G'day,

The OAKHAM POACHERS is about a real event. I have a family connection to it - first cousins of mine are descended from George Perkins who was transported to Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania) for his part in the poaching incident. His eldest brother, John, was hanged, as told in this version of the same song. The song says that two brothers were "exiled in transportation", however the middle brother, Robert, died in a hulk on the Thames, as many prisoners did, these hulks being used as prisons with appalling conditions.

I have seen the transcript of the trial of the Perkins brothers, and it seems they shot & wounded two gamekeepers, one of them in the "private parts". I imagine this keeper was very keen to testify against them.

Cheers,
Alan