List of people legally executed on Norfolk Island

This is a list of people executed on Norfolk Island. It lists people who were executed by British (and from 1901, Australian) authorities within the modern-day boundaries of Norfolk Island. For people executed in other parts of Australia, see the sidebar.

Norfolk Island served as a penal colony 1788–1814, and again 1824–1856. It was mostly during this second period that people were executed on the island, including 12 on the same day for their involvement in the Cooking Pot Uprising.

1800s

• Peter McLean – 14 December 1800 – Irish convict and political prisoner, hanged without trial for conspiracy to mutiny. ^[1]
• John Houlahan – 14 December 1800 – Irish convict and political prisoner, hanged without trial for conspiracy to mutiny. ^[1]

1830s

• John McDonald – 13 April 1832 – Hanged for the attempted murder of fellow-convict Thomas Smith. ^[2]
• Thomas Reilly (or Riley) – 23 September 1833 – Hanged for the murder of fellow-convict Edward Doolan. ^[3]
• Matthew Connor – 23 September 1833 – Hanged for the attempted murder of constable Patrick Sullivan. ^[3]
• James Reynolds – 23 September 1833 – Hanged for the attempted murder of constable Patrick Sullivan. ^[3]
• Robert Douglas – 22 September 1834 – Hanged for mutiny. ^{[4] [5]}
• Henry Drummond – 22 September 1834 – Hanged for mutiny. ^{[4] [5]}
• James Bell – 22 September 1834 – Hanged for mutiny. ^{[4] [5]}
• Joseph Butler – 22 September 1834 – Hanged for mutiny. ^{[4] [5]}
• Robert Glennie – 22 September 1834 – Hanged for mutiny. ^{[4] [5]}
• Walter Burke – 22 September 1834 – Hanged for mutiny. ^{[4] [5]}
• Joseph Snell – 22 September 1834 – Hanged for mutiny. ^{[4] [5]}
• William McCulloch – 23 September 1834 – Hanged for mutiny. ^{[4] [5]}
• Michael Andrews – 23 September 1834 – Hanged for mutiny. ^{[4] [5]}
• William Groves – 23 September 1834 – Hanged for mutiny. ^{[4] [5]}
• Thomas Freshwater – 23 September 1834 – Hanged for mutiny. ^{[4] [5]}
• Henry Knowles – 23 September 1834 – Hanged for mutiny. ^{[4] [5]}
• Robert Ryan – 23 September 1834 – Hanged for mutiny. ^{[4] [5]}
• James Burrows – 26 December 1835 – Hanged for the murder of fellow-convict John Dursley. ^{[6] [7]}
• George Thompson – 26 December 1835 – Hanged for the attempted murder of fellow-convict John Fell at Longridge. ^[7]

1840s

'Murderers' Mound', the last resting place of the ringleaders of the 1 July 1846 'Cooking Pot' mutiny (photographed in about 1900).

• James Cairns – 13 October 1846 – Hanged for his involvement in the 'Cooking Pot Uprising'. ^{[8] [9]}
• Owen Commuskey – 13 October 1846 – Hanged for his involvement in the 'Cooking Pot Uprising'. ^[8]
• John Davies (or Davis) – 13 October 1846 – Hanged for his involvement in the 'Cooking Pot Uprising'. ^[8]
• Lawrence Kavenagh – 13 October 1846 – Hanged for his involvement in the 'Cooking Pot Uprising'. ^[8]
• Samuel Kenyon – 13 October 1846 – Hanged for his involvement in the 'Cooking Pot Uprising'. ^[8]
• Edward McGinniss – 13 October 1846 – Hanged for his involvement in the 'Cooking Pot Uprising'. ^[8]
• William Pearson – 13 October 1846 – Hanged for his involvement in the 'Cooking Pot Uprising'. ^[8]
• Dennis Pendergast – 13 October 1846 – Hanged for his involvement in the 'Cooking Pot Uprising'. ^[8]
• William Pickthorne – 13 October 1846 – Hanged for his involvement in the 'Cooking Pot Uprising'. ^[8]
• William Scrimshaw – 13 October 1846 – Hanged for his involvement in the 'Cooking Pot Uprising'. ^[8]
• William Westwood ('Jackey Jackey') – 13 October 1846 – Hanged for mutiny and the murder of convict constables John Morris, John Dinon, Thomas Saxton and police runner Stephen Smith, on 1 July 1846, known as the 'Cooking Pot Uprising'. ^[8]
• Henry Whiting – 13 October 1846 – Hanged for his involvement in the 'Cooking Pot Uprising'. ^[8]
• William Brown ('Doggie') – 19 October 1846 – Hanged for his involvement in the 'Cooking Pot Uprising'. ^[10]
• John Liddall – 3 November 1846 – Hanged for murder of Henry Clarke.
• Bernard Macartney – 3 November 1846 – Hanged for murder of Henry Clarke.

References

1. Whitaker, Anne-Maree (1994). Unfinished Revolution: United Irishmen in New South Wales, 1800–1810. Sydney: Crossing Press. pp. 57–58. ISBN   9780646179513 . Retrieved 29 October 2016.
2. Awful State of Norfolk Island and Moreton Bay, Sydney Monitor, 22 February 1832, page 2.
3. Norfolk Island, Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser, 29 October 1833, page 2.
4. Ray & Richard Beckett (1980), Hangman: The Life and Times of Alexander Green, Public Executioner to the Colony of New South Wales, West Melbourne: Nelson, ISBN   0170052613, pages 108–110.
5. Ship News, Sydney Herald, 16 October 1834, page 3.
6. Domestic and Miscellaneous Intelligence, The Australian (Sydney), 9 October 1835, page 3.
7. Norfolk Island Commission Court, Sydney Monitor, 20 January 1836, page 2.
8. "Norfolk Island – The Executions". The Australian . Sydney, NSW. 28 November 1846. p. 3. Retrieved 29 October 2016.
9. "Murder at Norfolk Island". Colonial Times. Hobart, Tas. 25 August 1846. p. 3. Retrieved 29 October 2016.
10. Chapter of Old Times No. 3, written by ‘Flying Fish’, Launceston Examiner, 7 July 1888, page 3.

Further reading

• Heaton, J.H. Australian Dictionary of Dates and Men of the Time, S.W. Silver & Son, London, 1879. Part 2, pages 90–94.