Captain John Craigie. Surgeon Thomas Christie Roylance

Captain John Craigie. Surgeon Morgan Price

The convict Hadlow sailed from the Cove of Cork on 2nd April 1820 and arrived in Port Jackson on Saturday 5 August 1820, a voyage of 125 days.

148 male prisoners arrived on the Hadlow, two having died on the passage out.

Morgan Price R.N., was employed as Surgeon Superintendent. He was also employed as surgeon on the convict ships  Martha 1818,  Brampton 1823,  Almorah 1824 and Neva 1833

The military guard consisted of a detachment of the 48th regiment, commanded by Captain McDougall

Hunter Valley convicts arriving on the Hadlow in 1820

Captain Richard Middleton. Surgeon William McDowell

The convict ship Harmony departed London 4th June and arrived Port Jackson 27th September 1827 with 80 female prisoners and 3 children. The Sydney Gazette reported that ' the metropolis was thrown into a bustle with the arrival of the convict ships Harmony and Prince Regent'

Surgeon Superintendent William McDowell kept a Medical and Surgical Journal from 16th April to 13 October 1827. He reported cases of venereal disease, chest pains, debility, fever and one of an injury caused by the rolling of the boat.

Colonel Morisset, together with his wife and family arrived as passengers on the Harmony. He was to take up his appointment as Commandant at Norfolk Island.

McDowell v. Middleton.......This was an action for assault and false imprisonment.  The defendant pleaded the general issue, and a justification.  The damages were laid at £500.     Doctor Wardell stated the case.  The plaintiff was a surgeon in the army, came out to this Colony from England, some time since as surgeon Superintendent of the female convict ship Harmony, of which the defendant was Master and Commander.  The vessel had not been long at sea before a misunderstanding arose between the plaintiff and defendant, in consequence of the latter's improper interference with the prisoners......See Decisions of the Superior Court of NSW for more information.

The Harmony was one of five convict ships bringing female prisoners to New South Wales in 1827, the others being the Grenada, Princess Charlotte, Louisa, and Brothers. Over five hundred female prisoners arrived in the colony in 1827.

Hunter Valley convicts arriving on the Harmony in 1827

Master John Fenwick. Surgeon Thomas Bellot

The Havering arrived at Sydney from Dublin on the 8th November 1849, after a fine passage of ninety five days.

336 prisoners arrived on the Havering; all appeared in a healthy condition, and two deaths only took place during the passage.

Surgeon Thomas Bellot's Journal -  Havering 1849

Prisoners arriving on the Havering in 1849

Major Frederick Goulburn (a younger Brother of the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies) the newly appointed Colonial Secretary arrived Passenger on board the Hebe. ........read more at Lachlan and Elizabeth Macquarie Archive

Charles Carter was employed as Surgeon Superintendent. He was also surgeon on the convict ship Henry Porcher in 1825

Hunter Valley convicts arriving on the Hebe in 1820

Captain Campbell. Surgeon Alexander Neill

The convict ship Heber departed Dublin on 16 March and arrived in Port Jackson on 12 July 1837, a voyage of 118 days.

Alexander Neill, R.N., was employed as Surgeon Superintendent. 217 male convicts arrived in Sydney under his care. He was also employed as surgeon on the convict ships Recovery 1836  Parkfield 1839  and Eden 1842 (VDL)

Passengers Captain Furlong 80th regt., Mrs. Furlong + 4 children; Ensign Torkington, 80th regt., David Binege Hutchinson, Albert Maxwell (Hutchinson) and 29 rank and file of 80th regiment, 6 women and 6 children

Master - Captain Thatcher. Surgeon Thomas Davies

The convict ship Henry departed London on 28 April 1823 and arrived on Tuesday 26th August 1823, bringing 160 male convicts in good health.

The Guard 32 rank and file of the 3rd regiment (Buffs) under Lieutenant Owen.

