List of people legally executed on Norfolk Island explained

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

• 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.

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.

Notes and References

1. Book: Whitaker. Anne-Maree. Unfinished Revolution: United Irishmen in New South Wales, 1800–1810. 1994. Crossing Press. Sydney. 9780646179513. 57–58. 29 October 2016.
2. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/32076968 Awful State of Norfolk Island and Moreton Bay
3. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/2214592 Norfolk Island
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,, pages 108-110.
5. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/12850719 Ship News
6. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/42005888 Domestic and Miscellaneous Intelligence
7. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/32150547 Norfolk Island Commission Court
8. News: Norfolk Island – The Executions. 29 October 2016. The Australian. 28 November 1846. Sydney, NSW. 3.
9. News: Murder at Norfolk Island. 29 October 2016. Colonial Times. 25 August 1846. Hobart, Tas. 3.
10. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/38317794 Chapter of Old Times No. 3