Free Settler or Felon
Convict and Colonial History




Convict Ship Emma Eugenia - 1838


Embarked 200 men
Voyage 95 days
Deaths 1
Surgeon's Journal: yes
Previous vessel: Waterloo arrived 8 February 1838
Next vessel: Diamond arrived 28 March 1838
Master Giles Wade
Surgeon Robert Wylie
Prisoners and passengers of the Emma Eugenia identified in the Hunter Valley


The Emma Eugenia was built at Whitby in 1833. She made five voyages to Australia with convicts - 1838 (NSW); 1842 (VDL); 1844 (VDL); 1846 (VDL); 1851 (VDL).[2]

The Convicts

Two hundred prisoners were embarked on the Emma Eugenia from the Hulks at Portsmouth in October 1837.

They had been convicted in counties in England - Dorset, London, Norfolk, Suffolk, Southampton, Somerset, Wiltshire, Oxford, Northampton, Essex, Surrey, Cambridge, Kent, Cornwall, Devon, Berkshire and Jersey. Several were former soldiers court-martialed at Malta, Zante, Corfu  and Davenport.

Their crimes included stealing, receiving, robbery, forgery and bigamy. Two of the soldiers court-martialed were James Edwards, originally from Derby was sentenced to 14 years transportation in Malta for attempting to shoot his sergeant-major and Robert McMurray from Cork was sentenced to transportation for life for striking his drum-major.

Carleton William Roche, solicitor and clerk was sentenced to 7 years transportation for embezzlement.

Military Guard

The guard consisted of Ensign Love, 28th regiment., Lieut. Rice, 52nd regiment., Serjeant Bernard Turley, Corporal Dickinson, 29 rank and file of the 28th, 50th, 52nd and 80th regiment and their wives and families.

Departure

The Emma Eugenia departed London on 6th November 1837.

Surgeon Robert Wylie

Robert Wylie R.N. kept a Medical Journal from 7 October 1837 to 24 February 1838. He reported that the passage through the tropics was favourable. Scurvy appeared by January, however according to the surgeon the disease was checked with lemon juice and sugar. Nitre in vinegar was tried also but found not as effective as lemon juice. Forty seven years old Thomas Whipps died on 8th February 1838.[1]

Port Jackson

The Emma Eugenia arrived in Port Jackson on Friday 9th February 1838. Two convicts died shortly after arrival - James Day and George Burls both died on 20th February 1838 in Sydney hospital.

Notes and Links

1). Detachments of the 28th regiment arrived on Recovery, Lady McNaughten, Charles Kerr, Westmoreland, Marquis of Huntley, Norfolk, Backwell, England, John Barry, Susan, Waterloo, Moffatt, Strathfieldsaye. Portsea and Emma Eugenia.

2). Detachments of the 80th regiment arrived on 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.


3). Robert Wylie was also employed as Surgeon-Superintendent on convict ships Henry Wellesley in 1836 and the Barossa in 1839.


4). Edward Missenden Love - appointed to the 28th regt., from the Military College (Sydney Monitor 24 January 1838).....He was appointed Lieutenant, 17th August, 1838; captain, 20th December, 1842 and Retired in 1849. (Historical records of the 91st Argyll shire Highlanders)

5). Chief officer of the Emma Eugenia was Mr. Pritchard. Two of the seamen were John Hamilton and George Field

References

[1] Medical Journal of Robert Wylie on the voyage of the Emma Eugenia in 1838. Ancestry.com. UK, Royal Navy Medical Journals, 1817-1857 The National Archives. Kew, Richmond, Surrey.

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