Convict Ship Eden - 1836
Embarked: 280 men
Voyage: 113 days
Deaths: 3
Surgeon's Journal: yes
Captain Mollison
Surgeon Gilbert King
The Eden was built in London in 1826.
Surgeon Gilbert King
Gilbert King kept a Medical Journal from 3 August 1836 to 18 January 1837.The Eden departed Deptford on 14 August 1836 and anchored off Woolwich shortly afterwards. The following day 180 convicts were received from shore and they sailed again the next morning for Portsmouth. It took five or six days to reach Portsmouth because of adverse winds.
On 22 August a further 100 convicts were received from the hulks in Portsmouth Harbour, 'middle aged and athletic men, many of them soldiers' according to the surgeon, completing the number of 280.
They attempted to sail on 30 August but could not do so until the following day because of adverse winds. These continued to be a problem until as far as the Isles of Scilly when part of the stem of the ship was carried away and they were forced to bear up for Plymouth Harbour where they remained until 3rd September 1836.
The Voyage
The convicts suffered from sea sickness on the voyage causing scurvy to appear shortly after crossing the equator. The surgeon treated the men by diet, keeping them on deck as much as possible and promoting cheerfulness with singing and dancing, however scurvy became so prevalent as to make it absolutely necessary to call at Table Bay, Cape of Good Hope, for fresh provisions.Cape of Good Hope
They arrived there on 16th November. The stay at the Cape was short but of great benefit to the convicts and they improved so much that Gilbert King agreed to take an extra 22 convicts from the Cape.They arrived at Hobart Town on 21 December 1836 and landed at that port and at Sydney, 299 prisoners.
Free Passengers and Guard
Passengers arriving on the Eden included Captain West of 80th regiment, and Ensign Ewen of the 41st regiment. The Guard consisted of 30 rank and file of the 80th regiment.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.
Notes and Links
1). Gilbert King was employed as surgeon on the convict ships Medway 1825 (VDL) Lord Lyndoch in 1831 (VDL) Eden in 1836 and the Moffatt in 1838 (VDL)2). Convicts and passengers of the Eden identified in the Hunter Valley region
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