Thomas Davies R.N., was employed as Surgeon Superintendent. He was also surgeon on the convict ship Asia (111) in 1825

Surgeon Thomas Davies' Journal  - Henry 1823

Hunter Valley convicts arriving on the Henry in 1823

Captain James Ferrier

The convict ship Henry departed London 12th October 1824, called at St. Jago then proceeded to Hobart where she landed female prisoners. She arrived at Port Jackson on 27 February 1825 and brought 2 female prisoners, 2 free women and 4 children to Port Jackson. Passengers included Rev. Garrard.  Surgeon Superintendent William Bell Carlisle R.N. was also surgeon on the convict ships Asia 1820  Morley 1823 (VDL)  Andromeda 1827 (VDL) Phoenix 1828  Marquis of Huntley 1830

The Henry was one of four convict ships transporting female prisoners to New South Wales in 1825, the others being the Mariner, the Grenada and the Midas. A total of 255 female prisoners arrived in the colony in 1825.

Hunter Valley convicts arriving on the Henry in 1825

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The Henry Porcher departed the Downs 4 Sept. 1834 and arrived in Port Jackson on 1 January 1835.

Thomas Galloway was employed as Surgeon Superintendent. 252 male prisoners arrived under his care. Thomas Galloway was also employed as surgeon on the convict ships Persian 1830 (VDL)  Isabella 1832  Asia 1832 and Susan 1836

The guard consisted of a detachment of 29 rank and file of 50th regiment under orders of Lieut. Malcolm. 8 women and 7 children came as passengers.

Select here to find out about bushranger Thomas (Long Tom) Forrester who arrived on the Henry Porcher

Hunter Valley convicts arriving on the Henry Porcher in 1835

Master - Henry Ferguson. Surgeon John Edwards

The Henry Tanner, 388 tons, arrived in Sydney from London on 27th October 1834 bringing male prisoners and government stores.

John Edwards was employed as Surgeon Superintendent. He kept a Medical Journal from 4th June to 14 November 1834. During the voyage, two deaths occurred, the first a case of mania occurred off the Cape of Good Hope after only a fortnight's illness. He was unable to perform a post mortem because of bad weather. The other death, that of Edmond Smith was caused by phthisis. He was ill before he embarked and John Edwards noted that at the time of inspection at Woolwich, he appeared  debilitated and wan but as both Smith and the surgeon said there was no illness he could not be rejected. After sailing, the surgeon discovered that he had a troublesome cough and had been ill for some time, but concealed his illness as he wished to be taken on the Henry Tanner. His brother was also on the same vessel. The Surgeon cared for Edmond Smith until he finally passed away on 29th August.

John Edwards was also surgeon on the convict ships Hercules 1832  Roslin Castle 1836 and Charles Kerr 1837

Hunter Valley convicts arriving on the Henry Tanner in 1834

Master Ben Freeman. Surgeon Robert Wylie

The Henry Wellesley departed Portsmouth 7th October 1835 and arrived in Port Jackson on 7 February 1836 a voyage of 123 days.

113 female prisoners arrived on the Henry Wellesley, five having died on the passage out. 

Robert Wylie was employed as Surgeon Superintendent. He was also surgeon on the convict ships Emma Eugenia 1838  and Barossa 1839

The Henry Wellesley was one of five convict ships transporting female prisoners to New South Wales in the year 1836, the others being the Roslin Castle, Thomas Harrison, Elizabeth and Pyramus. A total of 668 female prisoners arrived in the colony in 1836

Hunter Valley convicts arriving on the Henry Wellesley in 1836

The convict ship 'Henry Wellesley' departed London on 20 July and arrived in Port Jackson on 22 December 1837, a voyage of 155 days.  In consequence of boisterous weather it was impossible to enter Sydney harbour until the evening.  139 female prisoners arrived on the Henry Wellesley

William Leyson was employed as Surgeon Superintendent. He kept a Medical Journal from 2nd June 1837 to 3 January 1838. He wrote in his general remarks:

On the 26th June 1837 the first prisoners were received on board at Woolwich to the number of thirty one with seven of their children from Newgate and from that time to the 12rh July we almost daily continued to receive from the various prisons in England an Wales to the amount in all, of one hundred and forty three prisoners and twenty nine children, the last eleven and one child arriving from Newgate.

