The London Times reported that on the 24 March
the
Atlantic, Salamander
and William and Ann transports with convicts for Botany
Bay, put to sea again from Plymouth on the evening of the
23rd, and it was hoped would now get out of the Channel and
make a safe passage (2)
The
Salamander arrived in Port Jackson on
21 August 1791with 12 privates of the NSW Corps and 154 male convicts,
stores and provisions.
David Collins' account of the arrival of the Salamander.....
The convicts were landed on 23 August and the soldiers
on 27th August 1791 (HRA Vol.1 p275)
In John Hunter's
version of the arrival of the Salamander, most of the
convicts were in a weak emaciated state, and complained that
proper attention had not been paid to them. (1)
The Salamander departed Port Jackson bound for Norfolk
Island 4th September 1791 with 160 male convicts, stores,
provisions, two non commissioned officers and eleven privates.
On the voyage she entered Port Stephens, the first ship to
have done so.
Master Henry Columbine. Surgeon Superintendent
Alick
Osborne
Two hundred prisoners who embarked on the
Sarah came from
the hulks at Portsmouth on 15th August 1829 and according to surgeon Alick
Osborne, while there had become accustomed to ship board
life.
The convicts were
under the Guard of soldiers of the 63rd regiment for the
journey to Australia.
TheSarah was
the next convict ship to leave England for New South Wales
after the departure of the
Claudine. The Sarah departed London on
29 August 1829.They had a pleasant as well as a quick passage of 100
days, touching at the Islands of Tristan 'Acunha and St. Paul's
and for several days were in company with a French ship laden
with Emigrants.
They also spoke the ship Gilmore, with settlers for Swan
River, and the William with
Sir Edward Parry, R.N. and family on board.
This was Surgeon Alick
Osborne's fourth voyage as surgeon superintendent
on a convict ship. He kept a Medical Journal
from 29 Ju
ly 1829 to 19 December 1829.
He recorded that the weather was fine
for most of the voyage, allowing the prisoners to be on deck
all day. The prisons were kept clean and dry with stoves
lighted all day and only the oldest men suffered any
scurvy. Bark and wine was used as an effective
prophylactic treatment. All but one of the men were landed
in robust health, Edward Bullock having died on the
passage out.
A muster was held on board on 10th
December 1829 by Colonial Secretary Alexander McLeay. The
convict indents reveal information such as name, age,
education, religion, marital status, family, native place,
occupation, offence, when and where tried, previous
convictions, physical description and where and to whom
assigned on arrival. There is also occasional information
regarding tickets of leave, pardons and deaths.
The Sydney Gazette reported on
the 19th December: - We always feel much pleasure in
adverting to the continued display of humanity and
attention manifested in the importation of prisoners to
this “our favoured land. "Yesterday 199 male prisoners
were landed from the Sarah, Captain Columbine,
Superintendent, A. Osborne, Esq. Their state and condition
was such, as to show that every attention must have been
paid to their health and comfort on the voyage. The
experienced Superintendent has been here often before,
always receiving the approbation of the Authorities: and
we need only say, that the appearance of the prisoners
landed yesterday was seldom equalled, never excelled.
Captain Columbine is entitled to equal praise for his
cheerful and cordial co-operation in every thing tending
to the comfort of the people. The conduct of the
detachment of the 63d, under Lieutenant Croly, is said to
have been most exemplary; and indeed the unanimity and
harmony which prevailed amongst all parties in the Sarah,
proves that the promotion of the general good was the only
predominant feeling. This is as it should be, and cannot
fail to be duly appreciated in the highest quarter. '
It is not a little remarkable that this
is the second cargo of prisoners landed at Sydney under
the superintendence of this gentleman within the present
year, the first being by the Sophia on the 28th
January - a circumstance which has not to our knowledge
occurred to any other individual since the establishment
of the Colony. - Sydney Gazette 8 December 1829.
The prisoners who were transported
on the Sarah came from different counties
throughout England - Suffolk, Oxford, Manchester, Essex,
Stafford, Warwick, York, Middlesex etc. They revealed
their previous occupations when Alexander McLeay compiled
the indents at the end of the voyage. Some of their
occupations are familiar today such as bakers,
stonemasons, tailors, butchers and labourers. Others gave
occupations now long obsolete - pot boys, carders,
brass finishers, silk weavers, chimney sweeps, ropemakers
and pipemakers amongst them. These men on arrival were
distributed throughout the colony to various settlers and
townsfolk or assigned to public service.
There were
also a few men who by their occupations set them apart
from the others. They included a customs house clerk
(Charles Callan alias James Crosbie), attorney's clerk
(Oliver Ewings), law stationer's clerk (James Williams)
and apothecary (James Pickering).
There is no record in the indents
where they were sent on arrival but they may have been
sent to Port Macquarie as 'Specials'.
No matter what their occupations,
until assignment their experiences were all similar - loss
of freedom - prison - hulk - convict
ship voyage - assignment.
Whether because of their previous
occupations, fortunate circumstances or the force of their
personality, some of the men not only survived the whole
ordeal but went on to lead successful lives. Men such as
Leigh Dines Halstead who was a vetinary surgeon
and
Charles Rhodius
who became known throughout the colony for his artwork;
and there was
Peter Dawewhosealed his success when he
accompanied Edward Denny
Day in the capture of infamous bushrangers the Jewboy Gang.
Others found it difficult to adjust
to their new circumstances - William Thorn was still being
punished for misdemeanours nine years later. Many of the
men would have had similar experiences of 25 or 50 lashes
for various offences before their sentence was completed.
Scarborough was
built at Scarborough in 1782, a
ship of 418 tons. Length was 111 feet, 6
inches, width 30 feet 2 inches, height between decks 4 feet 5
inches. She was a two-decked, three-masted vessel, rigged as a barque, and
was owned by three Scarborough merchants, Thomas, George and John Hopper" -
(Charles Bateson
The Convict Ships)
The Scarborough was one of eleven vessels of the
historic First Fleet to Australia. The First Fleet
consisted of two Royal Navy escort ships, HMS Sirius and
HMS
Supply accompanied by six convict transports, the
Alexander,
Charlotte,
Friendship,
Lady Penrhyn,
Prince of Wales and the
Scarborough, and three store ships, the
Borrowdale, FishburnandGolden Grove.
Robert Ross, Lieutenant-Governor
of New South Wales sailed on the Scarborough
Captain John Shea of the marines
sailed on the Scarborough. He died in February 1789 and
was buried in the
Old Sydney Burial Ground
Many of the prisoners of the
Scarborough would have been held in the Hulks prior to
transportation. The first prisoners ever taken to the
hulks were admitted on 15 July 1776. Below is an article from the
Book of Days published in 1864 telling of the first
days of the Hulks.....
THE FIRST HULKS ON THE THAMES.
English statesmen, in past days, felt a difficulty which
the lapse of time has rendered very little more stable
than before: viz., the best kind of secondary punishment
to adopt for offenders against the law— the most effective
mode of dealing with criminals, who deserve some
punishment less awful than that of death. Whipping,
transportation, silent imprisonment, and imprisonment with
hard labour, have all had their advocates, as being most
effective for the purpose in view; and if the first of
these four has given way before the advanced humanity of
English society, the other three still form a debatable
ground among thinking persons. Early in the reign of
George III., there were so many kinds of crime for which
capital punishments were inflicted, that executions used
to take place in London nearly every week, giving rise to
a very unhealthy tone of feeling among the lower class. It
was as a means of devising a severe mode of punishment
short of death, that the Hulks on the Thames were
introduced, in 1776. 'Hulk' is a nautical name for any old
ship, applied to temporary purposes after its sea-going
qualities have become impaired; it has often been applied
to prison-ships, fashioned out of old men-of-war; but
these prison-ships have sometimes been constructed for
this special purpose, and yet the term 'hulk' remains in
use as a short and easy designation. The avowed object in
1776, was 'to employ prisoners in some kind of hard labour
for the public benefit;' the severity and the continuance
of the labour being made dependent on the good-conduct of
each prisoner. Special care was to be taken that the
imprisonment, while on the one hand not cruel, should on
the other not be comfortable. 'They [the prisoners] are to
be employed in as much labour as they can sustain; to be
fed with legs and shins of beef, ox-cheek, and such other
coarse food; to have nothing to drink but water or
small-beer; to be clad in some squalid uniform; never to
be visited without the consent of the overseers; and never
to be supplied with any gifts from other persons, either
in money or otherwise.' The Thames between Woolwich and
Barking being much choked with mud, it was deemed a useful
work to employ convicts in dredging. A vessel was built,
neither a ship, tender, nor lighter, but combining
something of all three: on a plan approved by the king in
council. Part of the stern was decked in as a
sleeping-place for the convicts, part of the forecastle
was enclosed for the overseer, and the rest of tho vessel
was open. There were overhanging platforms, on which the
men could stand to work; and on one of these was 'a
machine called a David, with a windlass, for raising the
ballast'—which was probably the same thing as sailors now
call a davit. The vessel had space for about thirty tons
of sand, mud, or ballast, dredged up from tho Thames. Such
was the hulk or prison-ship, which was placed under the
management of Mr Duncan Campbell, a sort of superintendent
of convicts. On the 15th of July, in the above-named year,
the first party of convicts chained two and two by the
leg, entered the ship, and commenced their labours off
Barking Creek. Many violent encounters took place before
the convicts could be brought to understand the reality
of the system. On one occasion, several of them attempted
to get off their chains; they were flogged, and made to
work harder as a consequence. On another occasion, five of
them slipped down into a boat, and rowed off; they were
pursued, and fired at; two were killed, one wounded, and
two recaptured. One day, during a violent north wind, the
hulk was driven across from Barking Creek to Woolwich;
fourteen of the convicts rose on the keepers, compelled
them to keep below, and escaped; a naval officer meeting
them on the Greenwich road, persuaded eight of them to
return to the vessel; of the six who refused, some were
afterwards captured and hanged. In a further instance,
eight convicts effectually escaped; they seized the
arm-chest, took pistols, intimidated the keepers, and made
off in an open boat. This system of working in hulks had a
long trial on the Thames, but gradually gave way to other
arrangements.
The First Fleet was delayed several months awaiting orders
to sail. On 13th May 1787, Governor Philip having hoisted
his flag on board the Sirius gave the signal to
weigh anchor and the fleet finally departed England 's
shores. They were accompanied by the Hyaena frigate to
carry back dispatches if necessary. The Hyaena returned on
the 20th with the intelligence that the convicts in the
Scarborough had formed a plan for getting possession of
that ship which the officers had fortunately detected and
prevented. This was the only attempt of the kind made
during the voyage to Australia. (1)
John White
recorded the incident in his
journal.......20th May.
A discovery of a futile scheme, formed by the convicts on
board the
Scarborough, was made by one of that body, who had been
recommended
to Captain Hunter previous to our sailing. They had laid a
plan for making
themselves masters of the ship; but being prevented by
this discovery, two
of the ringleaders were carried on board the Sirius, where
they were
punished; and afterwards put on board the Prince of Wales
transport, from
which time they behaved very well. Being now near one
hundred leagues
to the westward of Scilly, and all well, Captain Phillip
found it no longer
necessary to keep the Hyaena with him; therefore, having
committed his
letters to the care of the Hon. Captain De Courcey, he in
the course of this
day sent her back.
Notes and Links:
Soldiers Robert Smith and
James Webb of the 102nd regiment arrived free on the
Scarborough
Sergeant Major Richard Clinch
arrived on the Scarborough. He died in 1799 and was buried
in the
Old Sydney Burial Grounds as was convict William
Cockow who died in 1807 and convict James Stuart who died
in November 1806.
Ship details from the
National Archives - Extra ship, measured 1786, 2
decks, 4in bottom, length 109ft 3in, keel 87ft ¼in,
breadth 29ft 10in, hold 12ft 5½in, wing transom 17ft 4in,
411 tons. Voyages: (1) From China 1788. Capt John
Marshall. Whampoa 17 Dec 1788 - 28 May 1789 Downs.
More about Captain
Marshall.........
The Scarborough returned
with the Second Fleet in 1790.
On 26th January 1838, the fiftieth anniversary of the
colony, the Sydney Monitor published the following
interesting article:
A little old man, an oyster seller whose
circumstances at one time, promised a more dignified
vehicle, was, yesterday, trundled along George street in a
wheelbarrow, his hat ornamented with the word Scarborough,
the name of the vessel which brought him to the colony,
and which formed a part of the first fleet. This man, at
one time, since he has been in the colony, supported a
respectable establishment, and had for an assigned
servant, a person, who now, if not the richest man, is one
of the richest in the colony. The master, however, has
descended the ladder, and for the remainder of his life,
like his own oysters, must be content to live in the mud.
