HMS Berwick .... HMS Sirius I suppose most of us, having read the standard references, know that HMS Sirius started life as HMS Berwick. I certainly had only that information. The publication the Sirius, Past and Present by Graeme Henderson and Myra Stanbury, published by Collins Australia, Chapter 2, Building and Outfitting the Berwick, is a fascinating account, telling the story of this early life of HMS Sirius, as well as a general study of shipping of the period. There is considerable Continue Reading »
Lady Penrhyn
Lady Penrhyn, a three-masted wooden cargo vessel of 338 tons, was built in 1786 on the River Thames, by Edward Greaves of Limehouse London for Curtis & Co., London. She had a length of 103 9/10 feet and a beam of 27 5/10 feet, with a round house and quarter badges, with a woman figure-head. The ship’s name was given in honour of Lady Ann Susannah, wife of Richard Pennant who was a Liverpool merchant prince who founded his fortune on the slave trade and inherited estates in Jamaica. On 6 Continue Reading »
Friendship
Friendship was a convict transport ship of 276 tons, which was built in Scarborough England, in 1784, for her owners Hoppers of Scarborough. Aboard on the voyage to Botany Bay, were the Master, Captain Francis Walton, Assistant Surgeon Thomas Arnell and Marines, Captain James Meredith, Lieutenant Ralph Clark, and Lieutenant William. As the smallest of the transports Friendship probably carried a crew of around 20. Her 76 male and 21 female convicts were loaded at Plymouth. Continue Reading »
Alexander
There was not a name more suited to an all male convict transport vessel than Alexander. Built at Hull in 1783 as a three-mast, two decks with a quarter deck but no galleries or figure-head it was the largest vessel in the fleet, except for Sirius, at 453 tons, 114 feet long and 31 feet wide. Alexander was owned by a Southwark master mariner William Walton, whose company Walton & Co., decided there was money to be made transporting convicts to Botany Bay. The transport was Continue Reading »
Fishburn
The store-ship Fishburn was built in Whitby in 1780 and was owned by Leightons, who were also the owners of the Golden Grove and Borrowdale. Fishburn was the largest store-ship at 378 tons, fully rigged, and 6’1” between decks afore, 5’9” midships and 7’1” abaft. The commander for her voyage to Botany Bay was Master Robert Brown who in a rare log book entry says they hogg’d ships bottom in preparation for the long voyage. Fishburn Storeship (Marine Artist Frank Allen) James Continue Reading »
Charlotte
Charlotte, one of the ‘two ladies’ of the fleet, was built on the River Thames in 1784 as a three masted, two-decker, barque built ship, weighing 345 tons. Charlotte was chartered by the Admiralty from its owner Mr Matthews late in 1786. She was fixed out at Deptford, one of the royal dockyards established to build, repair and victual ships of the Royal Navy. Her master for the voyage to Botany Bay was Captain Thomas Gilbert. Charlotte carried 88 male convicts and 20 female, among them were Continue Reading »
The Voyage
How one London newspaper recorded history Government is now about settling a colony in New Holland, in the Indian seas; and the Commissioners of the Navy are now advertising for 1500 ton of transports. This settlement is to be formed at Botany Bay, on the west side of the island, where Captain Cook refreshed and staid for some time on his voyage in 1770. As he first sailed around that side of the island. he called it New South Wales, and the two Capes at the mouth of the river were called by Continue Reading »
Borrowdale
Borrowdale, a fully rigged wooden sailing ship, was the youngest of the three Storeships or victualler. She was built in Sunderland England for the owners Leightons & Co in 1785, two years before the trip to Botany Bay. Once the decision was made to assemble ships for the journey to Botany Bay, the Navy Board advertised extensively for shipping and accepted the tender submitted by William Richards’s jnr. Borrowdale was fitted out as a transport, and for protection 4 guns were Continue Reading »
Lucas Family
Nathaniel Lucas The history of the Lucas family in Australia begins at London’s Old Bailey in July, 1784, with the trial of Nathaniel Lucas, who was sentenced to seven years transportation for the theft of linen clothing to the value of £2.2s.2d. Nathaniel was evidently out of favour with the wife of the publican at the Red Lion Inn at Holborn, near London, where he had lodgings. They had clashed over her demands for early payment of board, and his lack patronage of the inn’s bar. The day Continue Reading »
James Ruse
FIRST CONVICT FARMER Gloria Axcelsis In Sacred To the memrey of James Ruse who departed this life Sept 5th in the year of houre Lord 1837 Natef of Cornwell and arrived in this coleney by the Forst Fleet Aged 77 My mother reread me Tenderly With me she tock much paines And when I arrived in this coelney I owed the forst grain and now With my hevenly Father I hope ever to remain So reads the headstone of James RUSE who was born on 9 August 1759 Continue Reading »
