People Australia

Thomas Cox was sentenced to 7 years transportation on 17 March 1819, at Salop (Shrewsbury), Shropshire. He arrived at Hobart, Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania), in January 1820.

Conduct Record

• 1 March 1822 — for neglecting to return a pass he obtained at the police office on 26 January also with a refusal to obey a summons for his appearance at the said office he was ordered to sit three hours in the docks
• 2 April 1823 — assault of Constable Hadley? on Friday night last and representing himself to be a free man he was sentenced to 25 lashes
• 16 June 1823 — making his escape from Constable Kirby he was sentenced to 25 lashes
• 14 July 1823 — aiding and abetting Thomas Clayton, a runaway convict, knowing him to be such he was discharged but ordered to be locked up at nights
• 1 September 1823 — absconding from the prisoners' barracks, going to Launceston without a pass and escaping with Abner? Smith from Launceston Gaol — 50 lashes and transportation to Macquarie Harbour for the remainder of his original sentence.

Cox absconded from Macquarie Habour with Alexander Pearce in November 1823. They quickly squabbled and ran out of food. Pearce later claimed that he got angry when they reached King's River and he found out that Cox couldn't swim. He killed him with his axe and cannabilised him. When Alexander was found within 10 days of escaping from Macquarie Harbour he had some of Cox's body parts in his pockets. He was later tried and hung for Cox's murder.