Thomas Jeffrey
Thomas Jeffrey was a convict bushranger, murderer, and cannibal in the mid-1820s in Van Diemen's Land. In contemporary newspaper reports of his crimes, he was frequently described as a 'monster'. Jeffrey and three other convicts absconded from custody in Launceston in December 1825 and were subsequently responsible for five murders characterised by extreme violence, including the killing of a five-month-old infant. Another victim was a member of the gang, killed while he slept and his flesh consumed by his companions. Jeffrey was captured in January 1826; he was tried in Hobart and convicted of various of his crimes. Jeffrey was executed by hanging at Hobart in May 1826.
Biography
Background
Thomas Jeffrey was born in about 1791 in Bristol, England, the son of a butcher. He received seven years of schooling, after which he served aboard the British naval warship Achille. After four years and seven months, he deserted from the Navy, claiming "cruel usage". Jeffrey then went to London where he enlisted in the Army as a drummer. After two years and nine months, he deserted again and returned to sea on the frigate Leander.In 1814, Jeffrey returned to Bristol where he began to exhibit sociopathic behaviour, stealing from his father and other relatives before returning to London. There, he stole from an uncle and Captain Dower, a relative of his mother's, before leaving London and moving from one place to another. He joined three men armed with pistols and began robbing farmers as they returned from market. On one occasion, between Lincoln and Gainsborough in the East Midlands, they accosted an old farmer who refused to hand over his money. One of Jeffrey's accomplices shot him dead and they left his body in a ditch, stealing £69 from their victim. The four men drank and gambled until they were apprehended near Hull on suspicion of murdering the farmer. They were detained in gaol for six months and finally released due to a lack of evidence.
After his release, Jeffrey returned to his home town where his sister gave him £5 on the condition he leave Bristol. He returned to the East Midlands where he and three accomplices broke into and stole from a house in Nottingham. One of the men was apprehended a few days later, giving information against the others that led to their arrest at nearby Leicester. At the time of his arrest in 1817, Jeffrey's occupation was recorded as painter and glazier. Jeffrey was convicted in the Nottingham Assizes on 29 July 1817, receiving a sentence of transportation for life.
Transportation
After a period in gaol, Jeffrey was transferred to the prison hulk Retribution, moored at Woolwich on the River Thames. In September 1819, he was transported to the colony of New South Wales aboard the Prince Regent with 161 other convicts. In consideration of his previous experience at sea, during the voyage Jeffrey had his irons removed so he could work as a seaman. The Prince Regent arrived at Port Jackson in Sydney on 27 January 1820.Jeffrey was initially assigned to a settler named Brown on the Hawkesbury River. Later, he was assigned to work on the crew of a boat based at Cockle Bay on Port Jackson. One night, he was apprehended by the police for stealing oranges from an orchard on Parramatta River, for which he was sentenced to 100 lashes and two years in the Newcastle coalmines. Jeffrey and six others subsequently absconded from a convict work-gang at Limeburners Creek near the Karuah River north of Newcastle and made their way south to the Sydney region. During their journey through the bush, two of the escaped convicts were murdered and eaten by the others. The five remaining absconders were apprehended when they reached Parramatta.
Jeffrey was sent "over the Blue Mountains" but absconded after only three weeks with three other prisoners. They made their way to Emu Plains, where they survived by opportunistic stealing. After his companions gave themselves up, Jeffrey joined with a large group of escaped convicts in The Cowpastures district but was betrayed, apprehended, and taken to Parramatta Gaol where he was put in irons. Eventually, Jeffrey was taken before the magistrate John Macarthur to whom he provided information that led to the apprehension of his erstwhile companions. Macarthur decided to send Jeffrey, the intractable absconder, to Van Diemen's Land.
Van Diemen's Land
Jeffrey was transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the brig Hawies, arriving on 1 January 1822 at Port Dalrymple at the mouth of the Tamar River. By August 1822, Jeffrey had been assigned as an overseer of a work-gang at the George Town gaol.On the evening of 13 June 1824, Chief Constable George Lawson visited the George Town watch-house and found one of the prisoners absent. He went to the nearby Ship Inn where he found the prisoner, Joseph Smith, and returned him to the watch-house. When he returned, Lawson was informed by the watch-house keeper that Jeffrey, "a Prisoner and overseer of the Gaol Gang", had been trying to break through the wall with a pick-axe. Lawson went inside and ordered Jeffrey to a cell. Jeffrey was abusive, appeared to be intoxicated, and refused to obey. Lawson then left to seek assistance. He returned with three constables and ordered them to put Jeffrey in irons. The convict overseer then drew a knife, made several thrusts at Lawson and told them "he would stab the first man that should attempt to put him in irons". Lawson succeeded in knocking the knife from Jeffrey's grasp, and he was restrained and placed in a cell. Jeffrey was later transferred to the George Town Gaol and sentenced to twelve months in the Macquarie Harbour Penal Station for "threats to stab Chief Constable Lawson".
However, Jeffrey was never transferred to Macquarie Harbour; instead, he was put to work in a "Public Works" gang at George Town. On 1 February 1825, he absconded from the work-gang. Jeffrey's details were published in the Hobart Town Gazette, alongside a long list of other runaway convicts. The description given of Jeffrey was of a 35-year-old, standing tall, having brown hair and brown eyes, with tattoos of a "castle, hearts, and darts, flower pots, and several other marks" on his left arm. In common with others on the list, a reward of two pounds was offered for his apprehension. It is likely that Jeffrey was recaptured soon afterwards, with his conduct record noting that he received a punishment of fifty lashes and hard labour in the gaol work-gang.
