1860: Thomas Airey Hanged at Perth Gaol Just Months After Winning His Freedom
Thomas Airey had spent most of his adult life behind bars in England before he was transported to Western Australia aboard the Nile, arriving at Fremantle in December 1857 to serve a 15 year sentence for burglary. In June 1860 he was granted a ticket of leave, a conditional release that let convicts who had shown good behaviour work and live within a set district without constant supervision, a step short of full freedom but a clear sign the colony had judged him trustworthy.
That trust lasted barely four months. By October 1860 Airey stood before the Supreme Court in Perth convicted of a serious assault and sentenced to death. He was hanged at Perth Gaol on 13 October 1860, aged 29, and buried the following day at East Perth Cemetery.
