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Birth
Cornwall, England, UK -
Moondyne's Dad's death.
The sad death of Thomas Johns (1795 - 1833) Was was a real detriment to Moondyne. -
He went to prison
Moondyne went to prison because he, "stole from the house of Richard Price, three loaves of bread, one piece of bacon, several cheeses, and other goods," He was sentenced to 10 years in penal servitude. -
Australia bound
He sailed for WA and arrived in Fremantle. In reward for good behaviour, Johns was issued with a ticket of leave on arrival. This was also the first time he bush ranged animals. -
Escape
Moondyne sent a petition to Chief Justice and received 4 years off his sentence. Which was not what he wanted because he tried to cut the lock off his door which he gained 6 months in irons for. -
Hard labour
as punishment for escaping and for the robberies committed while on the run, Johns received five years' hard labour on top of his remaining sentence. Extraordinary measures were taken to ensure that Johns did not escape again. He was sent to Fremantle Prison, and kept in the yard with his neck chained to the iron bar off a window. -
Later life
The remainder of Johns' life consisted of periods of good behaviour punctuated by occasional minor misdemeanors and brief jail terms. In January 1879, he married a widow named Louisa Hearn, and they spent some time prospecting for gold near Southern Cross. In 1881, while exploring the countryside around Karridale, he discovered Moondyne Cave. -
Final years and death
In 1893, Johns' wife Louisa died at the age of 40, and the death affected him greatly. Years after, he began acting strangely, and was eventually found to be mentally ill. He died of senile dementia in the Fremantle Lunatic Asylum (now the Fremantle Arts Centre building) on 13 August 1900, and was buried in Fremantle Cemetery.[6] His tombstone bears the word "rhyddid", meaning "freedom" in Welsh.