October 1863
Died 13 August 1865

Ayon Wong
Laborer, aged 27

Drowned Norfolk Island, 22 November 1845

Fat Cephing
Labourer, aged 34
After returning from NI, he was working in Launceston area, 1852-54.
Ticket of Leave granted 1854, revoked 1858
Also indexed in State Library records as Hing Fat Eep

Akow Chaong
Labourer, aged 19
After returning from NI, he was working in the north of the island (Paterson Plains, George Town, Longford)
Ticket of Leave granted 1854
Conditional Pardon 1856

There was one other in the group with China as the Native Place:

Aye Low
(More here.)
Laborer & barber, aged 24
“Stealing 40 dollars from a house”

Not sure he was sent to Norfolk Island, no mention on Conduct Records.

Almas
Tailor, aged 17
“Stealing a gold ring”
Native Place: Bombay.

Ticket of leave: 24 October 1848
Free Certificate: 25 November 1852
Might have been in the interior in 1848
There is a passenger “Almas” travelling to Melbourne on the Yarra Yarra 1852 & 1853 (on the second trip he is a “New Zealander”)

Pono
Seaman, aged 29
“I was working the Deck on Bd Ship a man struck me I stabbed him he was a black man a Lascar – he was killed – It was on Bd the Alice”
Lascar from “Saleh Bay”, which might be in Indonesia.
1856 working on Steamer Derwent
1852 working Colonial Marine Dept
Condtional Pardon: 1858

Pedro Suareg/Sorey also Peidro Soares
Med Attendent & Clerk, aged 20
“Stealing a Small Box at Hong Kong it was locked up & I do not know its contents.”
Native Place: Portugal

1850-51 New Norfolk area
Free Certificate 20 November 1852

John Brennan
Labourer, aged 21
“Bestiality with a Bitch. I was in the Hong Kong police at the time”
Native Place: Co. Roscommon (Ireland)

Working Fingal, Longford amongst other places.

Ahong, Launceston (1)

Tried Port Louis, Mauritius, 22 July 1844 for “Robbery”
Age: 26 years
Trade: Laborer
Native Place: Macao
(Macau is in south-east China, across the river from Hong Kong. (Google Maps). At the time it was a Portuguese colony/territory)


Indent
Conduct Record

Arrived: Launceston 4 October 1844 on Timbo


Launceston Examiner, 9 October 1844

30 October 1849 obtained Ticket of leave

11 January 1851 Given permission to marry Hannah Howard (per Asia)
6 February 1851, Married Hannah Howard, St Joseph’s Catholic Church, Launceston

Conditional Pardon: Recommended for 3 February 1852. Approved 31 May 1853

(I am not sure if this is the same person as the watchmaker Ahong. If it is, what happened to Hannah, and he’s engaged in electoral activities while holding a TOL and a Conditional Pardon, which I’m sure he’d be able to do ???).

Hannah Hong is a witness for the marriage of Ayee Low and Matilda Mace.

Samuel

#1421 Samuel
“A man of color”
Age 28
Native place: Mozambique
Tried Cape of Good Hope, 1831 “Theft aggravated by having been twice before convicted of the same crime of theft”

Description
Indent
Conduct Record

LIST OF OFFENCES FROM CONDUCT RECORD
8 December 1832 Absconding on the 16th November from his Service & remaining at large until approached near Waterloo Point.
5 February 1833 Runaway
23 September 1833 Absconding
14 October 1833 Breaking his Irons
15 November 1833 Insubordination
11 January 1834 Being under the influence of Liquor on boat the Government Brig Tamar the Cargo of the Vessel having been broken into and a quantity of Wine stolen during his Passage to Port Arthur
Same date Striking at & wounding Mr Richd Newman Chief Constable with Intent to kill, maim or do him some grievous bodily harm. Committed to trial.
Executed at Hobart Town, 26 March 1834

SUPREME COURT – CRIMINAL SIDE.
Tuesday, March 4, 1834.
Before Mr. Justice Montagu and a Military Jury.
A man of colour, named Samuel, was placed at the bar, charged with stabbing and cutting Mr. Richard Newman, the Chief Constable, at Port Arthur, on the left cheek, with a knife. Richard Newman examined -Is Chief Con stable at Port Arthur ; the prisoner, on the 12th February last, was taken by witness be fore the Commandant, for absconding from that settlement. On attempting to convey the prisoner from the Commandant’s-office, he, the prisoner, struck witness on the left cheek with a knife ; the wound was about three inches long; the knife was immediately wrested from him ; witness was taking the prisoner at the time away for punishment, in pursuance of the Magistrate’s sentence.
Henry Lowe examined.-is a serjeant in the 21st regiment; saw both the prisoner and the prosecutor on the 12th February last, in the Commandant’s-office, at Port Arthur; saw the prisoner strike Mr. Newman, and took the knife from him ; the prisoner had been a very short time at Port Arthur ; it is contrary to the regulations at that settlement, for prisoners to have in their possession such knives as the one now produced ; there was no handle to it.
This closed the case for the prosecution.
The prisoner said nothing in his defence. His Honor then, in the most impartial manner, summed up the case to the Jury, pointing out to them its peculiarities, in- asmuch as the first count of the indict- ment charged the prisoner with striking the prosecutor with intent to kill him, and of which intention no positive evidence had been adduced. The other counts, His Honor said, must of necessity fail.
The Jury retired for about a quarter of an hour, and returned a verdict of Guilty on the first count.
His Honor, after the verdict had been re- turned, addressed the Jury in the most feeling manner, intimating that he was extremely anxious that they should understand him aright, as to what was necessary to convict the prisoner on the first count of the present indictment. They must, His Honor observed, he perfectly convinced that it was the prisoner’s intention, when he struck the prosecutor, not merely to do him some bodily harm, but actually to kill him. If they, the Jury, were not satisfied that the prisoner intended to go the extreme length of killing the prosecutor, then he was entitled to an acquittal on that count.
The Jury then retired for a few minutes to re-consider their verdict, and on returning into Court gave a verdict directly opposite to their first-namely, that the prisoner was Not Guilty.
The prisoner was then remanded, in order to be indicted again for the assault, if such should be the desire of the Attorney General.
. . . .
The man Samuel, who was in the early part of the day acquitted on a charge of stabbing, with intent to kill, Mr. Newman, was again placed at the bar, to take his trial upon a fresh indictment. The evidence in this case was precisely the same as that adduced upon the first trial, and the Jury without hesitation pronounced the prisoner Guilty.
Colonial Times, 11 March 1834

On Wednesday morning the three miser- able men who had been condemned to die suffered the last awful penalty on the gallows at Hobart town. Joseph Deane and Henry Rutland were the two bushrangers who were convicted of the late burglary under aggra vated circumstances, in the house of Dr. Gor ringe, at the Green Pond’s, and Samuel was the black, the desperate character who we lately stated had made the unprovoked at- tempt, at Port Arthur, on the life of Mr. Newman.
. . .
The black man Samuel was a native of Mozambique, where he was, when a child, captured with his mother and sisters and carried to the Cape of Good Hope. His constant repetition of offences from small to great at that place, subjected him to transportation about 3 years ago to this colony, where the rigours of penal discipline, always severe upon the unrepentent, pressed so heavy on him that he made the attempt at murder for which he has now suffered avowedly with the view of quitting life, thus rendered by and to himself so horribly wretched.
Hobart Town Courier, 28 March 1834