SIMON KINVER One of 270 Convicts Transported on “Nile” 1857 Sentenced to 15 years at Bodmin Assizes Transported to Western Australia
NAME: SIMON KINVER ALSO KNOWN AS: Simon Kniver AGE: 19 - Born 1836, Laneast-Cornwall
TRIED: 31 July 1856, Bodmin Assizes SENTENCE: 15 Years CRIME: Maliciously wounding and torturing sheep, the property of Thomas Adams
GAOL REPORT:
SHIP: Nile II (second voyage) – departed Plymouth 23 September 1857, arrived Fremantle 1 January 1858, a voyage of 100 days, carrying 270 male convicts (270 landed). Master W. Johnson
RELIGION: Protestant LITERACY: Literate
FAMILY – Marital status: Single
Father: William Kinver Mother: Margery Kennor Married: 1 January 1828, Laneast, Cornwall (IGI, Batch MO23552) (OPC : groom of Tresmeer) Children (IGI) – 25 May 1828 – Eliza Kinver, Laneast (OPC: labourer, of Badgall) 17 Sept 1832 – Daniel Kinver born; bapt 10 Oct 1832 Mary Magdalene Wesleyan, Launceston 12 July 1838 – Elizabeth Kinver, Badgall; died 1868 24 Aug 1840 – William Kinver, Badgall, Laneast; died March 1880 23 Nov 1842 – Ann Kinver, Badgall, Laneast Sept 1845 – Peggy Kinver, Badgall, Laneast 17 March 1850 – Richard Kinver, Laneast (OPC: labourer, of Badgall) 1851 – Robert Kinver, Laneast
1841 UK Census: William Kinver, head, married, 49, ag.lab, Treneglos, Cornwall Margery Kinver, wife, 45, Treneglos, Cornwall Simon Kinver, son, unmarried, 14, farmer’s boy, Laneast, Cornwall William Kinver, son, unmarried, 12, at home, Laneast, Cornwall Ann Kinver, daughter, 8, scholar, Laneast, Cornwall Peggy Kinver, daughter, 5, scholar, Laneast, Cornwall Richard Kinver, son, 1, Laneast, Cornwall Dwelling: 18, Badgall Village. HO 107 1899/Folio 62 page 6, parish of Altarnun (The above appears under John King Lethbridge, Esq, Land Proprietor and Magistrate, Launceston, Cornwall, and his family, and a long list of servants)
DESCRIPTION – Trade: Shepherd Height: 5’ 5” Age: 20 Complexion: Fresh Hair: Brown Visage: Long Eyes: Grey Build: Middling-stout Native Place: Remarks: Broken right thumb nail
WESTERN AUSTRALIA – FREMANTLE PRISON RECORDS –
Crime:
Probation:
Assignment:
Ticket of Leave: 25 January 1860
Conditional Pardon: 4 April 1863, at Perth
DEPARTURES INDEX:
NEWSPAPER REPORTS –
ROYAL CORNWALL GAZETTE, 22 AUGUST 1856 – MISCELLANEOUS – At Bodmin Summer Assizes, was tried another case of brutal inhumanity. One Simon Kniver had indulged his cowardly and cruel nature in mutilating sheep. He was detected, and found guilty, and sentenced to fifteen years transportation. Our readers will remember that this man’s name is “Kinver” – not “Kniver”.
ROYAL CORNWALL GAZETTE, 8 AUGUST 1856 – CORNWALL SUMMER ASSIZES – CROWN COURT, Thursday, July 31, (Before Mr Baron Martin) – Simon Kinver has been found guilty of maliciously killing a sheep, the property of Mr Thomas Adams, of Laneast. The learned Judge said, I have endeavoured to ascertain what motive you could have had for conduct as wicked and malicious as was ever brought forward in a court of justice. You were in the service of a kind master, yet for many weeks you proceeded on the system of killing sheep, giving out that it was done by dogs, and ultimately reporting that it was done by some wild animal which it is supposed had escaped, and in a very few weeks 32 sheep were killed by you in this way. Ultimately, Mr Adams seems to have supposed you were the man who did it. He took the pains to watch you, and it was found you tortured an unfortunate sheep in a manner disgraceful to any man. It is bad enough for such quiet animals to be killed of necessity; but you stabbed this sheep in the shoulder, then cut its throat, then cut its nose nearly off, and then left the animal lying in the field, for the purpose of gratifying a malicious feeling towards a man who had never injured you and whose only purpose was to try to discover who had destroyed his neighbour’s sheep. The sentence of the Court is that you be Transported for fifteen years.