The general health of the prisoners on their reception was good when previous incarceration for six months in some instances is taken into consideration, and at the time the vessel sailed from Woolwich on the 20th July, a great improvement was visible in their appearance and condition. On putting to sea the greater number of the prisoners were affected by sea sickness, some of them very severely and many of them continued to be so affected in heavy weather during the whole of the voyage; they were all notwithstanding daily sent on deck when the weather was dry, with the exception of those prevented by disease. We were detained in the Channel until the 9th August by contrary winds and occasional very heavy gales, in which the women suffered severely from sea sickness.

As I consider that tranquillity of mind is most essential to bodily health, I set out in my superintendence of the convicts by having no more restrictions on them than their unhappy situation necessarily demanded, and I therefore caused them all to be let on deck from an early time of the morning until the close of the day, whenever the weather would permit and in showery days they were only sent below during the occurrence of the rain. They were allowed to amuse themselves by running about, dancing or in any innocent way whenever the duty of the ship would admit of it. Many of them were attentive to school and the attendance of the young ones there I insisted on. The patchwork and knitting served out, employed their attention most usefully. The prison deck was thoroughly cleaned daily after breakfast by dry holystoning with sand, and afterwards minutely inspected by myself and I found that the power afforded me of rewarding them for cleanliness etc by the allowance of a little tea and sugar very materially quickened their zeal. Hanging stoves when necessary were used and chloride of lime was frequently used. The beds were sent on deck daily, except when the weather was too bad, when they were rolled up tidily and stowed in the bed places and in fine weather the bedding was frequently aired. There was a constant washing day once a week, and I remarked except in very few instances, that there was a general attention to personal cleanliness and attire. I was particular in preventing fighting which was the most usual infringement of any regulation; improper language towards each other or in my hearing I always repressed and any attempt at theft or prostitution I punished by more than the usual restraint. The ship arrived within the heads of Port Jackson on the 22nd December in a gale of wind which prevented us from proceeding up the harbour, and it was not until the 25th that we anchored at Sydney Cove, being a period of one hundred and fifty eight days since our departure from Woolwich. On the 3rd January all the prisoners were disembarked one only remaining on the sick list and she was well enough to be assigned to a master the same day. The prisoners when landed were said to make a very decent appearance and the authorities at Sydney seemed to be well satisfied with the treatment which the prisoners had received and with their healthy state and condition on landing.

The Henry Wellesley was one of four convict ships bringing female prisoners to New South Wales in 1837, the others being the Margaret, Sir Charles Forbes and Sarah & Elizabeth. A total of 533 female convicts arrived in the colony in 1837

Hunter Valley convicts arriving on the Henry Wellesley in 1837

Master Luckyn Betts. Surgeon John Justice William Kunst

The convict ship Hercules departed Ireland 29 November 1801, sailed via Rio de Janeiro and the Cape and arrived in Port Jackson 26 June 1802, a voyage of 209 days.  Surgeon John Justice William Kunst. 140 male convicts, 25 female convicts embarked in Ireland.

The Hercules arrived in Port Jackson with 121 male and female prisoners. Fourteen convicts were killed after a mutiny took place on the voyage.

Matthew Flinders wrote in his diary that a Court of Vice-Admiralty was to be held on 5th July "to try Mr. Lukyn Betts, master of the Hercules transport, for putting to death several convicts said to be concerned in the mutinous attempt"

Convicts arriving on the Hercules in 1802

Captain William Vaughan. Surgeon Michael Goodsir

The convict ship Hercules arrived with 133 male prisoners in good health.

The Guard consisted of a detachment of 41st and 48th regt., under Lieut. Stewart. Passengers Archdeacon Scott, Captain Rossi, Mr. Surveyor James Ralph.