On
28 June 1790
the remainder of the Second Fleet arrived in Port Jackson -
the
Surprize,
Neptune and
Scarborough,
with a detachment of
New South Wales Corps sent to replace the Marines. They had departed
Portsmouth 19th January 1790.
Edward Abbott
arrived on the Scarborough as an officer of the New South Wales Corps.
The
Annual Register recorded the following
account of Samuel Burt, prisoner on the Scarborough: -
A letter has been received from
Samuel Burt, the person convicted of forgery, but pardoned on
condition of going to New South Wales; dated from on board the
Scarborough transport, False Bay, which contains the following account:
"On the 12th February, our ship having separated from the Surprize
transport, the Neptune being a great way ahead, and the sea perfectly
calm, the convicts began to whisper from one to the other their mutinous
intentions; the plot being communicated to myself, I readily agreed to the
scheme, assenting to every proposal of plunder and murder, until such time
as I became completely master of the conspiracy, and the ringleaders of it.
I then apprised the captain of the ship, and the military officers, of the
danger they were likely to encounter; and so thoroughly did my information
prepare them for the business, that with little or no trouble the
ringleaders were secured, and the scheme entirely frustrated. The
particulars being enquired into, they made such confessions that human
nature would almost shudder at the thoughts of. Several of them have been
flogged with the greatest severity, and others of more dangerous descriptio
are at this time chained to the deck and it is supposed will be tried and
executed immediately on their arrival in New South Wales".
The circumstances of Burt's case were rather remarkable.
Being rejected by a woman whom he wished to marry, he committed a forgery,
and immediately afterwards surrendered himself at Bow street, for the
purpose of getting hanged. Being considered as an object of compassion, he
was offered hi majesty's most gracious pardon, which he twice or thrice
refused. The lady at length consented to marry him, and he then became as
solicitous to live, as he had before been anxious for death; but, during her
repeated visits to him in Newgate, she caught the gaol fever, and died. -
Annual Register
The mortality rate on the Scarborough as
with the Surprize and Neptune voyages of 1790 was horrific. In
The Convict Ships, Charles Bateson writes: - The rations of the
prisoners in the Scarborough were not deliberately withheld but owing
to
the reported mutiny, convicts were very closely confined. It was to this
fact that the high death rate was directly due. Judge Advocate
David Collins wrote: -
On the evening of the 28th the Neptune
and Scarborough transports anchored off Garden Island, and were
warped into the Cove on the following morning. By noon the following day,
two hundred sick had been landed from the different transports. The West
side afforded a scene truly distressing and miserable; upwards of thirty
tens were pitched in front of the hospital; all of which as well as the
adjacent huts, were filled with people, many of whom were labouring under
the complicated diseases of scurvy and dysentery, and others in the last
stage of either of those terrible disorders, or yielding to the attacks of
an infectious fever. The appearance of those who did not require medical
assistance was lean and emaciated. Several of these miserable people died in
the boats as they were rowing on shore, or on the wharf as they were lifted
out of the boats; both the living and the dead exhibited more horrid
spectacles than had ever been witnessed in that country.
Rev. Richard Johnson described his visit to the Surprize:
-
'a great number of them laying, some half and others
nearly quite naked without either bed or bedding unable to turn or help
themselves. Spoke to them as I passed along, but the smell was so offensive
that I could scarcely bear it.' Johnson was persuaded not to venture into the
Scarborough's prison.
Sixty eight prisoners of the Scarborough were reported
to have died.
Emancipist and Merchant James Larra arrived as a convict on the
Scarborough
Surgeon Daniel Kelly arrived as a convict on the Scarborough
The Scarborough departed Port Jackson bound for China in August 1790
Ten prisoners arrived in Port Jackson on the
Seaflower from Calcutta on 30th April 1820
William Farrell, Soldier
Patrick Burnett, Soldier
William Muston, Soldier
Wilson Johnson Appleyard. From Northampton.
Formerly a clerk in transport office and purser to the Shipley on her
voyage to New South Wales. Received a Certificate of Freedom in 1826
The Morning Post reported on 30th November - Portsmouth
28th November - It has blown very hard all the day; the
outward bound remain all well. The Hope from Exmouth to
London got on shore on Bambridge Ledge this morning, knocked
her rudder off and is leaky; in making for the harbour
accompanied by two pilot boats, she ran on board the
Sesostris, for New South Wales, and carried away her
bowsprit.
It didn't take long to make the necessary
repairs and the Sesostrisdeparted Portsmouth on Wednesday
30 November 1825.She was the next convict ship
to leave England for New South Wales after the departure of
the
Marquis of Hastings in August 1825.
A detachment of the 57th (West Middlesex) Regiment of Infantry
embarked on the Sesostris on 26th November 1825 at
Portsmouth.
They were under the orders of Major
John Campbell and Ensign Benson. The Band of the 57th joined its
Corps by this vessel. Some of the soldier's mentioned in the
surgeon's journal included Private W. Warren, Private G.
Farnham, Private Samuel Fairman, Private Mark Lane, Private E.
Jennings, Private J. Steadman, Private S. Hardcastle, Private
D. Mitchell, Private R. Stevenson, J. Grant.
The wife of Private Hynes gave birth to a daughter in the ship
hospital which had been divided off from the sick men as the
soldier's berth was even more crowded.
Major John Campbell and a detachment of the 57th regiment were
sent to Fort Dundas on Melville Island in September 1826.
The Sesostris
sailed direct without making any stops and arrived in Port
Jackson on Tuesday
morning
21 March 1826, a voyage of
111 days. 147 male convicts arrived on the Sesostris, three
convicts having died on the voyage out. - George Archer,
W. Bray and George Milford.
John Dulhunty kept a Medical Journal
from 5th
November 1825 to 22 March 1826
Passengers included
Mr. J. Dulhunty, Mrs. Dulhunty, Miss Dulhunty, Mr. J.B. Clay,
and Mr. N. Eise together with 8 women and 12 children
belonging to the troops.
The Sesostris departed for New Zealand on 11th April 1826.
Major John Campbell was appointed Commandant at Melville Island and
sailed with a detachment of the 57th on the schooner Isabella in
August 1826 to relieve Major Barlow and a detachment of the Buffs. He
returned to Sydney with the detachment on the brig Governor Phillip
in
July 1828.
On 20 November 1816 seventy convicts were received on board at
Woolwich in good health according to the surgeon, except for
five with ulcerated legs. The remainder were embarked at
Portsmouth. They came from many different parts of England
including - Norfolk, Bedford, Wiltshire, York, Somerset and
Gloucester. Most had been held in the prison hulks for many
months.
The Shipley
departed England in
company with the Morley on
18 December 1816.
She came direct, sailed through Bass Strait and arrived at
Port Jackson
24 April 1817.
This was the first of four voyages of the Shipley.
The Guard consisted of 30 non-commissioned officers of the
46th regiment under orders of Lieutenant McPherson.
The Headquarters of the 46th
regiment commanded by Lieut-Col George James Molle arrived on
the Windham and other detachments arrived on the
Elizabeth,Larkins,
Three Bees,General
Hewitt, Guildford,
Surry and
Ocean.
George Clayton kept a Medical Journal from 19
November 1816 to 3 May 1817. The diseases he encountered on
the voyage were few and simple in their nature and yielded
readily to the treatment he gave. The men were not well
clothed and cold and moisture, which all his care was not able
always to prevent, seemed to have been the greatest cause of
most of the diseases that occurred. George Clayton followed
the methods directed by the Transport Board as regarding
cleanliness of persons and places, ventilation and fumigation.
So that the air could flow freely, he would allow nothing
extra to be stowed or kept in the prison such as clothing or
charts other than absolute necessities. He kept the prison dry
and warm by the use of the stoves.
This was
George Clayton's first voyage as surgeon superintendent on a
convict ship.
He managed the convicts by a system of rewards for good
behaviour and ordered only a few punishments........ With
respect to occurrences, not any of moment took place. The
prisoners, after those from Portsmouth had been embarked were
a little unruly from a notion spread by the Portsmouth
convicts that no punishments were used on board the passage
ships and consequently they might act with impunity. But by
hindering the admittance of any spiritous or fermented liquors
on board and the punishment of one of the most violent men,
the turbulence soon subsided and they became manageable. In
order to prevent excitement no more than a 1/4 of a pint of
wine to each man was allowed in one day, and that only on two
days in the week. Only five punishments took place and two of
those were given to one man (This was Benjamin Smith, a
notorious thief, who was given 36 lashes on 11 April for
putting out the lights in the prison in order to steal items
from other prisoners.) Encouragement to good
behaviour was given by taking one leg out of irons at first
and on a continuance of good conduct the other. The greater
number being unironed long before the end of the passage.
Another effectual means of preserving order was the placing of
a sentinel day and night in the prison with orders to report
the disorderly, to keep the windsails free, to take care of
the light and the fire in the stove when burning.
One hundred and twenty five male prisoners arrived on the
Shipley. Thirty seven were under the age of 21.
Governor Macquarie wrote in his journal on 24 April
-
all the Crew, Soldiers, & Convicts (have) arrived in
good Health, none of the latter having died on the Passage. —
Passengers Messrs.
James Williamson (late Dy.
Comy.
of N.S.W.) Mr. Smith & family and Bentley and Eades, as Free Settlers.
James Williamson arrived
in 1795 and was given control of the
Commissariat in August 1796 and acquired land;
in 1800 returned to England; in 1802 returned
as Deputy Commissary; magistrate and
Lieutenant Commander of the Parramatta Loyal
Association at the time of the Rum Rebellion;
hewas placed in charge of the Commissariat;
dismissed and charged with fraud in 1808; in
1810 left for England with Bligh and testified
on his behalf. He returned on the voyage of
the Shipley and became a farmer. (Colonial
Secretary's Index)
Twenty seven men were conveyed to Parramatta by water on
arrival, 30 were sent to Windsor and 11 to Liverpool.
George Clayton was employed as surgeon
superintendent on the
Globe
in 1819 and
Competitor
in 1823.
The Shipley departed the colony on 8th June 1817 bound
for Batavia. George Clayton was intending to depart on her on
his return voyage to Europe.
Master Lewis Williams Moncrief. Surgeon Superintendent
Robert Espie
The convicts to be embarked on the Shipley
came from England and Wales. They were probably
held in county prisons before being transferred to prison hulks moored
in the River Thames. From the hulks they were transferred to the Shipley
for transportation to New South Wales.
Robert Espie kept a Medical Journal from 23 June
1818 to 21 December 1818.
At 3pm on
Tuesday 23rd June 1818 eighty male convicts, all but two double ironed,
were embarked on the Shipley. They were in good health and
according to the surgeon were robust young men mostly under the age of
35 years. Before receiving them Robert Espie had inspected the prison
which he found clean and comfortable. The following day at 2pm
seventy more were embarked, all in perfect health. That evening about a
third of the prisoners were allowed on deck. They were reported to be
well behaved men. After only a few days the surgeon began to remove the
double leg irons of some of the better behaved men. The weather was fine
and warm while they moored at Woolwich to await sailing orders. On 1st
July prisoner
Mercer Ludgater
was received on board in exchange for another prisoner. The surgeon
remarked that the convicts conducted themselves in a very orderly manner
and were allowed every indulgence possible. Their last day in England,
17th July, was gloomy with rain in the morning.
The
following day,
18th July 1818, they awoke to a fine, clear day. As they
proceeded down the Thames the first mention of unruly behaviour
occurred. Abraham Solomons was punished with 35 lashes for riotous and
disorderly conduct and Thomas Brown for throwing his mat about was
handcuffed.
The Shipley arrived in Port Jackson on
18 November 1818 after a voyage of 123 days. Robert Espie made
entries in his journal for almost every day. In his summary at the end
of the voyage he remarked on the deaths of three of the
prisoners.........
Although three out of the five
cases detailed in this journal terminated fatally, I trust it will not
be inferred that the ship was sickly or that their illness was in any
way caused or aggravated by want of discipline and cleanliness, but that
their indisposition and death was purely the effect of incidental
disease attacking men already much advanced in years and greatly
emaciated by mental anxiety and confinement - each having left behind
him a family - two out of the three, I think, would have paid the debt
of nature had they been on shore, but the other certainly fell a victim
to the motion of the ship and the disagreeable state of the weather.
