Return to Contents PageIntroduction
The Grand Jury, comprising landowning gentlemen of the County appointed by the sheriff, met immediately before the twice-yearly Assizes, as a preliminary hearing to consider whether there was a case to answer against persons charged ("indicted") with serious crimes. If the grand jury considered the indictment was a "true bill" the case then went before the visiting judge at the assize court.
Selected extracts from the Queen's County Grand Jury Indictment Book1, relevant to the Sharp family and others mentioned in these pages, are transcribed here.
| Names | Offences | Witnesses examined | True, or No Bill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lent Assizes 1830 | |||
| John Connor Wm Delany |
Feloniously attacking a dwelling house & firing shots | John Hanlon Hugh Beale Hugh B Wray |
True Bill |
| Thomas Fingleton otherwise Thomas Power Michael Sharpe |
Feloniously & unlawfully breaking into the dwelling house of Patk Brennan | John Brennan Patrick Brennan Mary Donnelly John Doran Harvey Lalor |
True Bill |
| John Connor William Delany Laurence Shortall |
Feloniously firing at the Police | Richard Madden John Stoker Richard Whitehead Richard Biddulph John Hanlon Hugh B Wray Hugh Beale |
True Bill |
| Daniel Walsh | Robbery | Revd Thos Kemmis | True Bill |
| Lent Assizes 1831 | |||
| John Sharpe | Sending a Rockite Notice | John Power Matthew Keegan Lewis Whelan Robert Carter |
True Bill |
| Summer Assizes 1831 | |||
| Philip Neill Charles Neill Arthur Neill Thomas Langton Patrick Gill Thomas Sharpe John Maher James Tynan |
Riot & assault | James Horan William White Samuel Neville John Wafer Thos Farnan |
True Bill |
| Thos Farnan | Feloniously discharging a Gun with intent to kill | Mary Whelan Thomas Murphy Samuel Neville Joseph Fletcher Thomas Sharpe |
True Bill |
| William Casey | Feloniously & maliciously attacking a dwelling house | Patrick Brennan John Robinson Arthur Brennan James Matthews Mary Brennan Fanton Delany |
True Bill |
| Lent Assizes 1833 | |||
| Brian Donnelly James Condrum |
Tendering an unlawful oath, to compel Chas Quinn to give up land | George Wallace Charles Quinn |
True Bill against Donnelly No Bill against Jas Condrum |
| John Sharpe | Feloniously taking Fire Arms | John Houghey John Heydon John Badlow |
True Bill |
| Phelam Neill | Unlawfully and maliciously injuring the dwelling house of Laurence McCarthy | Laurence McCarthy Bridget McCarthy Bridget McCarthy Junr |
True Bill |
| James Condrum | Assaulting the Habitation of Chas Quinn | Chas Quinn Catherine Quinn |
No Bill |
| Lent Assizes 1835 | |||
| Thomas Keating John Sharpe William Holmes Abin Hayes |
Abduction & assault with intent to commit a rape | Catherine Moore otherwise Butler Catherine Kennedy Mary Butler |
True Bill for abduction only |
| Lent Assizes 1838 | |||
| John Sharp William Hughes Andrew Redmond John Burke |
Assault | Anne Conway Hugh Maher James Neil James Condron |
True Bill |
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