Thomas Hogan - Biographical Information

The following contains biographical information for Frederick Ward's bushranger accomplice Thomas Hogan, who was a member of Fred's first gang in early 1865 along with John Thompson and McIntosh. For information about the gang's activities, see Timeline - 1865: First Gang. 
                                                                                                                                                     Copyright Carol Baxter 2011

Around Christmas 1864/New Year 1865: ‘The Bull’ joined Thunderbolt (name according to police reports although other sources sometimes referred to him as ‘Bully’ – his surname was not mentioned in reports of the gang’s activities); earliest reference to ‘the Bull’ found in William Lawson’s description of 21 Mar 1865 robbery although he was undoubtedly one of the four gang members involved in the robberies from 16 Mar onwards; Lawson’s description: aged about 25, 5’7” or 5’8”, fair ruddy complexion, light brown hair, hazel eyes; this resembles Thunderbolt’s companion on 5 Jan 1865 (about 5’7”, brown hair and beard), more so than William Mackay/Macintosh who was later claimed to be Thunderbolt’s companion at that time (it is possible that Macintosh joined the duo soon afterwards, hence the confusion in identities); first reference to The Bull’s surname as ‘Hogan’ is found in the May 1866 Police Gazette report referring to a man apprehended in Queensland named Thomas Healey, although Queensland reports as early as July 1865 had suggested that the same ‘Thomas Haley’ might have been Thunderbolt himself or a gang member; Thomas Hogan alias Healey was ultimately convicted of being Thunderbolt’s accomplice; gaol and discharge descriptions describe him as 5’11”, sallow complexion, light brown hair, hazel/blue eyes; admission photograph survives for 1875; Hogan was born on 2 Feb 1837 at Maitland, the son of John Hogan and his wife Mary Ann Mahony, and was reportedly a labourer prior to the mid-1860s[1] 

Jan-May 1865: See Timeline: 1865 - First Gang for details of the gang’s activities  
 
May 1865: ‘The Bull’ aka Thomas Haley/Healey/Hogan went north to Clermont district, Queensland; 5 Jul: Thomas Haley and Henry Williams bailed up publican James Kennelly of Capella; 7 Jul: brought before Clermont Bench, Queensland, and committed for trial at Rockhampton, with rumours claiming that one of the two men was Captain Thunderbolt; 9 Aug: arrived Rockhampton under escort; 6 Oct: pleaded guilty and sentenced to three months imprisonment in Rockhampton Gaol; May 1866: report in Police Gazette that Thomas Healey and Henry Williams, confined in Rockhampton gaol on charges of horse-stealing at Peak Downs, were identical with Hogan and Thompson, supposedly Thunderbolt’s accomplices in the Millie robbery on 24 Apr 1865 (NB. except that Thompson was already in custody); Jul: Thomas Hogan alias Healey tried at Rockhampton Police Court and acquitted on the horse-stealing charge but immediately re-arrested on suspicion of being Thunderbolt’s companion and remanded to Brisbane; 13 Jul: arrived Brisbane; 17 Jul: brought before Central Police Court and remanded to Tamworth via Sydney; 20 Jul: admitted to Darlinghurst Gaol on charges of shooting at a constable with intent to kill him; 26 Jul: examined; 27 Jul: transferred to Central Police Office, Sydney, to be forwarded to Tamworth; 28 & 31 Jul & 21 Aug: brought before Tamworth Bench and eventually committed to stand trial; 5 Oct: convicted at Tamworth Quarter Sessions for robbery under arms and sentenced to 17 years on the roads; 18 Oct: admitted to Darlinghurst Gaol from Tamworth; 7 Nov: forwarded to Berrima Gaol (records missing); Sep 1867: request to move Hogan from Berrima to Parramatta Gaol as his 12 months’ separate treatment had nearly ended; Sep/Oct 1873: released from Berrima Gaol, sentence remitted; 27 Jan 1875: tried at Tamworth Quarter Sessions by Justice Meymott on charges of horse-stealing and sentenced to 2/3 years labour; Jan 1875: admitted to Darlinghurst Gaol; 13 Mar: transferred to Berrima Gaol; c.Jul 1877: discharged from Parramatta Gaol. Description: born c.1836/37 Hunter River district NSW, Roman Catholic, labourer, 5’11½” (listed as 5’/4” in 1877 PG discharge), sallow complexion, light brown hair (grey by 1877), hazel/blue eyes, large nose, medium mouth, ordinary chin; see photo[2]


Sources
[1] NSW Police Gazette 1865 No.16 (19 Apr 1865) p.148, No.13 (29 Mar 1865) pp.117-18, No.6 (8 Feb 1865) pp.46, 1866 No.19 (9 May 1866) p.171, 1873 No.41 (8 Oct 1873) p.296; Darlinghurst Gaol - Description Book: Thomas Hogan als Healey [SRNSW ref: 4/6310 Year 1866 No.3239; Reel 861]; Darlinghurst Gaol – Photographic Description Book: Thomas Hogan alias Hensley [SRNSW ref: 3/6040 fol.41 Photograph 1199; Reel 5098]; Baptism: Thomas Hogan 1837 [SRNSW ref: Vol. 121 No. 505; Reel 5046]
[2] Brisbane Courier 15 Jul 1865 p.4, 25 Jul p.2, 5 Aug p.4, 10 Aug p.2, 14 Aug p.1, 14 Oct p.5, 14 Jul 1866 p.5, 18 Jul p.3; Sydney Morning Herald 24 Jul 1865 p.5; Argus 31 Jul 1865 p.5; QLD PG 1865 (Vol.II) pp.51 & 54; NSW Police Gazette 1866 No.19 (9 May 1866) p.171, No.42 (17 Oct 1866) p.373, 1868 No.9 (26 Feb 1868) p.64, 1873 No.41 (8 Oct 1873) p.296, 1877 No.31 (1 Aug 1877) p.248; Maitland Mercury 7 Aug 1866 p.5; Maitland Mercury 7 Aug 1866 p.5 (from Tamworth Examiner 4 Aug), 28 Aug p.5 (from Tamworth Examiner 25 Aug); QLD PG Vol.III No.11 (7 Nov 1866) p.94; Brisbane Gaol – Register of Male & Female Prisoners admitted: Thomas Healy [QSA ref: PRI 1/16AA 1866 No. 323; Series 2933]; Brisbane Gaol – Description Book: Thomas Healy [QSA ref: PRI 1/3; Series 2943]; Darlinghurst Gaol - Entrance Book: Thomas Hogan als Healey, 1866 [SRNSW ref: 5/1897 Year 1866 Nos.2242 & 3239; Reel 2338] & Darlinghurst Gaol - Description Book [SRNSW ref: 4/6310 Year 1866 Nos.2242 & 3239; Reel 861]; CSIL: Re Thomas Hogan, 1867 [SRNSW ref: 4/604 No.67/5853]; Darlinghurst Gaol - Entrance Book: Thomas Hogan als Healey [SRNSW ref: 5/1905 Year 1875 No.726; Reel 2341]