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 »
Faddy Naval Family
LIEUTENANT WILLIAM JOHN FADDY Born: 1746 Married: 17 November 1784 to Martha Escott Johnson at St Paul’s Exeter Died: 1 August 1798 on Admiral Horatio Nelson’s ship Vanguard at the Battle of the Nile William John Faddy was 2nd Lieutenant of Marines with the 88th Company serving on HMS Champion, Medway and Crescent then in 1783 on Continue Reading »
Tony Robinson discovers Australia
Thanks to an invitation from WTFN Media Productions (Olwyn Jones) the First Fleet Fellowship was given an opportunity to participate in a Television production which involved Tony Robinson and his team visiting four states of Australia. Englishman Tony Robinson is a renowned producer of British documentaries – ‘The Time Team’, ‘Catastrophe’ and some years ago ‘Blackadder’. Our part of this production was to make available four descendants of the First Fleet. Helen Lucas, Cheryl Continue Reading »