Michael Goodsir was employed as Surgeon Superintendent. He kept a Medical and Surgical Journal on the passage out. He was also employed as surgeon on the convict ships Countess of Harcourt 1827  Waterloo 1829  and Royal George 1830 (VDL)

Convict William Corner arrived on the Hercules.

Convicts arriving on the Hercules in 1825

William Martin was employed as Surgeon Superintendent. He kept a Medical and Surgical Journal from 22 May to 22 November 1830 during which time the ship was employed in a passage from Deptford to Kingstown and from there to Sydney in New South Wales.

On 13 June 1830 the Hercules arrived in Kingstown harbour from Deptford and the prisoners having set fire to the Essex hulk on the following morning with a view to effect their escape in the confusion, 200 male convicts were embarked in the course of the evening.

Captain William Vaughan. Surgeon John Edwards

The convict ship Hercules departed London 19th June 1832 with 198 male prisoners.

John Edwards was employed as Surgeon Superintendent. He kept a Medical and Surgical Journal during the voyage. He was also surgeon on the convict ships Henry Tanner 1834  Roslin Castle 1836  and Charles Kerr 1837

Guard consisted of 29 rank and file of 4th regt., accompanied by 5 women and 7 children under command of Lieut. Gibson.. Passengers Mrs. Gibson, Master Gibson . They arrived in Port Jackson on 16th October 1832

Hunter Valley convicts arriving on the Hercules in 1832

Master Henry C. Dowson. Surgeon David Boyter

The convict ship Hero departed Dublin 15 March 1835 and arrived in Port Jackson 31 August 1835. 197 male prisoners were disembarked at Sydney

David Boyter was employed as Surgeon Superintendent. He was also surgeon on Convict Ships Mermaid 1830  Camden 1831 and Andromeda 1833

Hunter Valley convicts arriving on the Hero in 1835

Heroine 1833

Captain McCarthy. Surgeon George Roberts

The convict ship Heroine departed Portsmouth on 15th May 1833 and arrived in Port Jackson on 19 September 1833, a voyage of 128 days. The Guard consisted of 29 rank and file of the 21st Fusiliers under orders of Capt. Mackay. Mrs. Mackay and Lieutenant Reynolds of the 2nd or Queen's Royals came passengers.

George Roberts., R.N., was employed as Surgeon Superintendent. 357 male prisoners arrived in Sydney under his care. George Roberts kept a Medical Journal during the voyage from 6th April to 7 October 1833 - The total number of convicts embarked were two hundred and sixty from Woolwich, Chatham and Sheerness between the 22nd of April and 1st of May 1833. At first their appearance was unfavourable although their health in general was tolerable, and after being on board a short period they were much improved. Four deaths occurred during the voyage to Sydney, two from Phthisis, one from Hydrothorax and a fourth from scorbutus, the latter disease was very prevalent on board towards the end of the voyage. Those advanced in years and others who had been subject to irregularities in life, suffered in a greater degree, in all the cases the vitric of vinegar was exhibited to the fullest extent which appeared to check the disease in some but in others it had no apparent effect. Frequent ablution with warm water and soap relieved the pain of the limbs. Six cases of small pox appeared on board during the voyage, the first occurred immediately after quitting the channel and the other cases at intervals of ten or twelve days, the whole of the cases ran their course very regular, without any very unfavourable symptoms appearing. Great care was taken immediately the disease appearing to separate the affected person from the rest of the prisoners, and confine him closely to the Hospital. On the patient being free from disease and previous to quitting the Hospital, his person with his wearing apparel and bedding were thoroughly washed, and afterwards freely fumigated with the chloride of lime and hot vinegar, four cases out of the six were ascertained to have been vaccinated.

The Heroine was quarantined on arrival because of the cases of small pox, however as there had been no cases for two months past and the clothes of the infected were burnt, the vessel was released. She came into the Cove on Friday 20 September 1833. The prisoners were mustered on Wednesday 25th September and were to be landed early in the following week.

By October it was reported that 227 of the prisoners were assigned to private service;

7 were in Hospital;

10 were unfit for assignment;

and 12 were sent to Carter's Barracks.