Robert
Espie was also surgeon on the
convict ships
Lachlan Macquarie was Governor
of the colony when the Shipley arrived. The total population in New South
Wales in 1818 amounted to 17,165 people of
those there were 4,100 male convicts and 2340 female convicts and 850 of
their children.
Thirty five of the convicts of the
Shipley have been identified residing in the Hunter Valley
region in the following years. Select
HERE
to find out more
about these men.
George Spencer who arrived on the
Shipley was sent to Newcastle penal settlement for a
colonial crime. He was one of eleven pirates who seized the
cutter Eclipse from the harbour in 1825. Find out more
about their audacious escape at
Pirates
The Shipley departed Sydney for England in March 1819.
Two hundred and twenty men all Soldiers of the 84th, 48th and 46th regiments sailed on her
including Captain Bernard, Lieut. Marshall of the 48th, Lieutenants Beamish,
McGregor and Andrews and Ensign Ingleby of the 84th. Twenty three women and 34
children accompanied them. The departure of
Lieutenant John Watts of the 46th Regiment, who had been Aide-de-Camp to
Governor Macquarie was noted in the Sydney Gazette - he had
manifested the strictest honour and integrity; and by his personal worth and
virtues obtained and enjoyed the warmest esteem and regard of his numerous
friends and associates, by whom his departure is sincerely regretted, at the
same time that it is followed by their ardent and best wishes for his safe
return to his native Country (1)
Eight
naval surgeons also departed on the Shipley -
Robert Espie,
Andrew Smith,
William Hamilton,Thomas C.
Roylance,
Henry Ryan,
Morgan Price,
John Johnston and
John Whitmarsh
Master Lewis Williams Moncrief. Surgeon
Superintendent
Henry Ryan
Some of the convicts who
were held on the Laurel Hulk were
transferred to the Shipley on 2nd May
1820; others held on the Justitia were
transferred on 5th May. John Henry Capper's
Report on the state of the Convict
Establishment details how some of them may
have been employed.......
Henry Ryan's medical
journal commenced on the 17th May while the
vessel was still moored at Woolwich. Several
soldiers of the 69th regiment presented with
similar symptoms of delirium over the course
of a few days and the surgeon sent them to the
Military Hospital at Woolwich - Private
William Halliton, Private William Norman,
Private Joseph Walker and Jeremiah Haggerty
were all sent on shore.
The Shipley was the next
convict ship to leave England after the
departure of the Agamemnon in May 1820.
The Morning Post
reported that the Shipley came down to Deal
from the river on the 1st June and departed
on5 June 1820.
The first convict
treated by the surgeon was a young lad by the
name of James Ellis who presented with
symptoms of gastric bleeding on 27th June. He
died on 30th June. James Hearn, a weak
emaciated convict died on 7th August 1820.
According to
Governor Macquarie's Journal there were
four deaths of convicts, one of them having
been accidentally drowned.
The Shipley
arrived in Van
Diemen's Land on
26
September 1820
with male 146 prisoners.
Sixty one convicts were disembarked in Van Diemen's Land
and the vessel continued on to Port Jackson
where on 4th of October the remainder of the Shipley
men (85 men) were disembarked. They were inspected
by Governor Macquarie who gave the necessary
instructions as to their distribution.
Lieutenant Windsor of the 69th regiment
commanded the Guard which consisted of detachments of
the 53rd, 69th and 48th regiment. Passengers
included Mrs. Cartwright,
wife of Rev. Cartwright.
The Shipley
departed London for New South Wales on7
November 1821. She
was the next convict ship to leave England after
the departure of the
Mary in September 1821.
This was
George Shaw Rutherford's first appointment as surgeon superintendent on
a convict ship. He kept a Medical Journal from 4
October 1821 to 14 March 1822.
He recorded in his journal that diarrhoea began soon after the convicts embarked and continued more or less
troublesome throughout the voyage, although extreme attention was paid
to cleanliness and ventilation and every care taken to keep the prison
dry and comfortable. Seventy seven men were affected. The one fatality on the voyage died after suffering
this malady, - Joseph Farnsworth on the 19 January.
Severe weather was experienced soon after clearing
the Channel and some convicts continued to suffer the effects the entire
voyage, probably with catarrh, rheumatism and pneumonia. Scurvy appeared
as the ship entered southern waters, and George Rutherford prescribed
lemon juice as treatment. One prisoner William Jarvis, was recorded as
suffering sun stroke in December.
On Thursday morning 14th March the prisoners were landed and
together with 300 prisoners from the Southworth and
Isabella, were
inspected by Governor Macquarie who expressed his satisfaction on the
healthy and clean state of the convicts.
Select here to find out more about the disembarkation of
prisoners.
In 1831,
George Shaw Rutherford gave evidence
before a Select Committee which was appointed to inquire
into the best mode of giving efficiency to Secondary Punishments and to
report their Observations to the House.
Select here to read the evidence he gave
Note: The prisoners were well behaved
on the voyage and some assisted the crew in sailing the vessel
Note: Unusually long voyage
Follow the Irish Convict Ship Trail
Master John Rennoldson. Surgeon
Superintendent
William Evans
The Sir Godfrey Webster was the next convict ship to leave
Ireland bound for New South Wales after the departure of the
Henry Porcher in August 1825.
When he embarked on the Sir Godfrey Webster, William Evans began his
fifth voyage to the colonies as Surgeon
Superintendent. He kept a Medical Journal from 13
May 1825 to 16 January 1826.
John Ovens was
appointed Ensign on 2 July 1812, Lieutenant on 5th July 1814 and Captain
9 September 1837. He served in the Peninsula from November 1812 to the
end of the war, including the battles of Vittoria, Pampeluna (wounded),
Nivelle, Orthes and Toulouse. He served subsequently in the American war
including the action at Plattsburgh. (1)
Before each voyage,
convict ships were fitted up by shipwrights, joiners, carpenters and
plumbers. Cisterns may have been installed or fixed and on-board prisons
were built. Often the prisons were constructed of timber and new ones
may have been re-built for each voyage. Later one of the surgeons
recommended that iron bars be used to allow better ventilation and to
save on cost of re-building each time. The Sir Godfrey Webster
was still being fitted out when the soldiers of the guard arrived.
Several became ill with catarrh and pneumonia because the barrack room
became damp and fires could not be lit in consequence of the trades
people not having finished their work between decks.
The Sir Godfrey Webster
left Gravesend on 3rd June 1825 and reached the Cove of Cork on the 16th
June.
(Cove
Harbour, Co. Cork c. 1831)
On 27 June 196 male convicts embarked on board from the
Surprise convict hulk....
...
( House of Commons 1826)
On examining the prisoners surgeon Evans
remonstrated with principal superintendent Dr. Trevor regarding the
propriety of taking two prisoners who were extremely ill. Dr. Trevor
agreed to have them removed back to the prison hulk. Dr. Evans also
objected to several other patients on the same grounds however did not
succeed in having them removed and the vessel departed Cork on
11 July 1825
with 196 prisoners. For most of the convicts this would be the last time
they gazed on their homeland.
For the first fortnight the
convicts were quite ill. William Evans attributed this to the different
food to that given in the hulk where the men had not been allowed any
solid animal food. Convicts were afflicted with diarrhoea and dysentery
and scurvy began to appear as well for which they were given lime juice
and vegetable soup. On the 2nd August they made the peak of Teneriffe
and the next day anchored off the town of Santa Cruz to replenish water.
Here they also procured fresh beef and vegetables for the convicts &
guard and fruit for the sick. They weighed anchor on 5th August and came
abreast of Cape de Verde Island where the weather was fine and health
improved. The prisoners were released from their irons. They reached the
equator on 1st September at which time one of the prisoners, James Develin suffered from sun stroke, having exposed himself without any
covering on his head, to the direct rays of the sun.
After crossing the equator they were obliged to 'retrace their steps', a
circumstance that caused much anxiety on account of the crowded state of
the prison and excessive heat. They headed north and then south finally
re-crossing the equator on 2nd October 1825. William Evans recorded the
death of one of the convicts off the coast of Brazil: -
Michael Bergan, aged 30, nearly blind and under other bodily
infirmities was in the act of going below when he lost his hold of the
hatchway and was precipitated into the main hold; died 8 September 1825
at 10.30.
By the 8th October the ship
was making rapid progress to the southward. Scurvy and dysentery became
prevalent and the store of lime juice was nearly expended and was
rationed out only to the ill. None was allowed to the guard. Because of
the serious illness on board they were forced to proceed to the Cape of
Good Hope. On the 4 November 1825 the ship reached anchorage in Table
Bay . The following day fresh beef and vegetables was received for the
guard and convicts and a requisition for supplies was made to the naval
store keeper at Simon Town. At this period 38 of the convicts and 2 of
the guard were on the sick list afflicted with scurvy.
On 9th November they shipped eight live bullocks and fifty sheep but in
consequence of strong westerly winds and heavy swell setting into Table
Bay they could not put to sea until 13th November when they 'bade adieu
to the Cape after a stay of nine days'. On the 5th December as they
passed by the Island of St. Paul they experienced a series of hard
gales, during most of this interval much inconvenience was felt by all
but more especially the invalids from the heavy rolling of the ship. The
convicts who were well enough assisted the crew to the satisfaction of
all.
William Evans recorded in his journal that
'at 4 pm on the 27th December we descried King’s Island lying at the
entrance of Bass's Strait, and by 10 o'clock the following night got
clear through into the Pacific Ocean. On the evening of
3rd January
1826 anchored in Sydney Cove at 8 pm.'
The men were mustered on board on Thursday 12th January1826 by
the new Colonial Secretary Alexander McLeay. The indents include the
name, age, marital status, native place, trade, when and where tried,
sentence, physical description, remarks regarding their conduct on the
voyage and where they were assigned on arrival.
The prisoners
were landed on Monday 16th January. Their healthy and orderly appearance
was attributed to the care of surgeon William Evans, to whose humanity
and attentions during the passage, the prisoners themselves bore
testimony to in an address. The Sydney Gazette reported that the men were said to have conducted
themselves with the greatest regularity and decorum during the tedious
passage of six months. Among the individuals by this ship, was one who a
short time since discharged the magisterial functions in the south of
Ireland.
One of the convicts on the Sir Godfrey Webster was William
Lackey, father of
Some of the
prisoners of the Sir William Bensley had been
tried at the Old Bailey before being sent to Newgate
prison. From Newgate they were
sent to one of the prison hulks.
Francis Bodenham was convicted of bigamy at the
Old Bailey on 11 January 1815 and
sentenced to 7 years transportation. Along
with twenty six other prisoners he was
received on to the Perseus hulk from
Newgate on 22 April 1815 and therefore spent
approximately 17 months on the Hulk before
transportation.
The Caledonian Mercury reported on
Saturday 28th September 1816 that on the
previous Wednesday 135 convicts were embarked
at Portsmouth for New South Wales, on board
the ship Fame, and the next day 116
were sent to the Sir William Bensley
for the same colony. Both ships were expected
to sail immediately and planned to touch at
the Cape of Good Hope on the way. The Fame
did not depart until the 9th October 1816.
Select here to read Commissioner John Thomas
Bigge's thoughts on the various routes
that convict ships should take.
The guard comprised a Military detachment of 32 non-commissioned officers and privates commanded
by Lieut. Ross.
Fifty-five
of the prisoners on the Sir William Bensley
were under the age of 21.
One prisoner, William Young drowned after
falling overboard on 4th November 1816.
Lieutenant Governor Sorrell,
recently appointed to Van Diemen's Land arrived
on the Sir William Bensley. At Port
Jackson on Saturday
15th March, he boarded the Governor's barge at
11am to be conveyed to the Governor's wharf. A
Salute of 13 Guns was fired from Dawe's Battery.
The Sir William Bensley departed Port Jackson
bound for Calcutta in May 1817. Those
intending to depart on her included the
surgeon William Evans, Frances White, Mr.
Mortimer, Thomas Humphrey, Thomas Glover and
Charles Walker.
William Evans was also surgeon on the
convict ships
The
Somersetshirewas the next convict ship to leave England
for New South Wales after the departure of the
Surry. The Somersetshire departed Spithead on
10th May 1814, called at
Madeira and arrived at Rio 13th July where she
remained 10 days, arriving in Port Jackson on
Sunday
16 October 1814after a voyage of five
months and five days. She was one of seven
convict ships arriving in New South Wales in
1814, the others being the Wanstead,General Hewitt,Catherine,
Three Bees,Broxbornburyand Surry.
Two hundred male prisoners
arrived on the Somersetshire.
