Free Settler or Felon
Convict and Colonial History




Convict Ship Hero - 1835


Embarked: 202 men
Voyage: 169 days
Deaths: 5
Surgeon's Journal: no
Previous vessel: Westmoreland arrived 15 July 1835
Next vessel: Mary arrived 6 September 1835
Captain Henry C. Dowson
Surgeon David Boyter
Follow the Irish Convict Ship Trail
Convicts and passengers of the Hero identified in the Hunter Valley region

The Voyage

The Hero departed Dublin on 15 March 1835. An account of the voyage was published in the Sydney Herald on 3 September 1835

The Hero, convict ship, which arrived from Dublin on Monday last, has had a long and unfortunate passage. She put in at Rio de Janeiro on the 28th May at which place were the Redman and Roslyn Castle, from this port to London, passengers and crew all well. The Roslyn Castle had put in for water, and to repair, having lost her rudder etc. When the Hero was off St. Paul's she encountered a tremendous storm, in which she lost her chronometers, mizen-mast, five of her cabins, the whole of her mails, one of the mates and two seamen; in consequence of which the Captain was under the necessity of running on to King George's Sound for repairs. From the serious nature of the accident, and the dreadful sea that was running at the time, it is almost miraculous the Hero did not founder. The only vessel at King George's Sound was the Sir David Ogleby, which has come into port. The Hero had an excellent passage from the Sound, having run up in thirteen days only.

Military Guard and Passengers

Passengers included Captain Best of the 50th regiment, Lieutenant Duff, 21st regiment, Ensign Lucas 17th regiment and 29 rank and file of the 78th, 28th and 50th regiment with 7 women and 9 children.

Port Jackson

The Hero arrived in Port Jackson on 31 August 1835. She was reported still in the stream with prisoners on board on 12 September 1835.

Convicts Disembarked

The prisoners were landed on Tuesday 16th September and marched to the Hyde Park Barracks.

Assignment

Distribution of the 197 prisoners per ship Hero:
Assigned to Private Service 176
Reserved for Government employ 14
Sent to Port Macquarie 3
In Hospital 4

Notes and Links

1). The Hero was one of fourteen vessels bringing prisoners to New South Wales in 1835, six of them brought Irish prisoners.

2). Convicts and passengers of the Hero identified in the Hunter Valley region

3). Detachments of the 50th regiment arrived on the Surry, Forth, Bengal Merchant Hooghley, Susan, Blenheim, Royal Admiral, Lady Nugent, Parmelia, James Laing, Hive, Hooghley, Captain Cook, Hero, Roslin Castle, Henry Porcher, Henry Tanner and Lady Kennaway.

4). This was David Boyter's last voyage as Surgeon Superintendent on a convict ship. He was previously surgeon on the Camden in 1831 the Andromeda in 1833 and Mermaid in 1830