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David Lane (c. 1765–1796)

David Lane's death sentence was commuted to life transportation. He arrived at Sydney aboard the Queen in September 1791 as part of the Third Fleet. By 1796 he was working as a servant for John Fendlow at Mulgrave Place in the Hawkesbury region.

Lane was killed by Fendlow after Lane attempted to sexually assault Fendlow's partner Eleanor Byrnes. Byrnes testified that the three of them had been drinking spirits on a boat on 4 July and that she had gone up to the house where Land had tried to 'lay with her'. She had struggled with him, Fendlow had come in, saw what has happening and had shot Lane dead during a struggle. Fenlow later confessed that the murder was premeditated.

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Citation details

'Lane, David (c. 1765–1796)', People Australia, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://peopleaustralia.anu.edu.au/biography/lane-david-30800/text38149, accessed 5 December 2024.

© Copyright People Australia, 2012

Life Summary [details]

Birth

c. 1765
Cork, Ireland

Death

4 July, 1796 (aged ~ 31)
Mulgrave, New South Wales, Australia

Cause of Death

shot

Cultural Heritage

Includes subject's nationality; their parents' nationality; the countries in which they spent a significant part of their childhood, and their self-identity.

Passenger Ship
Occupation or Descriptor
Key Events
Social Issues
Convict Record

Crime: unknown
Sentence: life