Henry Gomm (born 1808)

Mandy Behan from South Australia sent us some fascinating English newspaper cuttings and documents about Henry Gomm from the 1830s, Henry was sentenced to be transported to Hobart Town, Van Diemens land (Tasmania, South of Australia)  for attempted murder. He was transported on the Asia 4 Male Convict Ship leaving Woolwich, England on 7th October 1835, arriving in Hobart Town, nearly six months later, on 26th February 1836.   An interesting ships surgeon report can be found at http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~austas/asiasurg.htm of which this is an extract:

There were embarked on board the Asia from the Hulks at Woolwich 190 Male Convicts and from the Hulks at Chatham 100 making in all 290. The general health of those from Chatham was good but not so with those received from Woolwich, among whom Intermittent Fever prevailed more or less during the whole of the Voyage. Several of the Convicts had been seized with the Disease while in the Hulks at that place others became affected for the first time soon after their embarkation, in whom however, there is little doubt the seeds of the Disease were sown while in Woolwich. These Cases were troublesome and from the debilitating nature of the complaint required considerable care in a Voyage where Scorbutus is so much to be dreaded. The supply of Sulphate of Quinine was soon exhausted and if Ague is generally Prevalent among Convicts sent from Woolwich a larger supply of this medicine would I think be requisite on board those ships in which such Convicts are embarked. Some of these cases terminated fatally ---

The following is a direct transcript from the original Gloucester Assizes records of 1835:

 Desperate and cowardly attack: On the 6th instant a party of men, to the number of 24, came upon the preserve of the Hon. Henry Moreton, adjoining Lasborough in this county, about eleven o'clock in the day. Information was given of their arrival and three keepers, taking with them a gardener and two men from their work in the road, proceeded to cover. They were immediately attacked and most cruelly beaten in a murderous manner by blows on the head with gun-barrels; and violent thrusts were given and dreadful language made use of. Not content with this, the beaten men in trying to crawl away were pelted with large stones from the wall and turnpike road. The party attacked had no weapons of defence. The twelve following men have been committed to our county gaol charged with felonious intent to take their trial at assizes: James Cole of Parks Farm, Old Sodbury; Charles Millsom of Full Moon, Fishponds near Bristol; Geore Bower of Iron Acton; Samuel Monks of Stapleton; and Nathaniel Evans, Abraham Evans, William Evans, Michael Morris, James Neale, Henry Gomm, Thomas Palmer and William Thompson all of Sheraton, Wilts. It is supposed to be a pre-meditated attack and the two keepers are not out of danger.

Henry was 5 foot 10.5 inches tall, brown hair, hazel eyes, course complexion, five moles on the right arm, two moles on the left side of the forehead, that he was labourer and that he could read and write.  It is recorded that when sentenced he was "indifferent".  It's also noted that a death was recorded which suggests that one of those he attacked actually died.

Henry Gomm - Convict Number 1150
Sentenced at Gloucester Assizes 4th April 1835  14 years . Offence: poaching and stabbing William Nicholls wounding him, twice for poaching 2 months and once fine once a month for Trespass,  Transported for Maliciously Stabbing with intent to Murder.  Gaol Report Character: bad.  Hulk (prison) Report: Good.   Surgeon’s report orderly.  Married, 3 children -----------Anna at Native place, Twyford,

it seems that his disorderly conduct continued in Tasmania
Feb 20 1837  Govt Gardens / plucking apples off the fruit trees in Govt Gardens, 36 lashes /P.S/ 
April 19th 1837 Govt Gardens/ Having in his possession a quantity of Willow wands, which he was working up for his own advantage & not being able to give a satisfactory account of them, hard labour in Chains for 3 months /P.S/ to be kept to this duty. Vide (see) Lt Governor. Decision 22 August 1837 
Sept 18 1837        Receiving 3lbs of Soap value ½d, the property of the King well knowing it to have been stolen -------
Sept 18 1837 Govt Gardens Disobedient of orders, trafficking with Soap which had been served out to him as a ration ---------------- 12 Saturday afternoon (P.S) To be recorded in his favour his praiseworthy conduct at the recent  ----fire?--- of Govt House 
Aug 6th 1838        Gardener Govt House / Disobedience of orders reported /PS/ LL 14 10.41 
July 41842 Theft  --------------- 14 days hard labor ---------------- Recommended for a Conditional Pardon 20/6/46         C/Pardon Approved 5.10.47 

 Henry Gomm died of pneumonia on the 6th November 1868 aged 60