Canterbury’s First Murder Trial – 7th September 1863

On the 7th September 1863, George Lumley was found guilty of the manslaughter of Cornelius O’Connor at the Christchurch Supreme Court. He was sentenced to 3 years hard labour. As his charge had been dropped from murder to manslaughter, he escaped a death sentence. On the evening of the 10th July 1862, Lumley and O’Connor …