Master Walter Young.  Surgeon Superintendent Edward Hilditch R.N.

The Theresa was the next convict ship to leave England for New South Wales after the departure of the Portsea in July. The Theresa left Deptford on 28 September 1838 bound for Woolwich where she received 200 male prisoners the following day and 66 more on 2nd October.

Many of the prisoners of the Theresa had been held in prison hulks prior to embarkation.   Select here to read a Prison Hulk Report describing a typical week in the life of convicts incarcerated in the Hulks in 1838.

The Theresa departed Portsmouth with 264 male prisoners on 10 October 1838, did not touch anywhere, and arrived at Port Jackson on 31 January 1839. The voyage had taken 112 days.

Officers of the Guard were Captain Samuel Lettsom and Ensign Cookney of the 80th regiment accompanied by 31 rank and file of the 51st and 30th regiments. Other convict ships bringing detachments of the 80th regiment included the Lloyds, Bengal Merchant,  Asia, Lady Kennaway, Captain Cook, Earl Grey, St. Vincent, John, Norfolk, Prince George, Mangles, Heber, Calcutta and Eden.

Edward Hilditch was also surgeon on the convict ship Susan in 1837 (to VDL)

Hunter Valley convicts arriving on the Theresa in 1839

Details of the voyage of the Thomas Harrison are now on a separate page.

Select here to find out more about the voyage of the Thomas Harrison in 1836

Details of the voyage of the Three Bees are now on a separate page.

Select here to find out more about the voyage of the Three Bees in 1814

Master Dugald McDougall.  Surgeon Superintendent Robert Armstrong

From Charles Bateson's Convict Ships - The Tottenham was built at Stockholm in 1802 by Thomas Haw for the London shipowner, Robert Wigram. Exclusive of her equipment, she cost fourteen pounds per ton, her builder receiving a payment of £7,238. She measured 102ft 6ins on the keel and 31ft in breadth. Her tonnage when built was 517 tons, but when she arrived at Port Jackson in 1818 she was officially recorded as being of 557 tons, and paid harbour due on this tonnage. She was then a three-decker of the second class, and ship-rigged.

W.B. Cramp wrote in an account of his voyages - At length I was engaged by Messrs Robinson to join his Majesty's Ship Tottenham, bound to New South Wales with 200 convicts. On June 8th (1817) I joined her. After receiving all the ship's and government stores on board, we proceeded to Woolwich, and received on board 50 of our number, and in the afternoon of the same day we made sail, and on a sudden struck on a reef at low water; we were lying high and dry; every means was used to get her off, but without success, till we sent our convicts up to the hulks, and discharged our stores into the different crafts sent for that purpose, and by that means lightened her so, that at the flood she drifted ; she was so materially damaged, it was deemed necessary she should return back to Deptford to Dock. I had not waited long in London until I joined the Lady Castlereagh....... (*Note - the Lady Castlereagh departed England 22 December 1817)

According to Joseph Godber's letter to his wife Rebecca, the Tottenham sailed from Sheerness on Sunday 11th January 1818 and went as far as Deal before returning to Sheerness on 24th January in consequence of a misfortune befalling the ship.

The Tottenham departed Spithead on 27th March 1818, however three days later it was found that the upper pintle of her rudder was broken off and she put into Plymouth for repairs. She sailed from there for New South Wales on April 17 1818.

By June scurvy had broken out and on the 18th June 1818 surgeon Armstrong wrote - In consequence of scurvy having appeared to an undesirable extent amongst the prisoners and calculating upon the length of the voyage and the probability of the disease gaining ground stated to the Master the necessity of touching at Rio de Janeiro or some other port for the purpose of obtaining a supply of fresh provisions for the prisoners and Guard. By the time she put into Rio on June 24 there had been 36 cases of scurvy, of which 16 were still under treatment. The Tottenham remained at Rio until July 16, but when she arrived at Sydney on 14 October 1818, of the two hundred prisoners who had embarked a total of ten men had lost their lives.

This was Robert Armstrong's first voyage as Surgeon Superintendent and he proved to be a humane and level-headed man. He was later employed as surgeon on the convict ships  Dick in 1821 and the  Countess of Harcourt in 1822.

