Thomas Jervis Ryan (c. 1834–1901) was a New Zealand policeman. He was born in

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

in about 1834. In 1861 he joined Otago's police force. In 1862 he moved to

Palmerston Palmerston may refer to: People * Christie Palmerston (c. 1851–1897), Australian explorer * Several prominent people have borne the title of Viscount Palmerston ** Henry Temple, 1st Viscount Palmerston (c. 1673–1757), Irish nobleman and ...

. He oversaw gold rushes at places such as Lake End, Tokomairiro, and the Mt. Ida district. In 1865, because of his lackadaisical work ethic and proclivity to alcohol, he was transferred from Canterbury province to Mackenzie County. Later that year he was stationed in Waitangi (

Glenavy Glenavy () is a village and civil parish in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, 17 kilometres north west of Lisburn on the banks of the Glenavy River. In the 2011 Census it had a population of 5,697 people. In early documents it was known as Lena ...

), but was put back in Mackenzie in 1866. In 1869, after being transferred more around New Zealand, he married Ellen Johnston in

Dunedin Dunedin ( ; mi, Ōtepoti) is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand (after Christchurch), and the principal city of the Otago region. Its name comes from , the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Th ...

. The next year he resigned from the police force. In 1872, and again in 1890, Ryan was arrested for assault. Later, in 1901, he was sent to jail for theft and was sent to the

Sunnyside Lunatic Asylum Sunnyside Hospital (1863–1999) was the first mental asylum to be built in Christchurch, New Zealand. It was initially known as Sunnyside Lunatic Asylum, and its first patients were 17 people who had previously been kept in the Lyttelton gaol ...

, where he died on October 14.

References

1830s births 1901 deaths New Zealand police officers Irish emigrants to New Zealand People from Otago {{NewZealand-crime-bio-stub