Executed Prisoners, Brisbane 1830-82
This was a period of rapid and remarkable change for both Brisbane and capital punishment. While the place grew from being a remote convict settlement into a capital city, the practice of hanging changed from a public exhibition of militarised revenge into a modernised, private and sombre act carried out behind closed doors.
Until 1855, every hanging carried out locally was a public hanging. After that time, until 1882, they were carried out inside prison yards.
Name: John Bulbridge
Hanged: 18 DEC 1830, Convict barracks, Brisbane
Crime: Robbery, Port MacQuarie
Irish, Roman Catholic, age 20
Charles Fagan
18 DEC 1830, Convict barracks, Brisbane
Robbery, Port MacQuarie
Irish, age 26
(An account of the trial of Fagan and Bulbridge)
Mullan
3 JUL 1841, Windmill Hill, Wickham Terrace, Brisbane
Accessory to Murder, Mount Lindsay
Aboriginal
Ningavil
3 JUL 1841, Windmill Hill, Wickham Terrace, Brisbane
Accessory to Murder, Mount Lindsay
Aboriginal
(An account of the execution of Mullan and Ningavil)
Jacob Wagner
8 JUL 1850, Brisbane Town Gaol, Queen Street
Murder, Gigooman
Scottish, Presbyterian
Patrick Fitzgerald
8 JUL 1850, Brisbane Town Gaol, Queen Street
Murder, Gigooman
Irish, Roman Catholic
(An account of the execution of Wagner and Fitzgerald)
Angee
6 JAN 1852, Brisbane Town Gaol, Queen Street
Murder, Burnett district
Chinese
(An account of the execution of Angee)
Davy
22 AUG 1854, Brisbane Town Gaol, Queen Street
Murder, Burnett district
Aboriginal
(An account of the execution of Davy)
Dundalli
5 JAN 1855, Brisbane Town Gaol, Queen Street
Murder, various
Aboriginal
Aboriginal, age c.35
(An account of the execution of Dundalli)
William Teagle
28 JUL 1857, Brisbane Town Gaol, Queen Street
Murder, Drayton
English, Roman Catholic, age 32
(An account of the execution of Teagle)
Chamery
4 AUG 1859, Brisbane Town Gaol, Queen Street
Rape, Dugandine
Aboriginal (Ipswich)
Not recorded
Dick
4 AUG 1859, Brisbane Town Gaol, Queen Street
Rape, Dugandine
Aboriginal (Logan)
(An account of the execution of Dick and Chamery)
Thomas Woods
7 DEC 1860, Brisbane Gaol, Petrie Terrace
Murder, near Gayndah
English, Protestant, age 53
(An account of the execution of Woods)
Georgie
5 DEC 1861, Brisbane Gaol, Petrie Terrace
Rape, Ipswich
Aboriginal (New South Wales)
(An account of the execution of Georgie)
Tommy
2 APR 1862, Brisbane Gaol, Petrie Terrace
Murder, Fort Cooper
Chinese, Pagan
(An account of the execution of Tommy)
Matthew McGuiness
8 APR 1863, Brisbane Gaol, Petrie Terrace
Murder, Maryborough
Irish, Roman Catholic, age 19
(An account of the execution of McGuiness)
Jackey
3 NOV 1865, Brisbane Gaol, Petrie Terrace
Murder, Degilbo
Aboriginal, Roman Catholic
(An account of the execution of Jackey)
Rudolf Mornberger
13 DEC 1865, Brisbane Gaol, Petrie Terrace
Murder, Logan River
Hamburgh, Lutheran
(An account of the execution of Mornberger)
Billy
7 DEC 1868, Brisbane Gaol, Petrie Terrace
Rape, Town Marie
Aboriginal, age c.26
(An account of the execution of Billy)
Jacob
17 MAY 1869, Brisbane Gaol, Petrie Terrace
Rape, Ideraway
Aboriginal, age 19
(An account of the execution of Jacob)
William Prendergast/Pender
28 MAR 1870, Brisbane Gaol, Petrie Terrace
Murder, New Farm
Irish, Roman Catholic
(An account of the execution of Prendergast)
Dugald
28 MAY 1872, Brisbane Gaol, Petrie Terrace
Rape, near Gympie
Aboriginal, Church of England, age 22
(An account of the execution of Dugald)
Patrick Collins
29 MAY 1872, Brisbane Gaol, Petrie Terrace
Murder, near Surat
Irish, Roman Catholic, age 26
(An account of the execution of Collins)
John Garbett
10 MAR 1874
Brisbane Gaol, Petrie Terrace
Murder, Carabah Station
New South Wales, Church of England, age 36
(An account of the execution of Garbett)
Johnny aka Alick
29 DEC 1874, Brisbane Gaol, Petrie Terrace