Forty two of the prisoners were under the age
of 21.
Arriving on the
Somersetshire as guard was a detachment
of 30 men under command of Capt. Nairn to join
the 16th regiment. On the voyage out Private
Andrew Johnson died from fever before reaching
Rio and
one convict, James Brown (alias White) was
presumed drowned in a rash attempt of escape
at Rio. The wife of Private Quinten Owen gave
birth to a healthy daughter on the 30th
September 1814.
The Somersetshire brought the news of the
fall of Napoleon Bonaparte. On the 17th
October, in honour of the news, a Royal Salute
was fired from Dawe's Battery by command of
His honour Lieut- Governor Molle; and in the
evening a general illumination took place.
In November while the
Somersetshire lay at anchor, seaman
Robert Carroll was seriously injured in a
fall and afterwards conveyed to the hospital
on shore.
The Somersetshire
sailed for Calcutta on Monday 5th December
1814.
Among the
male
prisoners who arrived on the Somersetshire was
stonemason
James Clohesy
Captain Thomas Elley.
Surgeon Superintendent
Alick
Osborne
The convicts of the Sophia came from different
parts of Ireland - Armagh, Sligo, Dublin, Kildare and also
some soldiers from England who were deserters. Among their
ranks were weavers, pedlars, grooms, bakers, boatmen and
sawyers.
The Guard for the convicts consisted of 28 men of the 39th and 63rd
regiments, five women and four children under orders of Major
Thomas Poole and Lieut. Bell. They were
ordered for embarkation at Deptford on 2nd July 1828.
Cabin Passengers included Mrs. Poole and three Misses
Eliza, Maria and Caroline Bell, sister of Lieutenant Bell.
Other convict ships
bringing detachments of the 39th regiment included the
England,
Boyne,
Speke,
Phoenix,
Albion,
Midas,
Marina,
Guildford,
Manlius and the
Cambridge.
TheSophia
was the next vessel to leave Ireland bound for New South
Wales after the departure of the
City of Edinburgh in June 1828. The Sophia departed Dublin
on 15th
September 1828. Alick Osborne kept a Medical Journal from 7
June 1828 to 25 January 1829.
One soldier, Thomas Ault aged 23 died from phthisis, and two
prisoners also died - Peter Hoey, aged 86. Hoey had two
sons and a son in law on the vessel and although he was
old and infirm and surgeon Osborne 'had little hope of
landing him', he could not refuse the old man's request.
Hoey was put on the sick list on 19th September and died
on 21st December 1828; Peter Hanagan, aged 40 according to
Osborne, was labouring under great mental depression,
absolutely broken hearted and devoid of all energy, and died 9
January 1829.
There were a few cases of scurvy which
appeared early in the voyage thought to be due to the diet
in the Hulk. The symptoms soon disappeared when the vessel
got out to sea and a diet of preserved meat, cooked daily
and made into a broth was served up.
The Sophia arrived in Port Jackson on
17th January 1829 and the convicts were
mustered on board by Colonial Secretary Alexander McLeay
on 21st September 1829. Alex Osborne had the gratification to
see it remarked in the Sydney Gazette of the state
of robust health of the convicts who were landed from the
Sophia
Hunter Valley
bushranger
Robert Chitty
arrived as a convict on the Sophia. Robert Chitty was employed as a
constable near
Norah Head in the 1830's. He later joined with others to form the
JewBoy
gang (bushrangers). He was executed in 1841.
Patrick Feeney
was only seventeen years old when he arrived in 1829. He died a horrible
death at the hands of an executioner two years later having been found
guilty of bushranging and robbing settler Hugh Cameron. Owen Owens
was another executed for colonial crimes.
William John Whitelaw
also arrived on the Sophia, having been tried in
Antrim. He was later employed as a surgeon in Maitland
Alex Osborne was also employed as surgeon
on the convict ships
Master David Sampson.
Surgeon Superintendent
Joseph Cook
The Southworth and the
Isabella were the next convict
ships to leave Ireland for New South Wales
after the departure of the John Bull in July 1821.
According to correspondence dated 27 November
1821, David Sampson applied to have his wife
accompany him on this voyage....
Chief Secretary's Office Registered Papers,
National Archives
Joseph Cook
kept a Medical Journal from 18 September 1821
to 13 March 1822
One hundred and one convicts to be embarked
on the
Southworth
arrived at the vessel from Cork at 3pm
on the 24th October 1821. According to
Joseph Cook, a number of them had been
supplied with ardent spirits by their friends
on the passage down and were in a state of
intoxication. George Shine aged 22, had
indulged to excess and died an hour after
coming on board that day.
The convicts were boarded on the
24th October. Because of inclement weather and
change from prison to sea air several of the
older prisoners became ill with rheumatism
and were re-landed and others sent in lieu. The
Southworth departed on
18th November 1821.
They anchored at Santa
Cruz, Teneriffe on 30th November where they
procured water and fresh beef and vegetables,
departing from there on 1st December 1821. On
entering the tropics a number of the convicts
became affected with a disposition to plethora
indicated by bleeding at the nose, dyspnoea
and expectoration of blood. On
the 20th December they spoke the Arno on her
voyage from from Buenos Aires to England. They
generally suffered sea sickness but in other
respects there were few illnesses of
consequence. They were quiet orderly men and
were allowed on deck as the weather permitted.
A number of them immediately had the irons
removed and they were exercised by making them
walk up at one hatch way and down the
other. Illnesses suffered on the voyage
included apoplexy,
scrofula, venereal disease,
enteritis, colica, dysentery,
diarrhoea, bronchitis, herpes.
Both the Southworth
and the Isabella
arrived in Port Jackson on
9th March 1822.
The Southworth brought 100 male prisoners and
the voyage had taken
111 days. The Isabella brought 200 men.
The
youngest prisoner on board was sixteen year
old Patrick Michael Sullivan.
This was
Joseph Cook's first voyage as Surgeon
Superintendent of a convict ship. He was also employed as
Surgeon Superintendent on the convict shipsSir Charles Forbes
in 1825
(VDL)
Phoenix
in 1826,
Louisa
in 1827,
Mellish
in 1829,
Forth (11)
in 1830 and the
Portland
in 1832.
In April 1822 the Southworth
departed Port Jackson in company with the
Governor Philip and the Fanny
intending to sail north via Torres Straight to
Batavia. She arrived there by 31st May 1822.
Captain Peter McPherson. Surgeon Superintendent
Edward Coates
The Speke
was the next convict ship to leave England for New South Wales after the
departure of the
Dick in November 1820. The Speke
departed England on 22 December 1820
and arrived in Port Jackson on
18 May
1821 having on board 154 male prisoners in
good health.
Two convicts died on the passage out, one from old age and
the other fell overboard and was drowned. Edward Coates R. N. was
employed as Surgeon Superintendent.
Lieut. Sutherland of the 30th regiment, commanded the
military which was detachments of the 30th, 34th and 89th regiment.
Other convict ships bringing soldiers of the 89th regiment included the
Atlas, John,
Baringand
Minerva.
Passengers included Rev. Kendall of the Church
Missionary Society; Henry Grattan Douglass, Assistant Surgeon
of medical establishment, with wife and family;
Mr.& Mrs. Mulgrave coming with the purpose of establishing a national
system of education in Van Diemen's Land. ; Mr.
James Christy Phelps and two New Zealand chiefs who
had been in London and were returning to New Zealand; the two chiefs were
Shungie and Whycato embarked on the 15th December on the
Speke for the return voyage which had been granted them by
government. They were reported to be highly pleased with the continued
kindness and attention which they received from Captain McPherson, Mr.
Coates, Lieut. Sutherland and the Ladies and Gentlemen on board.
On the 23rd January, a letter was written at Tenerife
from on board the Speke. It was received in Glasgow from 'one of
the poor deluded radicals who were taken in arms at Bonnymuir. It
mentioned that nothing of consequence had happened on the voyage. All
the convicts had their irons taken off a few days before Tenerife which
made their condition more comfortable. There was a gentleman on board
going out to settle who had promised to do as much as he could for the
benefit of those who conduct themselves with decency and decorum. He and
a clergyman were teaching felons to read and in giving them religious
instruction.
The men who were taken in arms at Bonnymuir were part of
the Battle of Bonnymuir that took place on 5th April. .....when a
band of Scottish Radicals on their way to take over the Carron
Ironworks, were confronted by British military forces in a field which
is marked today by a memorial on the roadside to the East of the St.
Andrew’s Works. Having taken their position behind an old dyke, the
Radicals allowed the cavalry to come within thirty yards of them, when
they fired a volley. The cavalry instantly charged, firing a few shots
when going over the dyke. The Radicals received the charge with their
pikes, and made all the resistance in their power, but they soon found
themselves in a bad situation and throwing away their arms, endeavoured
to escape, when the cavalry captured nineteen prisoners. In September,
the men were tried for treason with three executed and 19 others sent to
penal colonies at Botany Bay in Australia. (from
the Battle of Bonnymuir Remembered). The Bonnymuir men on the Speke
included John Anderson, John Barr, William Clackson, James Clelland,
Andrew Dawson, Robert Gray, Alexander Hart, Alexander Johnstone,
Alexander Latimer, Thomas McCullock, Thomas McFarlane, Benjamin Moir,
Allen Murchie, Thomas Pike, William Smith, David Thomas, Andrew White
and James Wright. They were granted Absolute Pardons in August 1835.
Read more about their trial
here
The Sydney Gazette reported that the prisoners
were landed on Wednesday morning 23rd May and had a healthy and
satisfactory appearance - they could not have left their native land in
better health. They were inspected by His Honor the Lieutenant Governor
(Erskine), who was pleased to enquire into the treatment and usage
experienced by them on the voyage, when they, simultaneously, expressed
their grateful acknowledgments to Captain McPherson and Dr. Coates, with
which His Honor was much gratified. They were afterwards distributed, as
usual, to their various departments and employments.
The Speke sailed
for Madras on 6th August 1821 with various detachments to join their
regiments in India. Lieuts. Sutherland, Isaacson and Gordon also
departed on the Speke. Surgeon Edward Coates died off the coast
of Sumatra on this voyage.
From returns ordered to be laid
before the House of Commons, by Mr. Capper, superintendent of the
Convict Hulk Establishment......The Convict Hulk establishment
consists of ten ships, stationed at Plymouth, Portsmouth, Sheerness,
Chatham, Woolwich, and Deptford, together with two ships stationed at
Bermuda. For the half year ending the 31st of December, 1826, it appears
that the total number of convicts employed on board these ships was
about 3701, that the expense of the establishment was £44,328., that the
earnings of the ships were £32,551; and consequently, the clear cost to
the country was about three guineas for each convict. This is exclusive
of the establishment at Bermuda, where there are 700 convicts, and where
the average expenses and earnings are in about the same proportion as at
the home establishments. The convicts are employed in the royal
dockyards, and in the construction of public works, with the exception
of the boys in the Euryalus hulk at Chatham, who are employed in making
clothes and other articles for the prisoners. It appears, that on one or
two occasions these boys have been very refractory, in consequence of
the ship being too small to effect a due classification,—a measure which
Mr. Capper states to be absolutely necessary to keep them in a proper
state of discipline.(1)
Although Aaron Smith, Daniel Knee
and William Green were only about 15 years old they were not sent to the
Euryalis Hulk with other young boys but were sent to the
Justitia Hulk. The three boys had been tried at Gloucester on 29
March 1826 and admitted to the Justitia on 24th April. They were
held there until they were embarked on the Speke on 26th July
1826 . Joseph Coley and George Walker who were 16 years old were first
sent to the Euryalis and then transferred to the Justitia
on 16th June to await transportation.
The Speke
was the next convict ship to leave England after the departure of the
England in May 1826. She departed Sheerness on
8th August 1826 with
one hundred and fifty six male prisoners who had come from different
counties in England and Scotland. Their crimes ranged from pickpocketing,
forgery and shop lifting to highway robbery and manslaughter. There was
at least one soldier who had been court-martialled for desertion and two
men John Spencer and James Lowry were being returned having previously
escaped from the colony.
The Speke
came direct and arrived in Port Jackson
on Sunday
26th November 1826
Alick Osborne kept a Medical Journal from 17
July to 8 December 1826. He recorded that the prisoners were generally
healthy and the passage was quick with pleasant weather. There were no
medical cases worthy of mention except that of James Johnson who was
one of the Fancy (a pugilist) and had fought many battles which had
ruined his constitution. James Johnson only survived three days at the
hospital in Sydney. The Monitor reported: A well-known Pugilist,
whose prowess, under the cognomina of West Country Dick, has
long been acknowledged among our Sporting Circle, has at.
length chosen these shores as the scene of future exploits,
having reached them in the Speke, but under sentence of
transportation.
