Free Settler or Felon
Convict and Colonial History




Convict Ship Lloyds - 1837


Embarked: 200 men
Voyage: 110 days
Deaths 0
Surgeon's Journal: yes
Previous vessel: Heber arrived 12 July 1837
Next vessel: Calcutta arrived 5 August 1837
Master Edward Garret
Surgeon  David Watson
Prisoners and passengers of the Lloyds identified in the Hunter Region


The Lloyds was built in London in 1830.[1] Convicts were transported to Australia on the Lloyds in 1833 (NSW), 1837 (NSW) and 1845 (VDL).

Military Guard

The guard consisted of Captain Patrick Plunkett of 80th regiment, Ensign Needham, 50th regiment and twenty nine rank and file of the 80th regiment with their wives and families, four boys of the 4th regiment. Passengers Mrs. Plunkett and four children and Miss Plunkett.

Departure

The Lloyds departed the Downs on 23 March 1837.

Instructions to Surgeons

A new set of Instructions were issued to Surgeons in 1836 -

Admiralty, 1st November 1836

The Surgeons Superintendent of Convicts Ships are particularly desired to notice, that they will be required to render a regular Sick Book, with the Journal, and the Nosological Synopsis now added thereto, in a complete and Scientific state, together with a Certificate from the Medical Storekeeper at Deptford, as to the condition and number of their Surgical Instruments, in all respects the same as is employed in King's Ships, agreeably to the new Instructions for the Service Afloat, and that in the event of any failure in these particulars, the Certificates necessary from this Department, to entitle them to receive their Pay and Allowances will be withheld, W. Burnett, Physician General.

Surgeon David Watson

David Watson kept a detailed Medical Journal from 9th March 1837 to 24 July 1837 -


It is evident from the preceding journal that all the cases which occurred during the voyage were of a trivial nature and not calculated to call forth any particular observations in this place.

I have been obliged to include under some heads diseases, which certainly do not partake of the severity of symptoms to be expected from their names. Thus under the head Phlogosis, an ordinary bilious attack has to be considered as hepatitis; a pain in the side or in the chest - Enteritis and Pneumonia respectively.

There were prominent symptoms, but not so severe as to merit these names. There were many cases which were relieved by a single dose of medicine. Several cases of itch occurred on board originating among and chiefly confined to the guard. They were all cured by the use of the preparation of sulphur. There were also many more small ulcers and boils but too trifling to put on the list.

Upon the whole it may be said that there was very little sickness. Although Cephalalgia has no place in Cullen's Nosology, I have felt myself obliged to introduce it and rank under this head many cases which occurred in which this was the prominent symptom and sometimes the only symptom of disease that could be detected. Many of the cases were of that variety which has been called Gravedo - generally in the catarrhal cases - the others were from irregularities in eating, imperfect digestion and Cathartics always succeeded.

I daily saw and examined every convict under my charge I was present at every muster and when wine lemonade was served with the exception of two days, I heard every man answer to his name and made them cross the deck before in rotation and have thus often detected incipient diseases - David Watson [2]


Thirty-six prisoners were recorded on the Sick List in his journal. Their illness ranged from abscesses, headaches, catarrh, ulcers, pain in the side or chest and cut fingers. No deaths occurred. [2]

Port Jackson

Two hundred prisoners arrived in Port Jackson on 17 July 1837. More than eighty men were later assigned or lived in the Hunter Valley region. Many were assigned to the Australian Agricultural Company on arrival.

Departure from the Colony

The Lloyds was to depart Sydney for London via Twofold Bay (for oil) and Hobart on 3rd September 1837.

Notes and Links

1). David Watson was also surgeon on the Lord Lyndoch in 1833.

2). Detachments of the 80th regiment arrived the Lady Kennaway, Lloyds, Norfolk, Bengal Merchant, Asia, Captain Cook, Earl Grey, St. Vincent, John, Prince George, Mangles, Heber, Theresa, Calcutta, Eden, Emma Eugenia and Blundell.

References

[1] Bateson, Charles Library of Australian History (1983). The Convict Ships, 1787-1868 (Australian ed). Library of Australian History, Sydney : pp.354-355, 390

[2] Ancestry.com. UK, Royal Navy Medical Journals, 1817-1857. Medical Journal of David Watson on the voyage of the Lloyds in 1837. The National Archives. Kew, Richmond, Surrey.