Michael Howe
Encyclopedia
Michael Howe was a the leader of a bushranger
gang in Van Diemen's Land
(now Tasmania
).
Howe was born at Pontefract
, Yorkshire
, England
, son of Thomas Howe and his wife Elizabeth. He served two years on a merchant vessel at Hull
before deserting to join the navy
as a seaman. On 31 July 1811 he was sentenced to seven years transportation
for robbing a miller on the highway. He arrived in Van Diemen's Land in October 1812 in the Indefatigable, and was assigned to a Mr. John Ingle, a merchant and grazier, but ran away and joined a large party of escaped convicts in the bush.
In May 1814 Howe gave himself up to the authorities in response to an offer of clemency made by Governor Macquarie
. (For copy of proclamation see Historical Records of Australia, ser. I, Vol. VIII, p. 264). Howe, however, took to the bush again and joined a band of bushrangers led by John Whitehead. Houses were robbed and ricks burned by his gang, and being pursued by an armed party of settlers, two of the latter were killed and others wounded in a fight which followed. Rewards were offered for the apprehension of the bushrangers and parties of soldiers were sent out to search for them. On one occasion the bushrangers fired a volley through the windows of a house in which soldiers were stationed, and Whitehead was killed by the return fire.
Howe then became the leader of the bushrangers, and though two of the gang were caught and executed, many robberies continued to be made. In February 1817 two more bushrangers were shot and another captured, and in the following month Howe left the party accompanied only by an indigenous Australian
girl. On one occasion, finding the military close on his heels, he attempted to shoot this girl, but only succeeded in slightly wounding her. Howe found means of sending a letter to Governor Sorell
offering to surrender and give information about his former associates on condition that he should be pardoned. He gave himself up to a military officer on this understanding, and was taken to Hobart
gaol on 29 April 1817 where he was examined by the magistrates. Howe would quite probably have been pardoned, but at the end of July he escaped and again took to the bush.
In October he was captured by two men, William Drew and George Watts. Howe's hands had been tied but he managed to free them, stabbed Watts, and then taking Watts's gun, shot Drew. For nearly a year he hid in the bush, but needing ammunition, on 21 October 1818 he was decoyed to a hut where William Pugh of the 48th regiment and a stock-keeper, Thomas Worrall, were hidden. All three fired and missed but during the struggle which followed Howe was killed by blows on the head with a musket.
There is little doubt some of the most powerful men in Hobart
and Launceston
had arrangements with Howe and the most profitable of these partnerships was with the colony's wealthiest man, Edward Lord
. This is not to suggest there were direct negotiations between the two, but rather understandings were reached. In this, the role played by Lord's wife, Maria, was crucial. Maria Lord not only ran her husband's affairs in his absence, as an ex-convict herself, she had the contacts and cultural understanding to negotiate with the bush-rangers.
The official investigations into Howe's relationship with Edward Lord
and Robert Knopwood
never went far, as no documents from his testimonies have survived. As Carlo Canteri wrote in his 'Origins of Australian Social Banditry' '...a complete exposure of all the bushrangers, interconnecting linkages would shake Van Diemen's Land to it's very rum-cellars.'
announced that a film called The Outlaw Michael Howe was in development. http://if.com.au/2011/06/09/article/Screen-Australia-invests-2-3m-in-seven-documentaries/JHOCSQASDT.html
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...
gang in 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...
(now Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
).
Howe was born at Pontefract
Pontefract
Pontefract is an historic market town in West Yorkshire, England. Traditionally in the West Riding, near the A1 , the M62 motorway and Castleford. It is one of the five towns in the metropolitan borough of the City of Wakefield and has a population of 28,250...
, Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, son of Thomas Howe and his wife Elizabeth. He served two years on a merchant vessel at Hull
Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
before deserting to join the navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
as a seaman. On 31 July 1811 he was sentenced to seven years 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 robbing a miller on the highway. He arrived in Van Diemen's Land in October 1812 in the Indefatigable, and was assigned to a Mr. John Ingle, a merchant and grazier, but ran away and joined a large party of escaped convicts in the bush.
In May 1814 Howe gave himself up to the authorities in response to an offer of clemency made by Governor Macquarie
Lachlan Macquarie
Major-General Lachlan Macquarie CB , was a British military officer and colonial administrator. He served as the last autocratic Governor of New South Wales, Australia from 1810 to 1821 and had a leading role in the social, economic and architectural development of the colony...