Rape, Doughboy Creek
South Sea Islander, Baptist, age 26
(An account of the execution of Alick)
John Wenzell
29 AUG 1876, Brisbane Gaol, Petrie Terrace
Murder, Toowoomba
German, Lutheran, age 54
(An account of the execution of Wenzell)
James Cunningham
14 JAN 1878
Brisbane Gaol, Petrie Terrace
Murder, 2 Mile Creek
Scottish, Presbyterian, 23
(An account of the execution of Cunningham)
Sam Ah Poo
19 AUG 1878, Brisbane Gaol, Petrie Terrace
Murder, Bundaleer
Chinese, Pagan, age 30-40
(An account of the execution of Ah Poo)
Ervora aka Johnny
23 DEC 1878, Brisbane Gaol, Petrie Terrace
Murder, Nile River
South Sea Islander, Pagan, age 25
(An account of the execution of Ervora)
Joseph Mutter
9 JUN 1879, Brisbane Gaol, Petrie Terrace
Murder, RaveNew South Walesood
German, Roman Catholic, age 53
(An account of the execution of Mutter)
Joseph Wells
22 MAR 1880, Brisbane Gaol, Petrie Terrace
Robbery under arms, Cunnamulla
New South Wales, Roman Catholic, age 22
(An account of the execution of Wells)
James Elsdale
31 MAY 1880, Brisbane Gaol, Petrie Terrace
Murder, Belltopper Creek
New South Wales, Roman Catholic, 34
Jimmy Ah Sue
31 MAY 1880, Brisbane Gaol, Petrie Terrace
Murder, Copperfield
Chinese, Pagan, age 30-40
(An account of the execution of Elsdale and Ah Sue)
Maximus 'Pedro' Gomez
21 JUN 1880, Brisbane Gaol, Petrie Terrace
Murder, Possession Island
Filipino, Roman Catholic, age 36
(An account of the execution of Gomez)
Johnny Campbell (aka Kagariu)16 AUG 1880, Brisbane Gaol, Petrie Terrace
Rape, Kipper Creek
Aboriginal, Pagan, age c.34
(An account of the execution of Campbell)
Ah Que
12 DEC 1881, Brisbane Gaol, Petrie Terrace
Murder, Palmerville
Chinese, Confucian, age 23
(An account of the execution of Ah Que)
George Byrne
22 MAY 1882, Brisbane Gaol, Petrie Terrace
Rape, Brisbane
Queensland, Church of England, age 32
(An account of the execution of Byrne)
Towolar/Towler aka Jemmy
5 JUN 1882, Brisbane Gaol, Petrie Terrace
Murder, Bundaberg
South Sea Islander (Aoba), Pagan, age 22
(An account of the execution of Towolar)
Until 1855, every hanging carried out locally was a public hanging. After that time, until 1882, they were carried out inside prison yards.
Name: John Bulbridge
Hanged: 18 DEC 1830, Convict barracks, Brisbane
Crime: Robbery, Port MacQuarie
Irish, Roman Catholic, age 20
Charles Fagan
18 DEC 1830, Convict barracks, Brisbane
Robbery, Port MacQuarie
Irish, age 26
(An account of the trial of Fagan and Bulbridge)
Mullan
3 JUL 1841, Windmill Hill, Wickham Terrace, Brisbane
Accessory to Murder, Mount Lindsay
Aboriginal
Ningavil
3 JUL 1841, Windmill Hill, Wickham Terrace, Brisbane
Accessory to Murder, Mount Lindsay
Aboriginal
(An account of the execution of Mullan and Ningavil)
Jacob Wagner
8 JUL 1850, Brisbane Town Gaol, Queen Street
Murder, Gigooman
Scottish, Presbyterian
Patrick Fitzgerald
8 JUL 1850, Brisbane Town Gaol, Queen Street
Murder, Gigooman
Irish, Roman Catholic
(An account of the execution of Wagner and Fitzgerald)
Angee
6 JAN 1852, Brisbane Town Gaol, Queen Street
Murder, Burnett district
Chinese
(An account of the execution of Angee)
Davy
22 AUG 1854, Brisbane Town Gaol, Queen Street
Murder, Burnett district
Aboriginal
(An account of the execution of Davy)
Dundalli
5 JAN 1855, Brisbane Town Gaol, Queen Street
Murder, various
Aboriginal
Aboriginal, age c.35
(An account of the execution of Dundalli)
William Teagle
28 JUL 1857, Brisbane Town Gaol, Queen Street
Murder, Drayton
English, Roman Catholic, age 32
(An account of the execution of Teagle)
Chamery
4 AUG 1859, Brisbane Town Gaol, Queen Street
Rape, Dugandine
Aboriginal (Ipswich)
Not recorded
Dick
4 AUG 1859, Brisbane Town Gaol, Queen Street
Rape, Dugandine
Aboriginal (Logan)
(An account of the execution of Dick and Chamery)
Thomas Woods
7 DEC 1860, Brisbane Gaol, Petrie Terrace