The Colonial Secretary Alexander McLeay proceeded on board
the Speke on Thursday 30th November 1826 and mustered the prisoners prior to the
disembarkation and distribution. The prisoners were to be landed on 7th
December 1826 and it was considered that the men were mostly adapted for
agricultural employment.
Having not long previously spent several months in
prison hulks, the men must have been less than pleased to hear the news
when they landed that the Phoenix Hulk or Floating Prison was undergoing
some extensive alterations with a view to the accommodation of nearly
double its present number of inmates, which did not on average fall far
short of two hundred. What was termed the Orlop deck was fitted up with
apartments to contain six 'men each'. The Prisoners, who with the
exception of mechanics were unemployed, will commence operations
on Goat Island in constructing a dock-yard and quarries, &c. were'
immediately to be formed. The Hulk was to then change her moorings, and
a similar system to the Prison Hulks in England was to be adopted. The
Australian remarked that the Sydney gaol had lately been cleared
of several prisoners, by removals to the Phoenix hulk, and Colonial
vessels which had been despatched to penal settlements, and the gaol was
in consequence less crowded.
Alick Osborne was reported to have left the colony on
the Hervey in December 1826. He was also employed as surgeon on
the convict ships
Lonach
in 1825,
Sophia
in 1829,
Sarah
in 1829,
Planter in 1832,
Fairlie
in 1834,
Marquis of Huntley in
1835 and the
Elphinstone
in 1838.
Morgan Browne, a married father of three from
Hereford was assigned to William Ogilvie at
Merton after arrival. He became a notorious bushranger and was one of
several men charged with robbing the house of
Hugh Cameron in 1831. Several of his companions were executed.
The Guard for the St. Vincent embarked at Deptford on 8th August 1836.
The Blackburn Standard on
24th August 1826 reported that - The system of conveying convicts from
the country gaols to Cork for transportation is much improved this year
both in security and despatch. For under the well timed arrangements
made by the military authorities, who have relief escorts ready to the
hour at the various stages, no delay occurs in transferring a very
troublesome and dangerous charge from one to the other. The convicts
which left this city (Limerick) on Monday, arrived in Cork next morning,
and were put on board the hulk Surprise the same day.
The St. Vincentwas the
next convict ship to leave Ireland after the departure of the
Earl Grey in August 1836. The St. Vincent departed Cork
on 13 September 1836. On board were 224 male convicts who had been
embarked from the hulks at Kingstown and Cove of Cork, including 120
convicts from the Elsen hulk and 73 convicts from the Surprise
hulk. Ten free settlers, sons of convicts who already resided in New
South Wales, were given a passage by the State Government. ( One was 12
year old John Healy).
After a voyage of 115 days, they anchored at Port
Jackson on
5th January 1837 with at total of 190 prisoners, three
having died on the passage out.
Andrew Henderson kept a Medical Journal from 13
July 1836 to 18 January 1837. He reported that in general the health and appearance
of the convicts on embarkation was good and continued to be so for the
rest of the voyage.
Andrew Henderson was an
experienced surgeon having also served on the convicts ships
Florentia in
1830,
Royal Admiral in
1833 and the
Aurora
in 1835 (VDL).
He had never on any of these other
voyages expended so little medicine which he attributed to the general
good state of health on board.
Thomas Braidwood Wilson R.N., was appointed
Surgeon Superintendent of the Strathfieldsaye on 20 November
1835. He
kept a Medical Journal from 16
December 1835 to 18 June 1836. He joined the ship at Deptford on the
16th December while she was still being fitted to convey convicts to New
South Wales. The
Strathfieldsaye was the next convict ship to leave England
for New South Wales after the departure of the
Recovery in October 1835.
The ship was delayed and not ready for sea until 27th
January 1835. On this day the guard, a detachment of the 28th regiment
was embarked at Deptford.
The Guard consisted of Lieutenant Cadell, and Ensign Garling, and 28 rank and
file of the 28th regiment. Other convict ships bringing
detachments of the 28th regiment included the
Marquis of Huntley,
Westmoreland,
Norfolk,
Backwell,
England,
John Barry,
Susan,
Waterloo, Lady McNaughten,
Moffatt and
Portsea.
Passengers: Mr Thomas Smith, farmer; Miss
Cameron, governess; Mary Peacock and Caroline Freeman, Servants; eight
soldiers’ wives, and thirteen children.
The Strathfieldsaye arrived at Woolwich where
seventy prisoners from the Justitia hulk were received and then
to Portsmouth where 200 prisoners were embarked. In consequence of heavy
weather and contrary winds they did not reach the Downs until 3rd
February.
At the Downs the ship struck on a sand bank where she
remained hard and fast, however fortunately the tide was flowing rapidly
and in half an hour the ship was afloat. On 6th February 130
prisoners were received from the Leviathan Hulk and 70 from the
York. Surgeon Wilson remarked in his journal that during all his
former voyages he had never seen such miserable looking prisoners.
Evidence from a prisoner who had been sent to the
Leviathan hulk was later presented in Parliament. This man was first
sent from the Old Bailey to Newgate and then removed to the Leviathan
hulk at Portsmouth in December 1835...............He was placed in
the lower Deck, No. 6. Cell, where there were from Twelve to Fifteen
Convicts; they slept in Hammocks; there was a Wardsman in it, a very
steady Man, who had been Five Years in the Ship; he never reported any
body whilst he was on board; the Convicts returned from their Work in
the Dock Yard between Four and Five o'clock in the Evening, they then
took their Hammocks from the Main Deck to their respective Divisions;
Lights were permitted 'till Eight o'clock; there was a Lamp with Oil for
each Cell found by the Ship, but there was an old Prisoner called the
Boatswain's Mate, who sold Candles to the other Convicts; at Eight
o'clock the Lights were put out in the Cells and the Doors locked, but
from Half past Four until Eight the Convicts of one Cell might go to any
other Cell in the Deck; during this Time there was very bad Conversation
carried on, cursing and swearing often, with' Histories of former
Exploits; never saw any gaming; saw Bibles and Prayer Books in No. 6.
Cell, and saw Men occasionally reading them; from New Year's Day last no
Provisions were allowed to be received or purchased, except Potatoes and
White Bread, the latter could only be had once a Week, but a Prisoner,
one of the Washermen, sold Potatoes daily.
The Strathfieldsaye was detained at Spithead by strong adverse
winds until
18th February 1836
when they weighed anchor. They had a
favourable passage down the channel and across the Bay of Biscay. They
passed to the eastward of Madeira and approached too near to the Coast
of Africa when they 'got entangled among the Canary Islands'.
On 3rd April they anchored at the harbour at Cape of
Good Hope and the next day had a narrow escape when they weathered the
breakers on the starboard shore. The surgeon was greatly vexed at this
second instance of want or caution or skill in the Master and the
captain promised to pay more attention to the surgeon's advice in the
future.
They took in a supply of water, fresh beef and
vegetables and also six bullocks. They had a fair average voyage to NSW
and arrived on
15th June 1836. On 24th and 25th June two hundred
and sixty nine prisoners were landed in a far better health than when
they embarked according to the surgeon. The surgeon remarked that there
was not the slightest disturbance during the voyage. The prisoners
behaved with becoming decorum and propriety and there was no instance of
personal punishment.
Thomas Wilson related his methods of managing the
prisoners in his journal: As soon as they were received on board they
were divided into messes with 8 men in each and properly arranged in
their berths. Cooks and others were selected from the most active among
the prisoners. The irons were removed from all the prisoners and they
were allowed on deck constantly from 7 am till nearly dark. The decks
were dry holystoned and hanging stoves kept burning between decks
throughout the day.
Thomas B. Wilson was also employed as
surgeon on the convict ships
The Times reported in
January 1790 that the convicts from Lancaster going to
Botany Bay, mutinied in the Irish Channel; and were not
subdued till the master shot the ring leader Brown. (3)
Second Fleet
convict ship Surprize departed Portsmouth
9 January
1790
with the
Neptune and
Scarborough
.
The Times reported that many of the prisoners on the
vessels were already ill when they left England. By the
time they reached the Cape of Good Hope, thirty five
prisoners had died. (4)
Captain William Hill commanded the
guard on the Surpize. In July 1790 he wrote to Mr. Wathen
telling in part some of the misery of the voyage. They
sailed from Cowes Harbour 17th January and arrived in
False Bay Cape of Good Hope on 13th April.....We left
the Cape on 29th April. Would I could draw an eternal
shade over the remembrance of this miserable part of our
voyage - miserable, not so much in itself, as rendered so
by the villainy oppression and shameful speculation of the
masters of two of the transports. The bark I was on board
of was, indeed unfit, from her make and size, to be sent
so great a distance; if it blew but the most trifling gale
she was lost in the waters, of which she shipped so much;
that, from the Cape, the unhappy wretches, the convicts,
were considerable above their waits in water, and the men
of my company whose berths were not so far forward, were
nearly up to the middles. in this situation they were
obliged, for the safety of the ship, to be penned down;
but when the gales abated no means were used to purify the
air by fumigations no vinegar was applied to rectify the
nauseous steams issuing from their miserable dungeon.
Humanity shudders to think that of nine hundred male
convicts embarked in this fleet, three hundred and seventy
are already dead and four hundred and fifty are landed
sick and so emaciated and helpless that very few, if any
of them, can be saved by care or medicine, so that the
sooner it please God to remove them the better it will be
for this colony which is not in a situation to bear any
burthen, as I imagine the medicine chest to be nearly
exhausted, and provisions are a scarce article. The irons
used upon these unhappy wretches were barbarous. The
contractors had been in the Guinea trade, and had put on
board the same shackles used by them in that trade, which
are made with a short bolt instead of chains that drop
between the legs and fasten with a bandage about the
waist, like those at the different gaols; these bolts were
not more than three quarters of a foot in length so that
they could not extend either leg from the other more than
an inch of two at most; thus fettered, it was impossible
for them to move but at the risk of both their legs being
broken. My feelings never have been so wounded as n
this voyage, so much so that I never shall recover my
accustomed vivacity and spirits; and had I been empowered,
it would have been the most grateful task of my life to
have prevented so many of my fellow creatures so much
misery and death...26th July 1790
HR NSW Vol 1., p. 366
The Fleet arrived at Port Jacksonin
June
1790,
a voyage of 158 days. A
detachment of New South Wales Corps sent to replace the
Marines arrived on the Surprize.
John Harris was surgeon's mate attached to the New
South Wales Corps.....He was born at Moneymore, County
Londonderry, Ireland in 1754 and trained for the medical profession at the
University of Edinburgh.
Collins Account of the English Colony
The Surprize departed Port Jackson bound for Norfolk Island in August 1790.
Notes and Links:
This was the same vessel that made the
voyage in 1794
On 29th September 1794 the Belfast Newsletter reported of
the fate of Captain William HIll...The following
melancholy circumstance is mentioned in a letter, received
from the Shah Hormuzear, dated the 20th ult. lately
arrived at Tellicherry from Botany Bay...."A most unhappy
occurrence befell us in a newly discovered island near New
Holland. Mr. Carter a young gentleman late of Calcutta and
Captain William Hill of the New South Wales corps, with
six other Europeans, who had gone ashore with one of our
boats were cut off by the natives, and were devoured by
these animals"
Jasper Harris arrived as a convict
on the Surprise. He died in July 1800 and was
buried in the
Old Sydney Burial Ground, as was William Waller who died in April
1806 and Thomas Holt who died in November 1807 and Henry
Todd who died in September 1807
National Archives
- Company's packet, repaired by Calvert, measured 1789, 3
decks, length 107ft 9in, keel 85ft 8in, breadth 29ft 5in,
hold 13ft 3in, wing transom 17ft 8in, waist 1ft 1in,
between decks 6ft 9in, 394 tons. Voyages: (1) From Bengal
1783. Capt David Asquith. Left Bengal 22 Apr 1783 - 11 Sep
River Shannon - 17 Oct Downs. (2) 1783/4 Bengal. Capt
David Asquith. 23 Jan 1784 - 16 May 1785. (3) 1785/6
Madras and Bengal (to remain). Capt David Asquith. Downs
10 Jul 1785. (4) From China 1790. Capt N Anstis. Whampoa 4
Feb 1791 - 29 Apr Anger - 8 Jul St Helena - 6 Sep Downs.