. (For copy of proclamation see Historical Records of Australia, ser. I, Vol. VIII, p. 264). Howe, however, took to the bush again and joined a band of bushrangers led by John Whitehead. Houses were robbed and ricks burned by his gang, and being pursued by an armed party of settlers, two of the latter were killed and others wounded in a fight which followed. Rewards were offered for the apprehension of the bushrangers and parties of soldiers were sent out to search for them. On one occasion the bushrangers fired a volley through the windows of a house in which soldiers were stationed, and Whitehead was killed by the return fire.
Howe then became the leader of the bushrangers, and though two of the gang were caught and executed, many robberies continued to be made. In February 1817 two more bushrangers were shot and another captured, and in the following month Howe left the party accompanied only by an indigenous Australian
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
girl. On one occasion, finding the military close on his heels, he attempted to shoot this girl, but only succeeded in slightly wounding her. Howe found means of sending a letter to Governor Sorell
William Sorell
William Sorell was a soldier and third Lieutenant-Governor of Van Diemen's Land.-Early life:Sorell was born probably in the West Indies, the eldest son of Lieutenant-general William Alexander Sorell and his wife Jane...
offering to surrender and give information about his former associates on condition that he should be pardoned. He gave himself up to a military officer on this understanding, and was taken to Hobart
Hobart
Hobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1804 as a penal colony,Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2009, the city had a greater area population of approximately 212,019. A resident of Hobart is known as...
gaol on 29 April 1817 where he was examined by the magistrates. Howe would quite probably have been pardoned, but at the end of July he escaped and again took to the bush.
In October he was captured by two men, William Drew and George Watts. Howe's hands had been tied but he managed to free them, stabbed Watts, and then taking Watts's gun, shot Drew. For nearly a year he hid in the bush, but needing ammunition, on 21 October 1818 he was decoyed to a hut where William Pugh of the 48th regiment and a stock-keeper, Thomas Worrall, were hidden. All three fired and missed but during the struggle which followed Howe was killed by blows on the head with a musket.
There is little doubt some of the most powerful men in Hobart
Hobart
Hobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1804 as a penal colony,Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2009, the city had a greater area population of approximately 212,019. A resident of Hobart is known as...
and Launceston
Launceston, Tasmania
Launceston is a city in the north of the state of Tasmania, Australia at the junction of the North Esk and South Esk rivers where they become the Tamar River. Launceston is the second largest city in Tasmania after the state capital Hobart...
had arrangements with Howe and the most profitable of these partnerships was with the colony's wealthiest man, Edward Lord
Edward Lord
Charles Edward Lord OBE JP politician and a leading figure in English local government. He is Chairman of Local Partnerships LLP and its subsidiary, the Public Private Partnerships Programme , and an ex-officio member of the Executive and Improvement Board of the Local Government Association...
. This is not to suggest there were direct negotiations between the two, but rather understandings were reached. In this, the role played by Lord's wife, Maria, was crucial. Maria Lord not only ran her husband's affairs in his absence, as an ex-convict herself, she had the contacts and cultural understanding to negotiate with the bush-rangers.
The official investigations into Howe's relationship with Edward Lord
Edward Lord
Charles Edward Lord OBE JP politician and a leading figure in English local government. He is Chairman of Local Partnerships LLP and its subsidiary, the Public Private Partnerships Programme , and an ex-officio member of the Executive and Improvement Board of the Local Government Association...
and Robert Knopwood
Robert Knopwood
Robert Knopwood was an early clergyman and diarist in Australia.Knopwood was the third child and only surviving son of Robert Knopwood and his wife Elizabeth, née Barton of Threxton, Norfolk, England. Knopwood was educated at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, and graduated B.A. in 1786, M.A....
never went far, as no documents from his testimonies have survived. As Carlo Canteri wrote in his 'Origins of Australian Social Banditry' '...a complete exposure of all the bushrangers, interconnecting linkages would shake Van Diemen's Land to it's very rum-cellars.'
Media
In 2011, Screen AustraliaScreen Australia
Screen Australia is the Federal Government’s key funding body for the Australian screen production industry. Its functions are to support and promote the development of a highly creative, innovative and commercially sustainable industry....
announced that a film called The Outlaw Michael Howe was in development. http://if.com.au/2011/06/09/article/Screen-Australia-invests-2-3m-in-seven-documentaries/JHOCSQASDT.html