He handled the difficult conditions on the long voyage in a common-sense and capable way. There were rumours of mutiny which Armstrong recorded in his journal but they came to nothing and there was no corporal punishment meted out. The only serious event occurred on July 26 when a sentry fired a shot into one of the stanchions after prisoners attempted to put out his light. No shots were aimed at the convicts and later, Governor Macquarie after an investigation and perusal of the Medical Journal, gave his full approval of the conduct of Robert Armstrong

Some of the Pentrich Rioters were transported on the Tottenham. They had been sent to the hulk Retribution moored at Woolwich on 30th November 1817 from Derby where they had been tried and convicted of High Treason on 25 September 1817.

One of the men, Joseph Manchester Turner wrote a letter to folks at home from the hulk - 6th December 1817. "I promised to inform you of some particulars respecting out situation. We arrived here on Sunday, and are confined in the same cell as the prisoners from the Isle of Ely were confined in (a privilege other prisoners were not allowed): we are ironed and go out to work;  we were told our sentence on Tuesday night by the chaplain of our ship. We have barley and oatmeal night and morning, and beef for dinner, four days in the week, and the other days bread and cheese. There is a school and chapel in the hulk, which is regularly attended, and it is far from being a reprobate place, as we were led to believe at Derby; for if a person is inclined, every encouragement is allowed him to improve his morals. By our good behaviour we hope to gain a mitigation of our sentence, and enjoy our liberty once more. A ship is expected here to proceed to Botany Bay in fifteen days, and having made no provision for our journey, you will be so kind to tell the other prisoners to bring shoes, stockings, knives, razors, needles, and sewing cotton, looking glasses and combs, which are very expensive here". (The Times [London, England] 25 Dec. 1817: 3. The Times Digital Archive. Web. 11 Mar. 2013.)

Other Pentrich rioters included George Weightman aged 25;  Thomas Bacon aged 62;  John Bacon aged 52;   John MacKesswick aged 37;  John Hill aged 30;  George Brassington aged 32;  German Buxton aged 29; Thomas Bettison aged 34;  Josiah Godber aged 50. Other Pentrich rioters were transported on the Isabella in 1818.  Select Pentrich Rebellion site to read six letters written by Josiah Godber to his wife -  one while on board the prison hulk Retribution, one while on board the Tottenham convict ship and four from Sydney.

A cargo of Brazil tobacco also arrived on the Tottenham, to the great relief of users as the shortage in the colony had caused the price to rise considerably.

Governor Macquarie recorded in his journal on Monday 8th February 1819 that it blew a very hard Gale all this Day from the South East – which Drove some of the Ships in the Cove from their anchors however the Tottenham Transport got on shore with out being damaged or injured. The Tottenham departed Sydney a few days later under the command of the Chief Officer however it was reported in the Sydney Gazette that she took several days getting out of the Heads due to bad weather and baffling winds.

Captain of the Tottenham, Dugald McDougall died on 10th February 1819 in Sydney aged 39. His funeral took place on the 11th February and was attended by the Governor and all the Officers of the Garrison.

Some of the convicts arriving on the Tottenham in 1818 have been identified in the Hunter Valley in following years. Select HERE to find out more about these men.

Peter Penneys arrived as a convict on the Tottenham. In February 1821 he escaped from the colony with another convict William White as a stowaway on the Dromedary which was returning to England. They were discovered and handed over to the authorities on arrival. Both men were later re-transported on the Asia in 1822. Select here to read about their harrowing ordeal on the Dromedary.  Penneys was sent to Port Macquarie on arrival in 1822 where he was employed as a shipwright and overseer of boat builders. With several other men he escaped from the colony in 1824.

CSome of the convicts arriving on the Tottenham in 1818 have identified in the Hunter Valley in8

 Asiatic Journal

The Tottenham departed Sydney in February 1819. The Sydney Gazette reported:

The various detachments that have arrived to this Colony as guards in the transports lately from Europe were embarked on board the Tottenham on Monday morning last, under the command of Captain Wallis of the 46th, in order to their being conveyed to join their respective corps at present stationed in the British Settlements in India. It is reported the vessel proceeds on her voyage early tomorrow. (SG 20 February 1819). The Tottenham was delayed by adverse winds and did not actually depart until Wednesday 3rd March 1819.

Below is A View of the Cove and Part of Sydney, Taken from Dawe's Battery, c. 1818 engraved by Walter Preston from an Original Drawing by Capt. Wallis of 46th regiment.

Master Carsey Bell. Surgeon Superintendent Henry Ryan

The Tyne was the next convict ship to leave Ireland for New South Wales after the departure of the Martha in August 1818.