NEWS OF THE WORLD, 25 MAY 1856 – COUNTRY NEWS, CORNWALL – EXTRAORDINARY DESTRUCTION OF SHEEP - During the last six or seven weeks much excitement has prevailed in the neighbourhood of Tregreare, the seat of John King Lethbridge, in consequence of the great and mysterious slaughter of sheep and lambs belonging to him and the occupiers of the farms immediately adjoining. A watch was set, but the slaughter continued, sheep and lambs were killed on several occasions, in the very field surrounded by perhaps a determined party of at least 15 or 20 on the look- out. All kinds of conjectures as to the destroyer were made; some were of the opinion that there were wild dogs in their neighbourhood; others that a wolf was secreted somewhere near the scene of the disasters. At length Mr. Lethbridge’s shepherd found a hole, lined with dog’s hair in a hedge, and a similar nest in an adjoining plantation. This discovery filled the whole of the party with hope and encouragement; the men turned out in great force; the locality was in fact, literally surrounded by anxious watchers; but in spite of all this the slaughter continued. Six weeks thus passed. In the meantime Mr. George Adams, of Lidcott Farms called to his councils Mr, Lethbridge’s principal farm servants (except the shepherd) and a neighbouring farmer. Mr Adams asked whether it had not occurred to them strange that Simon Kniver, the shepherd of Mr. Lethbridge’s flock, should always be the first man to find the carcasses of the cattle destroyed. Simon Kniver was the only man, of all the men on the look-out who had seen dogs in the fields. He also was the only man who had fired at the dogs, and this not when in the company of any other person. Simon, too, had discovered the “dogs nests” in the hedge and plantation. This brought to the mind of one of the party that Simon had his hair cut, about the time the hairy nests were discovered; and that the hair found therein was very like his own. The result of this conference was that instead of watching any longer for dogs, a determination was come to, to watch the shepherd. Mr. George Adams was right, but one ewe and lamb swelled the list of those already destroyed before Simon Kniver was detected and in custody. He made a desperate attempt at an escape; but after a short run was captured. He was brought up before the magistrates at Launceston, and after a lengthened examination of witnesses, was fully committed to take his trial at the next Cornwall sitting of the Assizes on two distinct charges of maliciously killing and maiming cattle. Since being in custody the prisoner has stated that he did not kill more than one half of the sheep destroyed and he ought not suffer for the whole. It came out in evidence, that while watching with others the prisoner would pretend that he heard dogs, or some singular noise, in some particular place near, which he would name, and then he would rush to the spot, and after being absent for a short time would return and report the death of either a sheep or a lamb, or perhaps several of each; in this interval he had slain his victims. He is about 21 years old and has been in the employ of Mr. Lethbridge from a boy.
ROYAL CORNWALL GAZETTE, 16 MAY 1856 – LAUNCESTON – WHOLESALE DESTRUCTION OF SHEEP, AND COMMITTAL OF THE SHEPHERD – During the last six or seven weeks, much excitement has prevailed in the neighbourhood of Tregeare, the seat of John King Lethbridge, Esq, in consequence of the great and mysterious slaughter of sheep and lambs belonging to him and the occupiers of the farms immediately adjoining. On the first alarm that several sheep and lambs had been found killed, mangled and torn in the most shocking manner, the whole of Mr Lethbridge’s farm servants, and also the farmers in the vicinity, commenced a systematic watch over their flocks. Yet, notwithstanding the slaughter continued, sheep and lambs were killed on several occasions, in the very field surrounded by perhaps a determined party of at least 15 or 20 on the lookout. All kinds of conjectures as to the destroyer were made; some were of the opinion that wild dogs infested their neighbourhood; others that a wolf was secreted somewhere near the scene of the disasters; then the idea of witchcraft was stoutly maintained by a party. At length, Mr Lethbridge’s shepherd had found a clue; he had found a hole lined with dog hair in a hedge, and a similar next in an adjoining plantation. This discovery filled the whole party in the district with hope and encouragement; the men turned out in great force; the locality, in fact, was literally surrounded by anxious watchers; but, in spite of all this, the slaughter continued, and, although the sheep and lambs were for the most part killed within a few feet of some five or six men purposely watching, no one could give the slightest clue to unravel the mystery. Six weeks thus passed away. In the meantime, Mr George Adams, of Lidcott Farm, in the very heart of the district (brother of the discoverer of the planet Uranus), on Friday week called to his councils Mr Lethbridge’s principal farm servants (except the shepherd) and a neighbouring farmer. Mr Adams asked whether it had not occurred to them as strange that Simon Kniver, the shepherd of Mr Lethbridge’s flock, should always be the first man to find the carcases of the cattle destroyed. They fully discussed the point, and found that in almost every instance (and by this time between 30 and 40 sheep had been destroyed) Simon Kniver was the man who had found the slaughtered cattle; that Simon Kniver was the only man who had fired at dogs, and this when not in company with any other person. Simon, too, had discovered the “dog nests” in the hedge and plantation. This brought to the mind of one of the party that Simon had his hair cut about the time the hairy nests were discovered; and that the hair found therein was very like his own. The result of this conference was, that instead of watching any longer for dogs, a determination was come to to watch the shepherd; and with this view Mr Lethbridge’s hind arranged to station Simon Kniver to watch in a field, adjoining Mr Adams’s ground, where an eye could be kept on him. The rest of this singular story is soon told. Mr George Adams was right; but one ewe and lamb swelled the list of those already destroyed before Simon Kniver was detected and in custody. He was taken to Launceston to the magistrates on Saturday, and was remanded until Tuesday. On Sunday the prisoner made a most desperate attempt at an escape; but after a short run was captured. He was brought up before the magistrates on Tuesday, and after a lengthened examination of witnesses, including most of the persons who had been victimised, was fully committed to take his trial at the next Cornwall Assizes on two distinct charges – one by John King Lethbridge, Esq, and the other by Mr Thos. Adams – for maliciously killing and maiming cattle. A third general charge is also, we understand, being proceeded with. Since being in custody, the prisoner has stated that he did not kill more than one-half of the sheep destroyed, and that he ought not to suffer for the whole. It came out in evidence that whilst watching with others the prisoner would pretend that he heard dogs or some singular noise in some particular place near, which he would name; he would then rush to the spot, and after being absent a short time would return and report the death of either a sheep or a lamb, or perhaps several of each; in this interval he had slain his victims. This clears up the mystery. Being the shepherd of the flock, and one of the party on the watch, he well knew their respective stations, and also the exact position of the sheep, and could then easily arrange and carry out his diabolical purpose without fear of detection. He is about 21 years old, and has been in the employ of Mr Lethbridge from a boy.
Last Updated: 13 December 2010
Compiled by Trish Symonds