Find out about bushranger Joseph Pyzer who arrived on the Heroine

Hunter Valley convicts arriving on the Heroine in 1833

Master William Hingston.  Surgeon John Justice William Kunst

The Hillsborough departed England 23 December 1798 and arrived in Port Jackson 26 July 1799. 300 prisoners sailed on her and 95 of them perished on the voyage.

Frank Clune in Bound for Botany Bay, quoted from William Noah's journal:

1st January 1799. "Remainder of the convicts ordered on deck, their irons examined, and if cut some were punished with one dozen stripes, and some six dozen. We are now suffering closely from want of provisions and indeed Death would have been a welcome friend. I was not among those convicts but we all shared alike."

2nd January 1799. "Tranquillity was now restored. I am certain no evil intent of the convicts had been thought of, it being the intention of the convicts only to single iron themselves, but the Captain had got to such a pitch that I thought he would have hanged some of them"

Governor Hunter wrote to the Duke of Portland on 27th July regarding the condition the convicts on arrival....Select here to read the correspondence....and on the 28th  July he wrote to Under Secretary King:

Dear Sir, The Hillsborough transport, being just arriv'd in this port with a cargo of the most miserable and wretched convicts I have ever beheld, I am constrain'd to recur to my many official letters on the subject of slop cloathing and blankets. Were you, my dear sir, in the situation in which i stand, I am convinc'd all the feelings of humanity, every sensation which can occasion a pang for the distresses of a fellow creature, would be seen to operate in you with full force.

Figure to yourself a ship having out of three hundred people embarked in England, and having stopped for their refreshment several weeks at the Cape Good Hope, yet having upn her voyage buried of the above number ninety five and four since landing; those who still survive are in te most sickly and wretched state, put on board the ship in England with the cloaths only in which they stood, consequently arrived here naked, where cloathing is not to be found. Nor is it possible, my dear sir, when you look back to our last general supply which was by the Sylph near three years ago and very moderate in point of quantity that you can wonder we should at this time be without.

David Dickinson Mann,  George Crossley, and  George Pell  all arrived on the Hillsborough...........Read more about the voyage in the Journal of  William Noah 

William Noah was sentenced to death for burglary in 1797 at the age of 43. The sentence was commuted to transportation for life. From Newgate Prison he was taken to the transport ship Hillsborough. During the voyage to Sydney one third of the convicts on board died. Noah arrived in Sydney on 26 July 1799. He received a conditional pardon in 1815 and an absolute pardon in 1818. He became a clerk in the Government lumber yard and died in 1827

(A Voyage to Sydney in New South Wales in 1798 & 1799 and A Few Remarks of the County of Cumberland in New South Wales 1798 - 1799)

Autobiography of Ebenezer Kelly, crewman on the Hillsborough

Convicts arriving on the Hillsborough in 1799

Captain John Pascoe. Surgeon Joseph Arnold

The Hindostan arrived in Port Jackson on 28th December 1809 with Governor Lachlan Macquarie and the Headquarters of the 73rd regiment.

Robert Young, Thomas Kelly and James Frazier were all soldiers of the 73rd regiment who arrived free on the Hindostan and later received colonial sentences.

From the Journeys in Time List of Ships site - The Hindostan was built by Hudson, Bacon & Co., at Calcutta in 1798 and launched as East Indiaman Admiral Rainier.

She was purchased by the Royal Navy in 1804 and carried a crew of 294.

She was re-named the Dolphin in 1819 and in 1824 converted to a convict hulk at Woolwich and re-named Justitia in 1830.

Joseph Arnold was employed as surgeon. In 1815 he was also surgeon on the female transport Northampton.

Hunter Valley convicts arriving on the Hindostan in 1809

Captain William Williamson. Surgeon William Evans

The convict ship Hindostan was built at Whitby in 1819. She departed Portsmouth 29th July 1821 and arrived at Port Jackson on 24 November 1821 with 152 male prisoners in good health. 