(5) From Bengal 1795. Capt Patrick Campbell. Calcutta 16
Nov 1795 - 16 Feb 1796 St Helena - 21 Apr Kinsale - 9 May
Downs.
(3) Times [London, England] 29 Jan. 1790:
3. The Times Digital Archive. Web. 9 Mar. 2013.
(4) Times [London, England] 31 July 1790:
2. The Times Digital Archive. Web. 9 Mar. 2013.
The Surry
departed England on 22 February 1814,
sailed via Rio de Janeiro and arrived at Port Jackson on
28 July 1814
with one hundred and sixty four male prisoners. Forty of the men were
under the age of twenty-one.
In The Convict Ships, Charles
Bateson wrote of the Surry - She was built at Harwick in 1811 and
owned by the well known London firm of Mangles. She was a fully
square-rigged ship of 443 72/94 tons, with an overall length of 117 ft
6in and a breadth above the wales of 29ft 6in. She was copper sheathed
and had quarter galleries, with a Minerva bust for a figurehead. As
originally built, the Surry had two decks with a height between
decks of 5ft 8 in but was rebuilt about 1818 and from the following year
is shown in the register as having three decks.
There was a severe outbreak of fever
on this first voyage.
The chief officer and two
soldiers of a detachment of 25 men of the 46th regt., died as well as
two of the ships company. Thirty eight male prisoners out of two hundred also died from
the fever.
The Broxbornbury fell in with the Surry
off Shoal Haven and on speaking her, learnt that from the relaxed state
of the crew, and illness of the surviving officers, her safe conduct
into Port Jackson was despaired of, unless assisted from the other ship
with some person capable of navigating her in; for which service a
seaman capable of the task generously volunteered his service and
brought her in. Thomas Raine, a junior officer was the only surviving
officer left on the vessel. Thomas Raine became Master of the Surry
and brought her safely to Australia in 1816, 1819 and 1823. When he
returned on the Surry in 1819 the Sydney Gazette wrote of
him: Captain Raine - the Gentleman who navigated the Surry after
she had lost her first Commander, and every other senior Officer on
board, through a dreadful contagion which had raged with unabated fury,
and which upon her arrival at Sydney called forth the most active and
efficient means of separating from the town, the survivors of the fatal
influenza. Highly to the praise of our Medical Department every
gentleman visited the unfortunates at the North Shore. Many were
restored to health and strength. It was a case as peculiar and excessive
in distress and suffering; Captain Raine was then a junior officer and
had survived all his seniors.
As soon as the melancholy report was communicated to
the Governor in Chief by the Naval Office, who had in the mean time
prohibited any communication with the vessel from any shore or ships'
boats, His Excellency was pleased to confirm the interdiction until the
nature of the prevailing malady should be ascertained by the Principal
surgeon and the other Gentlemen of the Medical Department; whose report,
after being repeatedly alongside, confirmed the apprehension already
entertained of the contagious nature of the distemper. His Excellency
issued instructions that the Surry should be brought up at a convenient
anchorage near the North Shore where the people might be landed, and
remain until the danger of their nearer approach should disappear.
A Notice was soon issued prohibiting any but the
medical and quarantine officers from communication with anyone from the
ship. She was placed in strict quarantine and there was a guard both on
the vessel and on the North Shore to prevent any contact. Despite this
and the prospect of severe punishment, two of the convicts -
Thomas Thomas and John Poole - took the opportunity to abscond. A notice
for their apprehension was soon issued.
The names of the prisoners who
died, the Hulk they had come from and the date of their death were
included in the
Sydney Gazette on 10 September 1814
Brevet Major Stewart of the 46th regiment arrived
passenger on
the Surry.
The Headquarters of the 46th regiment commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel
George James Molle arrived on the Windham.
Other detachments of the
46th arrived on the
Elizabeth,Three Bees,
General Hewitt, Guildford
ShipleyOcean
and the
Bencoolen
Matthew Bacon came free on the
Surry (CSI)
After this high death toll and that of the earlier General
Hewitt, Governor Macquarie ordered an inquiry into the
conditions on convict ships. Surgeon William Redfern produced
a detailed report on and strongly recommended the
appointment of Naval surgeons to each voyage.
The Surry
was the next convict ship to leave Ireland bound for New South Wales
after the departure of the
Guildford in 1815. The Surry departed from Cove of
Cork on
14th July 1816,
sailed via Rio de Janeiro and arrived at Port Jackson
20 December 1816.
One hundred and fifty male prisoners
gathered from all over Ireland were embarked on the
Surry in the summer of 1816. Among
their number were thieves, forgers, vagrants and pickpockets. - In
December 1815 the London Times reported that - On
Wednesday last a Special Sessions, under the Insurrection Act, was held
at Rathkeale, before Mr. Serjeant Moore, the Assistant Barrister, and
Bench of Justices, when the following were convicted as idle and
disorderly persons......John Sullivan for being absent from his dwelling
house on the nights of the 5th 11th and 19th November last; and Dennis
Ryan, for being absent from his house on the night of the 26th ult. They
were both immediately sentenced to be transported for seven years to
Botany Bay; and in pursuance of said sentence, were yesterday morning
sent off from this to Cork, for embarkation.
There were also twelve men from
Tipperary who had been convicted in November 1815 of riotous, seditious
and disorderly conduct and another thirteen who were convicted in
January 1816 of wrecking and plundering a house. These men were all
opponents of the Tithe system and had been at first sentenced to death at Clonmel Ireland.
Among their crimes were destroying the dispensary and other buildings at
Ballagh, which were intended by Government as barracks to quarter troops
in. The troops had been sent to Tipperary to quell riots that had been
taking place over the previous few months.
(1).
Rioters from Leitrim, Limerick and Longford were also on the Surry.
The guard comprised
a detachment of 29 men under the command of Lieut. Reveley of the 46 Regiment.
The Headquarters of the 46th
regiment commanded by Lieut-Col George James Molle arrived on
the Windham and other detachments arrived on the
Larkins, General
Hewitt, Guildford,
Surry,
Shipley,Three Bees and
Ocean.
Botanist
Allan Cunningham
arrived as a passenger on the Surry. He
kept a journal commencing at Rio de Janeiro in September when he was
preparing boxes of specimens to be loaded onto the Surry. He
boarded the Surry on Wednesday evening 25th September and the
ship weighed anchor the next morning. They were fired on while passing
the outer fort because a pennant they were flying could not be seen by
the Commandant of the Fort and were forced into shore to repair the
damage.
28th September was a fine, clear day. The ship had
been repaired and they weighed anchor once more and sailed out of the
harbour. They were accompanied by the Mulgrave Castle bound for
the Cape until 3rd October when the ships parted. On 15th October they
made the Isle of Tristan da Cunha and a month later on 13th November
they sighted the island of St. Pauls 20 miles in the distance.
On 3rd December a ship was sighted ahead of them which proved to be the
Mariner Herbert, on her voyage from Sydney to Batavia, and
on Friday 20th December under light breezes they made the Heads of Port
Jackson and the pilot came on board. The Surry anchored in Port
Jackson at 5pm that evening. There were sudden gusts of wind and heavy
rain during the night.
Saturday 21st December was dark and cloudy with showers. Allan
Cunningham went on shore to report to His Excellency Governor Lachlan
Macquarie however the Governor was at his country residence at
Parramatta......... - Conceiving it a mark of respect due to his
Excellency, I hired a horse and proceeded to Parramatta and waited on
the Governor who received me very kindly and hospitably.
Christmas Day, Wednesday 25th December, the morning was fine with later
heavy rain and a sultry and close atmosphere. The following morning 26th
December the morning was fine and the whole of the convicts on board
were landed and conveyed to the gaol. His Excellency with his officers,
attended to inspect them and divide them off into the employ of the
different settlers. At Cunningham's request His Excellency allowed him
Bartholomew Duffy (37 years old from Co. Louth convicted of grand
larceny), as his servant. The following morning Allan
Cunningham removed his boxes and chest from the ship and sailed up the
river to Parramatta and to the cottage he had hired. (Colonial
Secretary's Papers, Series: (NRS 898) Special bundles, 1794-1825 Item:
SZ7 Page: 139-365)
It was reported in the Aberdeen Journal in December 1817 that
word had reached Ireland that the Surry had arrived in New South
Wales safely. Letters from two gentlemen who went out in the vessel on
their way as Missionaries to the South Sea Islands written in January
1816, stated that they had a favourable passage from Rio de Janeiro, and
after a voyage of 12 weeks, anchored in Sydney Cove on 20th December in
health and spirits. One of these gentlemen expresses his thankfulness to
Captain Raine for permitting him to instruct the convicts on board, and
the crew. Many of the prisoners were very attentive and diligent. Those
who could read the Scriptures, frequently collected around them others
who could not, had the Bible read to them, and there is reason to hope,
the writer adds, that good was thus done among them.
The wife of Charles Barff died on the passage out
and was buried at sea. Charles Barff died in 1866. Read his obituary
here
One of the convicts on the Surry was 53
year old Gerald Hope who was a silk dyer by trade. He was a native of
Dublin and in the Treble Almanac in 1804 was listed at 65 Abbey
street, Dublin. Gerald Hope was one of several men tried in Dublin in February 1816 for
possessing forged stamps and sentenced to 7 years transportation. He was
grateful for the treatment he received on the passage out and on
Christmas Day 1816 as the Surry lay in Sydney harbour, he penned
the following correspondence to Captain Raine and Governor Macquarie.
Gerald Hope signified his intention to leave the colony in June 1819. He
was to return to his homeland on the Surry under Captain Raine, the same vessel that
brought him out, on her voyage to England in that year. (SG 12 June
1819)
25 December 1816
To Captain of the Surry :
In presuming to address you, Most Excellent
Sir, I feel the immensity of distance between us, you the beloved
representative of the Best of Sovereigns of a Captive, Convict, Beggar,
humbled to the dust. The cause however imperative, I am pledged to my
fellow unfortunates to return to our Captain our Best of Thanks in the
public print. But from the two, heading lines in the Sydney Gazette I
seen this day my publishing without your approbation might not be
regular, if the enclosed meets your concurrence will you allow it
insertion, as I have this opportunity I must through you, Most Excellent
Sir Return my humble thanks to our good government with respect to our
provisions etc. They were all of the best, I am with duty submission and
respect, Your Excellency’s Most humble and obedient servant Gerald Hope
N.B. I beg to say I understand the silk linen and woollen dying trade.
To His Excellency Lachlan Macquarie
:
T'was said of Cosar that by erecting Pompey’s
statue he established his own, we wish not to perpetuate our own
unfortunate memories but we wish through the medium of the Sydney
Gazette to record the unsolicited tribute of praise so justly due to
those with whom we crossed the vast expanse of water which rises and
falls between this colony and the shores of our beloved Hibernia,
Captain Thomas Raine being entrusted with the care of one hundred and
fifty men and appointed by an Government which we still hold most dear
to our hearts and our memories to convey us to the place of our
destination. 'T'is for us to bear witness to the equity of his conduct
towards us, 'tis for us to appreciate the many comforts and privileges
we enjoyed and we hesitate not to say, unanimously. He is most worthy
our highest praise, and we join in prayer that the Blessing of Heaven
may light on his dwelling. To have sailed with Captain Raine under our
unfortunate circumstances, is to us the cause of the liveliest
gratitude, nor, shall it be said Irishmen are void of gratitude. No, No,
'Tis a delightful sensation predominant in our breasts to give intrinsic
merit its due, and Captain Raine is in our estimation the skilful
navigator the judicious commander, the promoter of unity, the
conciliating friend, the vigilant philanthropist and as Howard stung
with bitter pangs to hear the mournful moans of the miserable prisoners
in the dungeons of Europe, advocated to obtain an alleviation of their
sufferings, so Captain Raine has spared no trouble in removing
everything that could possibly contribute to the ill health or to the
discomfort of us, his ill-fated prisoners. The inimitable cleanliness of
the ship the salubrious ventilation, and the useful and frequent
fumigations and that we were astonished to see performed by his own
hands, have been the means of great comfort and we trust while we
exhibited this as an example to others, we hope that as his years roll
over his head, this memento of our affection regard and indeed duty may
be immeasurably established by others. Nor should we feel satisfied were
we to throw out pen into the shade till we have borne our tribute, of
praise to Doctor Bayly for the unwearied attention which he has evinced
while the leaden hand of pale distress had added point to our sufferings
and increased the load of our misfortunes. The salubrious, the needful,
the timely and rejoice to say the efficacious draught has always been
administered. His sedulous and paternal attention to our ailments and
his unremitted kindnesses have been as the rays of the sun. Dispelling
the damp and chill of our gloom and lot, and while God bless him say
every tongue, we are of opinion he merits the prompt attention of our
Government who seldom suffers merit to go unrewarded. To Mr. Edwardson,
Mr. Hall, Mr. Griffin, the Mates of the Ship and to Mr. Winders the
purser we also feel it a felicity to have this opportunity of expressing
our thanks for their gentlemanly demeanour towards us, the ships company
all, all, following the example of our much beloved but not sufficiently
applauded Captain. We also beg to express our most cordial approbation
of the efforts employed by the Rev. J.M. Orsmond and the Rev. C. Barff,
Missionaries to Otaheite to reform the profligate and to instruct the
ignorant. Indeed language is insufficient to delineate the advantages
many persons have derived from this modest and suitable effort. Facts
speak trumpet-tongued. Several who could neither read nor write can now
do both, with more readiness than could be expected, and others when
they entered this ship could not point to the letter A can now read with
ease. Blasphemy is not so much heard and the name of the Lord is only
used in prayer and thanksgiving, wishing that all whose lot it may be to
follow us, may sail with men endowed with such humanity we conclude by
praying success to our Captain in all his undertakings having him for a
Mentor and thus illumined we may each in his different sphere go and do
likewise. Signed in the name and on the behalf of all the prisoners.