Officer of the Military Guard was Captain Roe of the 84th regiment. Captain Roe was accompanied by his wife whose health had been impaired but who had benefited much by the voyage.

He reported that the prisoners were remarkably healthy. Several of the men a few days after they came on board were attacked with slight inflammatory affections of their bowels which was soon removed by bleeding; the cause of these attacks was attributed to the sudden change of diet from jail allowance of bread and milk, to their full allowance of one pound of beef, one pound of bread and a sufficient quantity of vegetables; and oatmeal for their breakfast. Surgeon Ryan wrote that several of the convicts were of the poorest order, therefore the change was greater and more likely to produce sickness. Attention was paid to cleanliness and allowing the convicts on deck every day. Special attention was given to the very old men on board and port wine, Donkins' Preserved Meat and tea were frequently served to them.

The Sydney Gazette reported on Saturday 16th January - On Wednesday morning last, at ten o'clock, His Excellency; the Governor inspected the prisoners who were that morning landed, having arrived in the General Stuart and Tyne; all of whom were in a perfectly healthy state, denoting the humane and judicious attention they had received upon their voyage. His Excellency, on the muster of the General Stuart’s people, enquired whether they had any complaints against the Surgeon Superintendent, under whose guidance they had been especially placed; or against the Officer of the military guard; or against the Commander of the ship, or his Officers; which demand was answered by a universal cry of "no, no, no, none, none whatever." We are sorry to add, however, that several of the men were distinguished from the others for a most daring and insulting demeanour towards the Commander of the guard, and the detachment under his orders; for which they were directed to be placed in the gaol gang during His Excellency’s pleasure, with the assurance that their removal from thence would depend upon a reformed conduct. The inspection of the Tyne's prisoners was accompanied by no such complaint; the men were reported to have generally well conducted themselves; and were appropriated, as were all the others with the exception already noticed, to suitable situations.

Hunter Valley convicts arriving on the Tyne in 1819

Master John Smith.  Surgeon Superintendent  James Dickson

The Guard for the Vittoria consisted of a detachment of 30 men of the 63rd regiment, under orders of Lieut. Aubyn. They joined the ship at Deptford in August.  It may be this Lieutenant Aubyn who was mentioned in the Last of the Tasmanians: or the Black war of Van Diemen's Land published by James Bonwick.  Other convict ships bringing detachments of the 63rd regiment included America,  Albion Royal George, Countess of Harcourt, Governor Ready, Katherine Stewart Forbes, Waterloo and Sarah.

One hundred and sixty prisoners were embarked at Woolwich and Devonport. Four Commissariat clerks - Messrs. Archdeacon, Vaux, Ganes and Kent came as passengers. D.A.C.G. Vaux was a brother in law of Colonel Morisset. He died after being swept off the rocks at Port Macquarie in April 1834.

The Vittoria departed Devonport for Port Jackson under E.N.E winds and a fine day on 1 September 1828. She touched at Teneriffe where water was procured and left there on the 24 September 1828.

The surgeon reported that about the latitude of the Cape of Good Hope when the weather began to cool, symptoms of scorbutus exhibited themselves notwithstanding every attention paid to the soaking of provisions, exercise, clothing, ventilation, cleanliness towards the termination of the voyage. This dreadful malady had increased to an alarming extent and from the long passage all the medical comforts, lemon juice were expended. Immediately upon the arrival at Port Jackson, all the sick were sent on shore to the hospital.

The Vittoria departed for Batavia in February

Resources used to compile Convict Ship pages:

Sydney Gazette, The Australian, The Monitor, The Maitland Mercury and other publications available via Australia Trove

UK, Prison Hulk Registers and Letter Books, 1802-1849 - Ancestry

Various 19th Century British Library Newspapers available via National Library of Australia eResourses ( see Cora Num's site for instructions to access)

Lesley Uebel's Port Jackson Convict Anthology

Surgeon's Journals at National Archives

Surgeon's Journals at Ancestry

Publications available at Google Books

Historical Records of New South Wales Vols. 1 - VII

Martin Cash: His personal narrative as a bushranger in Van Diemens Land

Free Settler or Felon Database

Journeys In Time 1809 - 1822 - The Journals of Lachlan and Elizabeth Macquarie

The Proceedings of the Old Bailey Online

North to Matsumae, Australian Whalers to Japan by Noreen Jones.

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].

Australian Town and Country Journal 3 January 1891 - Arrivals of vessels at Port Jackson and Departures of same up to 1817