Free Settler or Felon
Convict and Colonial History




Convict Ship Asia I (2) - 1822


Embarked 190 males
Voyage 111 days
Deaths 1
Surgeon's Journal - No
Previous vessel: Guildford arrived 15 July 1822
Next vessel: Mangles arrived 8 November 1822
Captain Thomas L. Reid
Surgeon James Alexander Mercer
Convicts and passengers of the Asia identified in the Hunter Valley

The convict ship Asia was built at Aberdeen in 1819. Convicts were transported to Australia on the Asia in 1820, 1822, 1825, 1828, 1830, 1832, 1833, 1836 (VDL) and 1840 (VDL)[2]

The Convicts

The convicts came from districts throughout England. They were held in county prisons or Newgate before being sent to one of the prison hulks. Some of the convicts who were tried at the Old Bailey on 24 October 1821 including Thomas French, Benjamin Abbott, John Sowerby, John Lynn, William Marrs, George Wilson, William Jones and Thomas Wilson, were sent to the Leviathan hulk at Portsmouth on 3rd December 1821; they transferred to the Asia on 26th March 1822. [4]

Departure from England

Asia departed England on 4th April 1822, three days prior to the Guildford.

Surgeon James Mercer

Although James Mercer submitted a journal to the Colonial Government on arrival the journal does not seem to have survived. However in the journal of his voyage of Asia 1 (3) in 1825 he commented that he considered himself fortunate in that there was little illness on either of these voyages. On the voyage in 1825 James Mercer allowed dancing and encouraged the prisoners to be active.

Military Guard

The Guard consisted of Ensign Carmac, one sergeant, one corporal and twenty-nine privates of the 3rd Regiment (Buffs); also four women and six children belonging to the guard.

Detachments of the 3rd regiment arrived on convict ships Southworth, Guildford, Shipley, Asia, Surry, Mangles, Asia, Countess of Harcourt, Henry, Princess Royal,
Eliza and Brampton

Free Passengers

Free passengers included Mr. James Mudie, three Misses Mudie and Miss Scargill.

Arrival in Port Jackson

They arrived in Port Jackson on 24th July 1822 with 189 male prisoners in good health, one having died on the passage out.

Convicts Disembarked

The men were landed on Monday 29th July 1822. Two or three prisoners were sent to the General Hospital in Sydney.

Convict Assignment

His Excellency Governor Brisbane inspected them and they were afterwards handed over to their various employments. Forty-three prisoners were forwarded to Parramatta district by boat; five to Windsor district; eight to Evan district; nine to Airds; thirteen to Liverpool district.

Notes and Links

1). Captain Reid had frequently visited the colony. He died on the voyage home from India. Hobart Town Gazette

2). James Alexander Mercer was also employed as Surgeon Superintendent on the Albion to Van Diemen's Land in 1823.

3). John Palmer and Daniel Delaney accompanied Sir Thomas Livingstone Mitchell on his expedition in 1831

4). Return of Convicts of the Asia assigned between 1st January 1832 and 31st March 1832 (Sydney Gazette 14 June 1832).....
Thomas Campbell Pedlar assigned to Francis Allman at Maitland
John Lynn Butcher assigned to William Stewart in Sydney

5). Lieutenant George Richard Carmac joined the Buffs on 17 November 1814. He was appointed Ensign on 18 March 1819. In NSW he was acting Commandant at Port Macquarie in November and December 1824 after Captain John Rolland died. Lieutenant Carmac was appointed Captain on 14 December 1826 (2). He married Henrietta, second daughter of Major Maling at Calcutta in February 1833. His wife gave birth to a daughter at Ghazeepore in 1835. He died at Meerut in 1838 after a few days fever and illness. 'This Officer who was senior captain in the 3rd regiment had served with it for a period of nineteen years. [1]

Commandants at Port Macquarie....
Francis Allman 1821 -1824
Captain Rolland succeeded Allman April 1824
Lieutenant Carmac, 1824
Henry Gillman 1824 - 1826
Archibald Clunes Innes 1826-1827

6). William Marrs was tried at the Old Bailey 24 October 1821 - He was admitted to the Leviathan hulk at Portsmouth 3 December 1821 under sentence of transportation for life. He was transferred to the Asia on 26th March 1822. On arrival in the Colony he was sent to the Parramatta district. He was granted a ticket of leave for the district of Sutton Forrest in May 1832 which was altered to Bungonia in 1836. His ticket of leave was cancelled in May 1838 for repeated drunkenness and restored 9th December 1839 district Goulburn. He applied to marry Eliza Ryan (per ship Roslin Castle) in August 1842 which was granted, however no marriage is recorded. When he petitioned for a pardon in 1846 his masters were Francis Rossi and Francis McArthur (both at Goulburn). William Marrs description was included on his Conditional Pardon which was granted 8 September 1847 - Trade: butcher; 5ft 6 1/2 in, ruddy complexion, black hair, dark eyes.


7). Convicts of the Asia identified in the Hunter Valley

Abbott, Benjamin

Bagshaw, John

Bentley, Joseph

Box, James

Brown, William

Bryden, Henry

Burns, John

Campbell, Thomas

Cox, John

Darman, John

Davis, John

Dover, John

Earl, George

Edwards, William

Fisher, William

Fitzgerald, Thomas

Gilbert, George

Harris, Henry

Hart, John

Holland, Richard

Kirk, Michael

Lynn, John

Lynn, William

Maunder, John

Mobbs, James

Nicholls, George

Padmore, Alfred

Palmer, John

Parker, John

Perry, Benjamin

Pitman, William

Reed, Thomas

Robbins, Richard

Robinson, Thomas

Rolston, John

Sadler, John

Sayer, Robert

Sheppard, William

Shipton, John

Smith, James

Stammers, Samuel

Thomas, Henry

Trowbridge, Henry

Walton, John

White, Thomas

Woodhead, William

References

[1] Asiatic Journal

[2] Asiatic Journal

[3] Bateson, Charles Library of Australian History (1983). The convict ships, 1787-1868 (Australian ed). Library of Australian History, Sydney : pp.344-345, 383

[4] Home Office: Convict Prison Hulks: Registers and Letter Books; Class: HO9; Piece: 8 Description Year Range: 1801-1836 Source Information Ancestry.com. UK, Prison Hulk Registers and Letter Books, 1802-1849