Gerald Hope. On board the Surry. New South Wales Government. (Main
series of letters received, 1788-1825. Series 897, Reels 6041-6064,
6071-6072. State Records Authority of New South Wales. Kingswood, New
South Wales, Australia, Item 4/1736. Page 29).
The Surry departed Port Jackson bound for Batavia in March 1817.
(1)The Bury and
Norwich Post: Or, Suffolk, Norfolk, Essex, Cambridge, and Ely Advertiser
(Bury Saint Edmunds, England), Wednesday, February 07, 1816; Issue 1754.
19th Century British Library Newspapers: Part II.
The surgeon joined the Surry at
Deptford on the 10th August. On the 11th August he
inspected the cabin berths being fitted up by a party of
men from the dockyard. The ship's company were busy fitting
and cleaning the ship. On August 19th Richard Partridge
and his wife and John Foster came on board for a passage
to New South Wales. They were ordered to be victualled at
two thirds allowance.
A detachment of soldiers of the 84th
regiment consisting of one sergeant and thirty rank and
file, two women and two children under the Command of Lieut Henry Statham joined the vessel on 24th August.
On 1st September, Mr. John Terry with
his wife, eight daughters and three sons and a male
servant were embarked for a passage to New South Wales.
They brought their own provisions. John Burrell arrived as
a free passenger on the Surry (CSI)
The shipwrights had finished fitting up
the prison by 5th September and the ship sailed to
Woolwich where they anchored in the evening. On 7th
September the prisoners began arriving from the Hulks.
The Surry departed Sheerness on
19th September
1818 and arrived at Rio De
Janeiro 11th December, departing there in company with the
Lord Sidmouth on 22 December. Strong winds were
blowing from the East as the ship sailed up the coast on
the night of the 3rd. They sighted Sydney harbour at
9.30am on
4 March 1819
and the surgeon remarked that the prisoners were in high
spirits. The voyage having taken 156 days. At 2pm
they came to an anchor in Sydney Cove and Captain Piper,
Naval Officer came on board. On Friday 5th March the
weather was rainy with strong winds. On Monday 9th March
J.T. Campbell came on board and examined the prisoners as
to their treatment. Several prisoners were
discharged in Sydney on the 9th March - Edward Edwards,
Ralph Pratt, William Clarke, Michael Brignall, Thomas
Humphries, William Holford and Joseph Nedby. The Guard,
women and children, were disembarked on the 10th March.
150 prisoners were sent to Hobart on
the 12th March. They arrived at the Derwent on 17th
March 1819
Governor Macquarie recorded in his
Journal on Thursday 4. March 1819 - This day
between 1, and 2,O'Clock in the afternoon, anchored in
Sydney Cove, the Ship Surry, Commanded by Captain
Thomas Raine, with 157 Male Convicts from England, from
whence She sailed finally on the 17th. of October last,
touching at Rio de Janeiro, which she left on the 22d. of
December in Company with the Lord Sidmouth Male
Convict Ship for this Port. — Mr. Mathew Anderson of the
R. Navy is Surgeon Superintendent of the Surry; and
a Detachment of the 84th. Regt. of 30 men have come out as
the Guard over the Prisoners. — Lieut. Statham of the
84th. Regt., who Commanded the Guard, died on the Passage;
also one Soldier and three Convicts; – the rest of the
Troops & Convicts arriving all in good Health. — Mr.
Terry, his wife, & 11 children as Free Settlers and also
two Pensioners, are come out Passengers in the Surry.
—
Matthew Anderson kept a Medical Journal
between 10th August 1818 and 30th April 1819. He was also employed as surgeon on the
convict ships
Mangles
in 1820,
Mangles
in 1822 and the
Castle Forbes
in 1824
The Surry sailed for
England on Sunday 25th July 1819. The passengers returning
to England included David Allan, Esq. Deputy Commissary
General with wife and family; Lieutenants Bunny and King
of the 4th regiment; Joseph Underwood and eldest son
Richard Underwood; John Hosking and family, Richard John
Robinson, Mrs. Marr and son Charles; two sons of Isaac
Nichols; Mrs. Lang; Mrs. Naylor and a number of other
people including Gerald Hope who had arrived on the
Surry as a convict in 1816.
The Surry was the next
convict ship to leave England for New South Wales after the departure of
the Lord Sidmouth in September. According the the Sydney Gazette, the Surry
departed Portsmouth on 29th October 1822.
She was referred to by William Charles Wentworth in 1824 as the Old Surry with
her old Commander, Captain Thomas Raine.
The guard consisted of a detachment of the Buffs commanded by Major
Marlay. Lieutenant Evernden also joined his corps in the colony.
Other ships bringing detachments of the
3rd regiment included the
Countess of Harcourt,
Henry,
Princess Royal,
Shipleyand
Brampton.
Charles Linton kept an unusually long Medical Journal from 13 September 1822 to 11 March 1823. Three convicts
and a soldier's wife died on the passage out.........
The preparatory arrangements for the management
and embarkation led me to indulge the most sanguine hopes that little
sickness would occur in the ship during the voyage. Unfortunately
however all the managements were in a great measure frustrated and
rendered for a time almost negative by the effects resulting from the
Surry having encountered successively three or four violent gales of
wind in the channel, which forced her to put back each time, and seek
shelter in Harbour. After repeated fruitless attempts to weather Scilly,
in consequence of the tremendously heavy seas and the violent concussion
received from the resulting force, the ship was weakened much forward. A
great quantity of water was shipped which completely inundated the
prisons and hospital and from the helpless and debilitated state of the
prisoners incurred by sea sickness, cold, wet and thin clothing, the
flux was introduced at an early period. Although familiar for upwards of
20 years to the variously modified appearances of this disease in
various climates, I never met with it acting at so early a period from
its attack with such contracted force. I deem it however right to state
that from inquiry, which I have subsequently made among the convicts, I
heard that a dangerous and fatal type of dysentery prevailed in the
convict hospital ship at Portsmouth at the period when the draught was
received on board the Surry. When I inspected the prisoners on board
their respective hulks, the Leviathan and York, I also made my necessary
inquiry whether infection existed in these vessel and was assured by Dr.
Porter the Surgeon that febrile infection had not been encountered for
years.
It is a distressing circumstance to state, yet I
find it necessary to remark that although much sickness - and this
often of a very serious nature - prevailed among the women, they
conducted themselves in general towards each other with the most brutal
indifference - refusing to perform the common office of humanity to each
other, instead of showing the humane and affectionate tenderness of a
nurse, with cold blooded reluctance performing their service by
compulsion alone.
A light north-easterly breeze was blowing and the
weather was fine when the convicts of the Surry first sighted the
land at Sydney at 11am on Thursday
4 March 1823
The Guard disembarked at 3pm on 7th March and the
prisoners were mustered by the Colonial Secretary on board on 8th March.
The following day their hair was cut short and at 6am on 11th March, the
prisoners were disembarked and marched to the goal yards where they were
inspected by the Governor.
Charles Linton was also surgeon
on the
Guildford in 1827.
The Surry was a
square-rigged transport ship. She had an
overall length of 117 ft. 6 ins., a breadth
above the gunwales of 29 ft. 6 ins, and a
draught, when loaded, of 18 ft. She was
copper-sheathed, and had quarter galleries,
with a bust of Minerva for a figurehead. (
1)
The National Library of Australia holds a
sepia etching of the Surry arriving
in Sydney Harbour.
Colin Arrot
Browning kept a Medical
Journal from 25 June to 8 December
1831. He recorded that Mr. Charles Kemp
(Master) of New South Wales came on board on
11th July 1831.
Also on the 11th July one hundred and twenty male
prisoners were transferred from the
Leviathan and eighty from the York
hulks to the Surry . They had been inspected by
Dr. Porter prior to embarkation and only those
considered to be
in good health had been forwarded, although
James Welsh managed to conceal his illness.
Convicts often attempted to conceal their
illnesses so as to be accepted onto the ship
as they wished to escape from the horror of
the hulks. James Welsh died at sea a few weeks
before the ship arrived in Sydney. The
prisoners had been gathered from all over
England. There were grooms amongst them and plaisterers and ploughmen, sailors, brick
makers, bakers and clerks. They had been held
in county gaols or Newgate before being
transferred to the Hulks.
The Surry
was the next convict ship to leave England for
New South Wales after the departure of the
Georgiana in April 1831. The Surry
departed Portsmouth on
17 July 1831. They were
delayed in the English Channel due to contrary
winds during which time the weather was cold
and wet and many of the prisoners suffered
from sea sickness.
Dr. Browning was kept busy on
the voyage. He listed no fewer than seventeen
different illnesses suffered by the prisoners.
They contracted diseases such as pneumonia and catarrh which
surgeon Browning considered a modified
influenza, resistant to medicine given for
common catarrh. Twenty of the guard and 28 of
the ship's company were also affected.
There were also cases of
Phlogosis,
Cynanche, Pneumonia,
Enteritis, Hepatitis,
Arthropyosis, Dysenteria,
Cephalalgia, Vertigo,
Caligo,
Dysopia and
Dysuria. One person died of
Tabes Mesenterica. He considered the
clothing supplied was not adequate and
recommended each convict should be issued with
2 pairs of flannel drawers and 2 flannel
shirts or Guernsey frocks. Neither was the
quantity of medicine supplied by government
adequate, Captain Kemp supplementing supplies
from his own stock.
There was only one slight case
of scorbutus and the surgeon attributed this
circumstance to the prisoners having been
actively and agreeably employed on the voyage.
The Guard consisted of a detachment of the
4th Regiment under the command of Captain
Waldron and Ensign Morris of 38th Regiment.
Passengers included Mrs. Waldron and nine
children; 3 women and 4 children.
The Surry arrived
in Port Jackson via Hobart on
Saturday 26 November 1831, a
voyage of 151 days from embarkation to
disembarkation. One hundred and ninety six
prisoners were mustered on board by the
Colonial Secretary. (One prisoner had died and
three were sent to the hospital in Sydney on
arrival). Details of the prisoners recorded in
the indents on arrival include name, age,
religion, education, marital status, family,
native place, trade or calling, offence, when
and where tried, sentence, physical
description and where and to whom assigned.
There are also occasional details of tickets
of leave, colonial sentences, relatives
already in the colony and dates of death.
On arrival the men were
assigned to various applicants. Many were
assigned to settlers. Thomas Burton a
merchant's clerk, Richard Fage a horse dealer
and Thomas Lampshire a miner were assigned to
the
The following advertisement appeared in the
Sydney Gazette in December 1831:
For London direct - The well known fast
sailing ship Surry, 461 tons, register,
Charles Kemp Commander. This Ship having
recently been in the Service of the Honourable
East India Company, was nearly rebuilt under
the inspection of their Surveyors, and may now
be considered equal to a new vessel. As the
cargo of sperm oil just arrived in the Cape
Packet, is about to be trans-shipped in the
Surry, she will be one of the first ships for
England; and having orlop beams, and great
space betwixt decks, flax and wool will be
kept entirely distinct from the oil. Her
accommodations are excellent and she carries
an experienced Surgeon. For Freight or Passage
apply to Lamb, Buchanan & co., Castlereagh St.