Murder, near Gayndah
English, Protestant, age 53
(An account of the execution of Woods)
Georgie
5 DEC 1861, Brisbane Gaol, Petrie Terrace
Rape, Ipswich
Aboriginal (New South Wales)
(An account of the execution of Georgie)
Tommy
2 APR 1862, Brisbane Gaol, Petrie Terrace
Murder, Fort Cooper
Chinese, Pagan
(An account of the execution of Tommy)
Matthew McGuiness
8 APR 1863, Brisbane Gaol, Petrie Terrace
Murder, Maryborough
Irish, Roman Catholic, age 19
(An account of the execution of McGuiness)
Jackey
3 NOV 1865, Brisbane Gaol, Petrie Terrace
Murder, Degilbo
Aboriginal, Roman Catholic
(An account of the execution of Jackey)
Rudolf Mornberger
13 DEC 1865, Brisbane Gaol, Petrie Terrace
Murder, Logan River
Hamburgh, Lutheran
(An account of the execution of Mornberger)
Billy
7 DEC 1868, Brisbane Gaol, Petrie Terrace
Rape, Town Marie
Aboriginal, age c.26
(An account of the execution of Billy)
Jacob
17 MAY 1869, Brisbane Gaol, Petrie Terrace
Rape, Ideraway
Aboriginal, age 19
(An account of the execution of Jacob)
William Prendergast/Pender
28 MAR 1870, Brisbane Gaol, Petrie Terrace
Murder, New Farm
Irish, Roman Catholic
(An account of the execution of Prendergast)
Dugald
28 MAY 1872, Brisbane Gaol, Petrie Terrace
Rape, near Gympie
Aboriginal, Church of England, age 22
(An account of the execution of Dugald)
Patrick Collins
29 MAY 1872, Brisbane Gaol, Petrie Terrace
Murder, near Surat
Irish, Roman Catholic, age 26
(An account of the execution of Collins)
John Garbett
10 MAR 1874
Brisbane Gaol, Petrie Terrace
Murder, Carabah Station
New South Wales, Church of England, age 36
(An account of the execution of Garbett)
Johnny aka Alick
29 DEC 1874, Brisbane Gaol, Petrie Terrace
Rape, Doughboy Creek
South Sea Islander, Baptist, age 26
(An account of the execution of Alick)
John Wenzell
29 AUG 1876, Brisbane Gaol, Petrie Terrace
Murder, Toowoomba
German, Lutheran, age 54
(An account of the execution of Wenzell)
James Cunningham
14 JAN 1878
Brisbane Gaol, Petrie Terrace
Murder, 2 Mile Creek
Scottish, Presbyterian, 23
(An account of the execution of Cunningham)
Sam Ah Poo
19 AUG 1878, Brisbane Gaol, Petrie Terrace
Murder, Bundaleer
Chinese, Pagan, age 30-40
(An account of the execution of Ah Poo)
Ervora aka Johnny
23 DEC 1878, Brisbane Gaol, Petrie Terrace
Murder, Nile River
South Sea Islander, Pagan, age 25
(An account of the execution of Ervora)
Joseph Mutter
9 JUN 1879, Brisbane Gaol, Petrie Terrace
Murder, RaveNew South Walesood
German, Roman Catholic, age 53
(An account of the execution of Mutter)
Joseph Wells
22 MAR 1880, Brisbane Gaol, Petrie Terrace
Robbery under arms, Cunnamulla
New South Wales, Roman Catholic, age 22
(An account of the execution of Wells)
James Elsdale
31 MAY 1880, Brisbane Gaol, Petrie Terrace
Murder, Belltopper Creek
New South Wales, Roman Catholic, 34
Jimmy Ah Sue
31 MAY 1880, Brisbane Gaol, Petrie Terrace
Murder, Copperfield
Chinese, Pagan, age 30-40
(An account of the execution of Elsdale and Ah Sue)
Maximus 'Pedro' Gomez
21 JUN 1880, Brisbane Gaol, Petrie Terrace
Murder, Possession Island
Filipino, Roman Catholic, age 36
(An account of the execution of Gomez)
Johnny Campbell (aka Kagariu)16 AUG 1880, Brisbane Gaol, Petrie Terrace
Rape, Kipper Creek
Aboriginal, Pagan, age c.34
(An account of the execution of Campbell)
Ah Que
12 DEC 1881, Brisbane Gaol, Petrie Terrace
Murder, Palmerville
Chinese, Confucian, age 23
(An account of the execution of Ah Que)
George Byrne
22 MAY 1882, Brisbane Gaol, Petrie Terrace
Rape, Brisbane
Queensland, Church of England, age 32
(An account of the execution of Byrne)
Towolar/Towler aka Jemmy
5 JUN 1882, Brisbane Gaol, Petrie Terrace
Murder, Bundaberg
South Sea Islander (Aoba), Pagan, age 22
(An account of the execution of Towolar)
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