page_title: Thomas Jeffries
section_title: Capture and death
hierarchical_section_title: Thomas Jeffries / Capture and death
caption_attribution_description: English: Thomas Jeffries c. 1826
context_page_description: Thomas Jeffries was an English bushranger, serial killer and cannibal in the early 19th century in Van Diemen's Land. Jeffries was transported for seven years from Dorset on Albion, arriving in Van Diemen's Land on 21 October 1823. He was sentenced to 12 months in Macquarie Harbour, the penal settlement on the colony's west coast in June 1824 for threatening to stab Constable Lawson. By August 1825 he had been appointed a watch house keeper and flagellator at Launceston Gaol.
context_section_description: Jeffries was captured on 23 January 1826 on the bank of the South Esk river near Evandale, Tasmania without a fight by John Batman and his posse. When he was brought to Launceston the population turned in the hope of lynching him. Safely in jail, he willingly told the authorities all he knew of the locations, movements and habits of other bushrangers. This kept him in Launceston until fellow bushrangers were caught.
  When Brady heard about this he had to be argued out of leading his gang in a frontal assault on the Launceston lockup, freeing all the prisoners, dragging Jeffries out and flogging him to death. Not that it mattered – Brady was caught weeks later by Batman aided by information Jeffries had passed on.
  On 27 March 1826 HM Colonial Brig Prince Leopold arrived at Hobart from Launceston. She was carrying five bushrangers: Matthew Brady, Goodwin, Bryant, Thomas Jeffries, and Perry.
  Jeffries was hanged on 4 May 1826 at the old Hobart Jail alongside Brady on the infamous six-man scaffold.  Brady complained about being executed in such poor company.
  He ranks alongside Alexander Pearce and Mad Dog Morgan as one of the most infamous criminals in Australia's colonial history.
caption: Jeffries in 1826
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