Transfer to Launceston
By April 1825, Jeffrey was transferred further up the Tamar Valley to Launceston, where he was assigned as flagellator at the Launceston Gaol. Jeffrey very soon became known as a vicious flogger of men who "appeared to delight in the torture which he inflicted". In April 1825, it was reported that the Commandant of Launceston Gaol "thinks that by a very severe mode of flogging, he will repress all disorders". To this end, he had engaged "a very strong man" as flagellator. The correspondent claimed to have personally witnessed two men recently flogged, "who were cut round into the throat, under the armpits, and on the belly and ribs of the right side". Most, it was claimed, were being punished for "trifling crimes, such as being too late for muster, or absent from work". The writer added: "I am afraid this mode will drive many into the bush; for I have heard some declare that sooner than receive one hundred lashes they would do something to get hanged!".Jeffrey's conduct record states that he was reprimanded on 24 May 1825 for "neglect of duty". On 3 August, he was fined ten shillings for being drunk and disorderly. By this stage, Jeffrey was referred to as the watch-house keeper as well as flagellator. In the confession made prior to his execution, Jeffrey laments the responsibilities given to him after his relocation to Launceston "where drink was the total ruin of me I was made watch house keeper a situation unfit for a drunkard".
On 25 August, Jeffrey was fined half his salary for "falsely imprisoning & assaulting" Mrs. Elizabeth Jessop, a free woman. The incident, which began on the evening of 20 August, was the subject of differing accounts by Jessop herself and another woman, Mrs. Ann Sharman. Common to both accounts is that Mrs. Sharman had been confined to the watch-house and Mrs. Jessop visited her there, bringing bedding and food. Sharman described Jessop as being "very tipsey" and abusive towards Jeffrey, the watch-house keeper. Jeffrey then confined Mrs. Jessop to the same cell as Mrs. Sharman, for the reason of her "using ill language towards him". Later in the night Jeffrey entered the cell in an undressed state and attempted sexual contact with Mrs. Jessop, though by both women's accounts he was rebuffed. He allowed Jessop to leave the following morning.
On 20 October 1825, Jeffrey was fined 20 shillings from his salary for having taken "a female prisoner out of the watch house". A correspondent to the Colonial Times later observed: "The treatment of many women who had been placed under his charge in the watch-house, is monstrous beyond description". In the same article it was asserted that Jeffrey had boasted "of the favour he received" from Peter Mulgrave, the Launceston Police Magistrate, claiming the magistrate "would never believe any thing against him".
Escape to the bush
On the night of Sunday 11 December 1825, Jeffrey absconded from lawful custody into the bush in company with three other convicts: John Perry, James Hopkins, and Edward Russell. Jeffrey's companions were said to have been amongst those in custody, and "it was agreed amongst them, that they should all take to the woods". The specific reason for Jeffrey giving up the position of watch-house keeper is not known, but on the night it occurred, the escape was expected by the police. The Police Magistrate Mulgrave and a number of constables had "placed themselves in ambuscade to detect them in the act of breaking out". There may have been a degree of fatalism in Jeffrey's decision to abscond; on that night, he "was resolved for nothing but immediate death". Jeffrey had locked the other prisoners in their cells and, as he and his companions left the watch-house at about midnight to begin their escape, they "saw three men standing waiting". They drew back, intending to check the rear of the building, but suddenly a pistol shot rang out and the four convicts decided to run, jumping the lumberyard fence and escaping to "the long black hills". Jeffrey had departed with a pistol, though in their hasty departure, he had left behind a knapsack he had packed.Each of Jeffrey's three companions had also been sentenced to transportation for life:
- John Perry was about 22 years of age and a native of Battersea, standing tall, with brown hair and dark grey eyes; he was employed as a bricklayer's labourer and was tried for "felony" in county Surrey in December 1822, sentenced to life; arrived in Van Diemen's Land aboard the Commodore Hayes in August 1823; he had previously absconded from a "Public Works" gang at George Town on 4 February 1825; he "violently assaulted" Thomas Banks in July 1825 and was ordered to work in the Gaol work-gang for two months; on 20 November 1825 he absconded from George Town for which he received 50 lashes and was to be removed to Maria Island.
- James Hopkins was about 20 years of age and a native of Chosedale, county Gloucestershire, standing tall, with brown hair and grey eyes; he worked as a stocking weaver and was tried for burglary at the Gloucester Assizes in April 1821, sentenced to life; arrived in Van Diemen's Land aboard the Claudine in December 1821; previously absconded from a "Public Works" gang at Launceston in March 1825.
- Edward Russell was tried for burglary in county Surrey and sentenced to transportation for life; he was a recent arrival in the colony, arriving in Van Diemen's Land aboard the Medina in September 1825.
It is possible that Jeffrey and his companions made contact with Brady's gang of bushrangers soon afterwards but their offer to join with Brady's gang was refused. Later on, in early January 1826, Brady's group robbed a settler named Haywood in the vicinity of Hobart. During the robbery, the bushrangers informed Haywood that Jeffrey "had tendered them his services, and had been rejected".
At about this time, the fugitives stole a musket, of mutton, and of salt from the dwelling of Joseph Railton at Spring Plains in the Evandale area. After the raid on Railton's place, James Hopkins separated from his companions. Later Jeffrey, Perry, and Russell approached "Bateman's hut". As Jeffrey neared the door of the dwelling, two men appeared holding muskets but dropped them at the bushranger's command. Another two men were found inside, one of them injured in bed. After gathering supplies from the hut, they forced the three men able to walk to carry the goods to the foot of the surrounding mountains where they were given their freedom.