Lawrence Kavenagh
Encyclopedia
Lawrence Kavanagh was a convict
bushranger
known for escaping from Port Arthur
, Van Diemen's Land
(the so-called escape proof colony) with Martin Cash
and George Jones.
Born in Waterford
, Ireland
, he was convicted for burglary
and sentenced to penal transportation
for life. He arrived on the Ferguson in 1829 at Sydney. After committing many offences he was sent to Norfolk Island
where he received a total of 180 lashes for insolence and attempted escape. In 1842 he escaped and returned to Sydney. There Kavanagh fired on two men who recognized him while on the run. He was captured and sentenced to Port Arthur for attempted murder.
On Boxing Day
1842 Lawrence Kavanagh, Martin Cash and George Jones absconded from a work party. Hiding in dense scrubland and with little food they made their way 15 km to the neck. Swimming with their clothes tied in bundles above their heads, they made it to the other side but all three of them lost their bundles. Now naked, the trio robbed a road gang's hut for clothing, and began a twenty month spree of bushranging and robbing mail coaches, homesteads and inns.
Kavanagh tripped over one day and the charge in his gun exploded. He said he had to give himself up or he would bleed to death in the bush.
He got sent to Norfolk Island
.But, Kavanagh was soon back to crime, joining several others in a mutiny which led to the deaths of two men.
Lawrence Kavanagh was finally hanged on 12 October 1846. He is buried on Norfolk Island and is discussed on the islands tours.
Convict
A convict is "a person found guilty of a crime and sentenced by a court" or "a person serving a sentence in prison", sometimes referred to in slang as simply a "con". Convicts are often called prisoners or inmates. Persons convicted and sentenced to non-custodial sentences often are not termed...
bushranger
Bushranger
Bushrangers, or bush rangers, originally referred to runaway convicts in the early years of the British settlement of Australia who had the survival skills necessary to use the Australian bush as a refuge to hide from the authorities...
known for escaping from Port Arthur
Port Arthur, Tasmania
Port Arthur is a small town and former convict settlement on the Tasman Peninsula, in Tasmania, Australia. Port Arthur is one of Australia's most significant heritage areas and the open air museum is officially Tasmania's top tourist attraction. It is located approximately 60 km south east of...
, Van Diemen's Land
Van Diemen's Land
Van Diemen's Land was the original name used by most Europeans for the island of Tasmania, now part of Australia. The Dutch explorer Abel Tasman was the first European to land on the shores of Tasmania...
(the so-called escape proof colony) with Martin Cash
Martin Cash
Martin Cash was a notorious convict bushranger known for escaping twice from Port Arthur, Van Diemen's Land...
and George Jones.
Born in Waterford
Waterford
Waterford is a city in the South-East Region of Ireland. It is the oldest city in the country and fifth largest by population. Waterford City Council is the local government authority for the city and its immediate hinterland...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, he was convicted for burglary
Burglary
Burglary is a crime, the essence of which is illicit entry into a building for the purposes of committing an offense. Usually that offense will be theft, but most jurisdictions specify others which fall within the ambit of burglary...
and sentenced to penal transportation
Penal transportation
Transportation or penal transportation is the deporting of convicted criminals to a penal colony. Examples include transportation by France to Devil's Island and by the UK to its colonies in the Americas, from the 1610s through the American Revolution in the 1770s, and then to Australia between...
for life. He arrived on the Ferguson in 1829 at Sydney. After committing many offences he was sent to Norfolk Island
Norfolk Island
Norfolk Island is a small island in the Pacific Ocean located between Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia. The island is part of the Commonwealth of Australia, but it enjoys a large degree of self-governance...
where he received a total of 180 lashes for insolence and attempted escape. In 1842 he escaped and returned to Sydney. There Kavanagh fired on two men who recognized him while on the run. He was captured and sentenced to Port Arthur for attempted murder.
On Boxing Day
Boxing Day
Boxing Day is a bank or public holiday that occurs on 26 December, or the first or second weekday after Christmas Day, depending on national or regional laws. It is observed in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and some other Commonwealth nations. In Ireland, it is recognized as...
1842 Lawrence Kavanagh, Martin Cash and George Jones absconded from a work party. Hiding in dense scrubland and with little food they made their way 15 km to the neck. Swimming with their clothes tied in bundles above their heads, they made it to the other side but all three of them lost their bundles. Now naked, the trio robbed a road gang's hut for clothing, and began a twenty month spree of bushranging and robbing mail coaches, homesteads and inns.
Kavanagh tripped over one day and the charge in his gun exploded. He said he had to give himself up or he would bleed to death in the bush.
He got sent to Norfolk Island
Norfolk Island
Norfolk Island is a small island in the Pacific Ocean located between Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia. The island is part of the Commonwealth of Australia, but it enjoys a large degree of self-governance...
.But, Kavanagh was soon back to crime, joining several others in a mutiny which led to the deaths of two men.
Lawrence Kavanagh was finally hanged on 12 October 1846. He is buried on Norfolk Island and is discussed on the islands tours.