Alexander Pearce was a native of County Monaghan, Ireland, born in 1790. Alexander Pearce was a native of County Monaghan, Ireland, born in 1790.


Alexander Pearce was a native of County Monaghan, Ireland, born in 1790. 

He was transported to Australia in 1819 for stealing shoes and continued to prove troublesome in Van Diemen’s Land.
Pearce absconded with several others in May 1822, and became a bushranger. This was short lived and Pearce was captured with one of his mates, and was duly sent to Macquarie Harbour.

At Macquarie Harbour, Pearce joined a gang of convicts led by the pirates Greenhill and Travers, who intended on escaping from their prison on Sarah Island. The escape was haphazard, and the escapees decided to take their chances going through the forest.

The men soon found themselves lost and starving. The decision was made to turn to cannibalism. The men either separated from the group or died one by one and were eaten by the survivors, until only Pearce and Greenhill remained. Pearce claimed that Greenhill and he merely parted ways before Pearce emerged from the bush, but it is believed Pearce got lucky and Greenhill fell asleep first, allowing Pearce to kill him.

Pearce was recaptured after sheltering with a shepherd and working with a gang of stock thieves. He was interrogated as to the whereabouts of his companions. His story of cannibalism was not believed, and he was sent back to Sarah Island by Rev. Robert Knopwood.

At Sarah Island he paired up with a convict named Cox who wanted to escape from Macquarie Harbour with Pearce. They stole a boat and during their escape became stranded on a beach. Pearce was reclaimed soon after, whereupon it was discovered that he had murdered Cox then butchered the body for meat. Pearce still had a portion of the flesh stored in a pouch on his person when he was captured.

Pearce was tried for Cox’s murder and sentenced to death. He had made confessions to Commandant Cuthbertson, Rev. Robert Knopwood and Father Phillip Connolly prior to his execution, but each one was inconsistent with the others in some way. He was hanged on 19 July 1824 at Hobart Town.

Image: Skull of Alexander Pearce [Source; Wikimedia Commons]

Thanks Guide to Australian Bushrangers

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