William Evans was employed as Surgeon Superintendent. He was also employed as surgeon on the convict ships Sir William Bensley 1817  Bencoolen 1819  Sir Godfrey Webster 1826  Southworth 1834 (VDL) and Earl Grey 1836

The Guard consisted of a detachment of the 30th regiment, under command of Ensign King of the 48th regiment.

Find out more about the Hindostan 1821

Hunter Valley convicts arriving on the Hindostan in 1821

Captain John Luscombe. Surgeon George Fairfowl

George Fairfowl received his appointment from the Admiralty as Surgeon Superintendent to the Hive on 18th November 1833. He kept a Medical Journal from 18 November 1833 to 27 June 1834.

The Guard was embarked on 14 December and consisted of 30 rank and file of 50th regiment., accompanied by 8 women and 4 children under command of Lieut. Petit and Ensign Waddy.

The Hive dropped down the river from Deptford to Woolwich on 21st December and on 23rd December 20 convicts were inspected on board the Ganymede hulk and 80 on the Justitia hulk as to their fitness for the voyage. All were sent to the Hive. From Woolwich the vessel went round to Portsmouth where on 8th January 1834, 120 convicts were embarked form the York hulk and 30 from the Leviathan, which completed the number to 250 men.

The ships crew number 34, which with the women, children and passengers brought the total on board to 330 people.

The  Hive departed Falmouth on 8th February 1834 and arrived in Port Jackson on 11 June 1834, a tedious voyage, according to the surgeon, of 123 days. 248 male prisoners arrived in Port Jackson, two having died on the passage out. Sixty of the Hive convicts have been identified residing in the Hunter region in the following decades.

Master John Nutting.  Surgeon Anthony Donoghoe

The Hive embarked 252 male convicts in Ireland.

On the Night of Thursday 10th December 1835, the Hive ran aground on a sandy beach south of Jervis Bay and was wrecked. Three vessel transporting convicts to Australia were wrecked in the year 1835. The other two were the Neva which was wrecked on King Island and the George III wrecked near Hobart. The Hive was the only convict ship wrecked in New South Wales.

Anthony Donoghoe was employed as Surgeon Superintendent. He kept a Medical and Surgical Journal from 12 July to 10 December 1835. According to the surgeon the only case of death which happened on board was that of a boy whose early habit of life predisposed him to pulmonary disease contacted during his apprenticeship to a glass manufactory.

Anthony Donoghoe was also employed as surgeon on the convict ships City of Edinburgh 1832  Parmelia 1834  and Calcutta 1837

Find out more about the wreck of the Hive

Convicts arriving on the Hive on 1835

The convict ship Hooghley departed London 5 November 1827 and arrived at Port Jackson on Sunday 24 February 1828 a voyage of 111 days. Ninety-nine male prisoners arrived on the Hooghley.

Twenty-four men of the N.S.W. Royal Veteran Corp commanded by Captain Wilman formed the guard and arrived with 15 women and 22 children as passengers.

James Dowling, wife and family embarked on the Hooghley on Thursday 1st November. The Standard (London) reported on 2nd November that James Dowling Esq. Judge of the Supreme Court, New South Wales, had a final interview yesterday with the Right Honourable the Secretary of the Colonial Department, preparatory to his departure for Sydney. He embarked yesterday evening on board the Hooghley, Captain Reeves, lying off the king's Yard at Woolwich, and sailed at day break this morning.

Thirty of the prisoners arriving on the Hooghley in 1828 have been identified residing in the Hunter region in the following decades.

Surgeon Alexander Nisbet kept a Medical and Surgical Journal from 12 October 1827 to 5 March 1828. He was also employed as surgeon on the convict ships Minerva 1824  Grenada 1827  Asia 1830   Earl Grey 1838  Mangles 1840

Hunter Valley convicts arriving on the Hooghley in 1828

Prisoners arriving on the Hooghley in 1831

James Rutherford was also employed as surgeon on the convict ships Regalia 1826  Pyramus 1832  and Mangles 1833 

Hunter Valley convicts arriving on the Hooghley in 1834