There is an unexpectedly large vocabulary of sheep terms. Sheer Hog seems to denote a sheep of either sex 6 to 18 months old that has not yet had its first sheering of wool. If I was going to steel a sheep for food, that’s exactly what I would take. Roast mutton or more likely mutton stew.
I suspect they were more hungry than knowledgeable about sheep grabbing whatever came along ... Unfortunately ending up with prison food instead and hungry families left behind.
My husband has a convict relative who was transported to Tasmania, Australia for stealing a sheep. He was a butcher by trade so probably knew a good meat meal when he saw it.
A death sentence for 42 shillings!
Yes - tough deal!
There is an unexpectedly large vocabulary of sheep terms. Sheer Hog seems to denote a sheep of either sex 6 to 18 months old that has not yet had its first sheering of wool. If I was going to steel a sheep for food, that’s exactly what I would take. Roast mutton or more likely mutton stew.
I suspect they were more hungry than knowledgeable about sheep grabbing whatever came along ... Unfortunately ending up with prison food instead and hungry families left behind.
My husband has a convict relative who was transported to Tasmania, Australia for stealing a sheep. He was a butcher by trade so probably knew a good meat meal when he saw it.