Sydney.
Notes and Links:
The State Library of Victoria has digitised an
address to the convicts of the Surry by Colin
Arrot Browning......An address to the
prisoners debarked from the "Surry", at
Sydney, December 8, 1831 - the "Arab" at
Hobart Town, July 5, 1834 - and the
"Elphinstone", at Hobart Town, May 30, 1836 /
by the Medical Officer in charge during the
voyage. Colin Arrott Browning 1791-1856.
Select here to read the address online
Colin Arrot Browning was
also surgeon on the convict ships
Margaret
in 1840, Earl Grey in 1843 (VDL),
Theresa in 1845 (VDL) and the
Hashemy
in 1849
England's Exiles
by Colin Arrot Browning was published in 1842
and is an account of the voyage of the
Elphinstone to VDL in 1836.
Note: Prisoners were encouraged to
dance, act and march around the decks
Master Charles Kemp. Surgeon Superintendent
John Smith
John Smith kept a Medical Journal from
20 March - 3 September 1834......
The journal begins on the 20 March.
His first case was that of James Ramsey a twenty-six year old soldier,
part of the Guard on the Surry. Ramsey had been discharged from
hospital only a few days previously. Barely recovered from his 10 day
stay in hospital, the march from Chatham to Gravesend, and exposure to
cold in the small vessel that conveyed him on board the Surry, he
did not recover sufficiently to return to his duties until 10th April,
three days after the Surry set sail. Ramsey fell ill several time
more during the voyage, his illness being exacerbated by drunkenness, a
previous bout of cholera and night duties as sentry.
The Surry was the next
convict ship to leave England for New South Wales after the departure of
the
Susan in March 1834. The Surry
departed Plymouth 7 April 1834. John Smith reported that
it was more crowded than on previous voyages, carrying 260
convicts instead of 200 men, but every precaution was taken to prevent
this being a cause of ill health or discomfort. Catarrh and diarrhoea
were the main illnesses but were generally mild. Both diseases might be
made less common by the issuing of flannel shirts and drawers. Several
cases of diarrhoea were caused by worsted belts being taken from the
prisoners on board the hulk. Only 2 cases of scurvy were mentioned in
the journal but there were at least 3 more very slight cases, two of
which developed notable ulcers on their legs. The sores were dressed and
their allowances of lemon juice and sugar increased. The disease did not
seem to first attack those the surgeon would have expected it to,
instead it attacked men who had previously been healthy.
The men were exercised as much as possible, dancing,
acting plays, ‘sky larking’ and marching about were daily employment.
They were also encouraged to join in the working of the ship.
Cleanliness was also attended to and the meals were properly cooked.
There were no deaths or any important sickness and they
arrived in Port Jackson on
17 August 1834.
Distribution of 260 male convicts who arrived on the
'Surry' - Assigned to private service…..241; to Public Service
as follows - to Surveyors dept…..1; to Commissariat Dept…..1; in
hospital …..7; Unfit for assignment…..2; placed in an ironed gang…..8
The Surry was the next
convict ship to leave Ireland after the departure of the Roslin Castle in October 1835.
The Australian in May 1836 reported the following
information about the Surry which had been printed in the Portsmouth Herald (n.d)
- The Surry, convict ship, drove from her anchors on the 25th,
and struck on the brake. She lost three anchors and cables. The
underwriters have gained the consent of the Admiralty to her being
docked and refitted here. Notwithstanding the strong representations
that have been made of the unwholesome effect of supplying those
unfortunate people, the prisoners, with cocoa, instead of oatmeal, the
Surry has been supplied with that article, which even, was it of the
best quality is any thing but nutritious, and in the present instance it
is the very refuse of the stores. We expect to hear that the men will
suffer even worse than did the miserable men who perhaps happily for
them, perished in the George the Fourth.
On Thursday 3rd December the
Surry was reported to be at Spithead waiting a fair wind to proceed
to Cork to take on board convicts for New South Wales (1)
The prisoners embarked on the Surryhad been held in Cork prison prior to transportation.
A description of the gaol and
prison at Cork was published in the
Topographical Dictionary of Ireland.....The gaol has been
enlarged at different periods, and is now very commodious and
well-arranged. It is under the direction of a governor and
deputy-governor; and is divided into 8 wards, 2 for male debtors, 5 for
male offenders, and 1 for females of every description, which is
subdivided into three sections appropriated respectively to debtors,
untried and convicts. The male wards contain 95 cells, capable of
accommodating 425 inmates; that of the females has accommodations for
66; each ward has a day-room and a spacious airing-yard: there are four
solitary cells. The gaol and the surrounding extensive enclosed ground
are kept in the highest order; the prisoners, who on their admission are
clothed in a distinguishing prison dress, are fully occupied either on
the tread-wheel or in the duties of whitewashing and cleansing the
floors, yards, and passages. The number of prisoners committed in 1835
was 978, of whom 740, including 203 females, were charged with criminal
offences; 200, of whom 12 were females, were debtors; 20 were soldiers,
and 18, of whom one was a female, were committed under process of the
exchequer. The House of Correction, built by Messrs. Pain on the
north side of the gaol, is a well-arranged edifice, consisting of a
centre and two detached wings towards the gaol, and of three other
ranges of building, radiating from the centre northward. The centre
contains the governor's apartments on the ground floor, a chapel both
for Protestants and Roman Catholics on the second, and an infirmary on
the third. The radiating buildings contain 78 cells, with washing-rooms
in each range; on the ground floor are day and work rooms, having
airing-yards attached to them. The number of convicts committed, in
1835, was 567. The prison is under the management of a governor. The
classification and regulations, both of the gaol and house of
correction, are highly conducive to the reformation of the prisoners.
Those in the latter establishment are employed in manufacturing their
own clothing and other necessary articles of consumption: attached to it
is a tread-mill, used for supplying both prisons with water. A sum of
£1600 was presented by the Grand Jury, at the last autumn assizes, for
an hospital for the use of the prisoners, to be erected on the adjoining
ground: it is to extend 100 feet in front, the centre to be two stories
high, with wings; the interior is to be divided into six wards, three
for each sex. The Female Penitentiary or Convict Depot, occupies the
site of the old fort erected in the southern suburb, in the reign of
Elizabeth. It is capable of containing 250 inmates, who are brought
hither from all parts of Ireland, and remain until the arrival of
vessels to convey them to their final place of destination. During their
residence here they are employed in needle-work, washing and knitting,
so as to supply not only themselves but all the convicts sent out of
Ireland with clothing: the number of suits thus made annually is about
1000. The number committed to this prison, in 1835, was 457, of whom 315
were transported to New South Wales. Schools have been established in
all the prisons. The hulk is no longer used as a place of confinement.
Thomas Robertson kept a Medical
Journal from 9 October 1835 to 4 June 1836. At Cork he received on board
227 male prisoners including 32 emigrant boys from Ireland all in good
health. The Surry
departed on 9th January 1836
.
According to his journal, Thomas Robertson commenced
giving the prisoners oatmeal two weeks into the journey. There was
enough provided that they could have it for breakfast twice a week. The
rest of the time they had the chocolate which they did not like.
The Surry arrived in Port Jackson
17 May 1836 with 222 male prisoners, five
having died on the voyage: -
Jeremiah Bryan aged 38, John Kelaky age 20, James Burn aged
30, Patrick Lane aged 60 and Moses Ward aged 45.
Passengers arriving on the Surry included Dr.
Arthur, Inspector General of Hospitals VDL, Mrs. Arthur, two children
and two servants. Lieutenant John Braithwaite Bonham, 50th regiment, Ensign O'Neil, 4th
regiment, and 26 rank and file of the 50th regiment with eight women and
fourteen children.
John Braithwaite Bonham was appointed Lieutenant-Colonel
on 14th February 1852 vice Lieutenant-Colonel Peter Petit who was
deceased. A painting of the Lieutenant-Colonel of the 40th
regiment in 1852 can be seen online at
JS Auctions with accompanying information about Lieutenant-Colonel
Petit and Lieutenant-Colonel Bonham.
(1)Hampshire Advertiser & Salisbury
Guardian Royal Yacht Club Gazette, Southampton Town and County Herald,
Isle of Wight Journal, Winchester Chronicle, and General Reporter
(Southampton, England), Saturday, December 05, 1835; Issue 646. 19th
Century British Library Newspapers: Part II.
The Susan
was the next convict ship to leave England bound for New South Wales
after the departure of the Numa in January.
The Susan
departed London
10th March 1834and
arrived in Port Jackson on
8 July 1834 with 292 male prisoners, eight having
died on the passage out. The Susan put into Madeira in consequence of the death at sea
a few days previously of Mr. John Issett, the Surgeon Superintendent,
who embarked at London. Dr. Archibald Ross joined the ship at Madeira.
The Sydney Gazette congratulated Captain Addison on his return to
Australia. Captain Addison had been several times before while in
command of the ship Waterloo.
The Guard consisted of Lieut. Henry Gunter
of 50th regiment.; Lieut. Bunbury 21st regiment.; and 29 rank and file
of the 50th regiment., with 5 women and 4 children.
Henry Gunter kept a Journal on the
voyage from Gravesend to Sydney, Feb.-July, 1834 in which there are many
references to Henry Bunbury. The volume also contains Gunton's journal
kept on a voyage to New Zealand on the Alligator, Aug.-Oct. 1834. This
expedition followed the wreck of the Harriet and the imprisonment and
murder of its crew and passengers. The journal describes the landing at
Wymattie and an attack on a village.
(NLA)
Lieutenant Gunter and Captain Edward Johnstone also of the 50th had
volunteered in the rescue of Betty Guard and crew of the Harriet. (1).
This rescue and the ensuing massacre was the first action by British
troops on New Zealand soil (2)
Distribution of 292 male convicts who arrived on the Susan - Assigned to
private service 254; to public service as follows: Government
Demesne..2; Mineral Surveyors Dept...5; Barrack Masters Dept...1;
Surveyor General's Dept...4; 10 in hospital; 15 placed in an ironed
gang; 1 for transportation to VDL.
Joseph Fubb was one of about sixty five men who were tried at
the Old Bailey in 1832-33 and later transported on the convict
ship Susan in 1834
The Susan
was the next convict ship to leave England for New South Wales after the
departure of the
John Barry in September. The Susan
departed Portsmouth 16 October
1835
Thomas Galloway kept a Medical Journal from 12 September 1835
to 26 February 1836............The voyage took 114 days and after a serious
outbreak of scurvy several convicts died. He recorded in his journal
that of the three hundred convicts embarked, 200 were taken on board at
Woolwich and 100 at Sheerness. There were several men who had very
recently been in Hospital for various illnesses and who concealed this
at the time of the surgeon's examination because of their desire to
proceed to New South Wales. Also several old and very infirm men who had
to be kept entirely on the Hospital Provision. Ophthalmia was not
confined to the prisoners and several of the seamen were also affected
as well as Officers of the Guard.
The Susan arrivedin Port Jackson on
7 February 1836 with 294 male prisoners.
A detachment of the 28th Regiment arrived by the
prison ship Susan. They were Landed at the dock yard in Sydney on Friday afternoon 12th
February and marched to the barracks. The band did not meet them as was
usual on such occasions. Some of the 28th who arrived on the Susan
included Captain George Symons, Private James Flanagan, Private John Mooney,
Private Henry Gunter, Private William Gollett, Private Walter Williams.
Other convict ships bringing
detachments of the 28th regiment included the
Marquis of Huntley,
Westmoreland,
Norfolk,
Backwell,
England,
John Barry,
Waterloo,
Lady McNaughten,
Moffatt,
Strathfieldsaye and
Portsea.
Thomas Galloway was also employed as surgeon on the
convict ships Persian in 1830 (VDL)
Isabella
in 1832,
Asia
in 1832 and
the
Henry Porcher
in 1835
Passengers P.H. Stromlen Esq., and A.J.
Matthewson Esq., of the Madras civil Service, J.E. Lovel
Esq., Mr. Stillman, William Brown and sixteen prisoners
from India
Bound For Botany Bay:
Narrative of a voyage in 1798 Aboard the Death Ship Hillsborough -
Frank Clune
A Narrative of a Voyage to New South Wales, in the year 1816, in the
ship Mariner, describing the Nature of the Accommodations, Stores,
Diet &c., together with an account of the Medical Treatment &c." by
John Haslam in John Croaker: convict Embezzler: John Booker and
Russell Craig.
Ancestry.com. New South Wales, Australia,
Colonial Secretary's Papers, 1788-1825
[database on-line].
