Free Settler or Felon
Convict and Colonial History




Convict Ship Forth 1 - 1830


Embarked: 118 men
Voyage: 115 days
Deaths: 3
Surgeon's Journal: yes
Tons: 397
Crew: 31 men
Previous vessel: Dunvegan Castle arrived 30 March 1830
Next vessel: Mermaid arrived 6 May 1830
Master David Proudfoot.
Surgeon William Clifford
Follow the Irish Convict Ship Trail
Hunter Valley Convicts and Passengers arriving on the Forth


Between the months of 1 January 1830 and 1 January 1831, six ships departed Ireland with approximately 850 prisoners bound for New South Wales......

Forth (I), Forth (II) (females), Hercules, Andromeda, Edward and the Waterloo

The Return of the Number of Convicts Transported from Ireland to New South Wales between those dates reveals that the prisoners had been held in the following three prisons:

Hulk Surprise (334 convicts), located at Cork
Hulk Essex (400 convicts) located at Dublin
Cork Penitentiary (females) (120 convicts).

The total of 854 prisoners noted in the Return is a little short of Charles Bateson total in The Convict Ships (845), but is close and may not account for those who were rejected by the surgeon as being too ill to survive the voyage.

Among the prisoners were ploughmen, glaziers, labourers, servants, cow boys, weavers, tailors and butchers. They had been sent for crimes ranging from pick pocketing and vagrancy to abduction and manslaughter. There were a few soldiers who had been tried for desertion.

Departure

The Forth was the next vessel to leave Ireland for New South Wales after the departure of the James Pattison in October 1829.(2) The last view the Forth convicts had of Ireland was probably as the ship lay in the Cove of Cork on New Years Eve 1829 as they departed Cork on 1 January 1830. They were off St. Jago on 22nd January 1830 and sailed past St. Paul on 20th March 1830

Cove of Cork...Cove of Cork


Military Guard

The military guard consisted of Ensign C. Miller and 27 rank and file of the 17th regt., with 3 women and 2 children under command of Captain James Oliphant Clunie. Select here to find convict ships bringing detachments of the 17th regiment.



17th regiment serving in Australia in 1831 - Australian Almanac...Australian Almanac 1831 - 17th Regiment in Australia.


Passengers

Free passengers (steerage) included Michael Moore, Bernard Reilly and Michael Reilly (NSW State Records shipping list).


Surgeon William Clifford

William Clifford kept a Medical Journal from 20 December 1829 to 4 May 1830...........The convicts embarked on the Forth were without exception men whose habits from the earliest period indolent in the extreme and disposed to depression and illness...To keep up that system and regularity of discipline and cleanliness so conducive to health and personal comfort on ship during a long voyage made with vicissitudes of climate required every energy during the early stage and as we advanced to the Tropics when fever appeared. (1)

Convicts treated by the surgeon (see National Archives transcription or Surgeon's Journal for more information):

Patrick Millet (Mellot), aged 22, convict

William White, aged 35, convict

John Cleary, aged 19, convict

Patrick Tobin, aged 23, convict

W Blaylock, aged 30, corporal 17th Regiment, taken ill at sea; case number 5; sick or hurt, hernia humeralis, fell down the afterhatchway, received severe contusion of right testicle

Edmund Sheehan, aged 19, convict

Patrick Tobin, aged 17, convict

Joseph Kelly, aged 30, convict, taken ill off Isle of St. Jago; his constitution appears to labour under scurvy. Has a phlegmonous swelling situated over the middle and anterior part of the tibia of right leg; put on sick list, 22 January 1830, discharged 30 January 1830 well

David Noonan, aged 24, convict

Will Commoroy, aged 30, convict, pneumonia; put on sick list, 25 January 1830. Sent 1 May 1830 to hospital Sydney

James Walton, aged 22, soldier 17th Regiment

Patrick Corrall, aged 35, convict

Arthur Mulloy, aged 30, convict, in consequence of falling from the fore rigging and receiving a wound three inches in length dividing the scalp and the left parietal bone; put on sick list 10 February 1830, discharged 21 February 1830 well.

Thomas Fleming, aged 16, boy convict

Edmond Russell, aged 39, convict

Patrick Scully, aged 32, convict

Walter Cody, aged 30, convict

Corporal W Sharp, corporal 17th Regiment

Timothy Murphy, aged 32, convict, dysenteria, pain of the lower part of abdomen; put on sick list, 23 February 1830, died 14 March 1830 at 4 pm.

Daniel Sheehan, aged 60, convict, taken ill at sea; case number 20; sick or hurt, scorbutus, on embarking appeared in good health considering his age, now complains of great weakness, loss of strength, spirits dejected; put on sick list, 24 February 1830, date of discharge unknown.

John McCarthy, aged 29, guard 17th regt.

Edward Hallarhan, aged 20, convict

Will Coalton, aged 21, guard 17th Regiment

W Larkin, aged 19, convict

Thomas Pyne, aged 39, convict

Will Flynne, aged 32, convict

Mary Coglan [Coughlan], wife of George Coughlan guard 17th Regiment, scald of the left leg; put on sick list, 14 March 1830, discharged 6 May 1830 well.

John McMahon, aged 17, convict, taken ill off St. Paul; ulcus scorbutis; put on sick list 20 March 1830, discharged 30 March 1830 well.

Will Scoth, aged 22, soldier 17th Regiment

William Hurley, aged 32, convict

Patrick Cody, aged 42, convict, taken ill at sea; sick or hurt, dysenteria, scorbutic appearance accompanied with dysentery; put on sick list, 10 April 1830, died 24 April 1830.

John Coghlin, aged 38, convict.

Port Jackson

The Forth arrived in Port Jackson on 26 April 1830 with 115 male prisoners, three having died from dysentery.- Patrick Cody, Timothy Murphy and Thomas Pyne.

Convict Muster

The Muster was held on board by the Colonial Secretary Alexander McLeay on 28th April 1830. The youngest prisoners on board were Daniel Kirk (16); James Penne and Luke Connor (15); Denis Driscol, Thomas Fleming and Thomas McMahon (14) and Daniel Scamnell who was only 13 years old.

Details taken in the muster include name age, education, religion, marital status, family, native place, trade, offence, when and where tried, sentence, prior convictions, physical descriptions, where assigned on arrival. Included were the following notes:

Edward Aylward - died in Bathurst Hospital

Daniel Berry died in Newcastle Hospital 13 February 1829

Daniel Cleary age 57 spoke no English

Patrick Carroll or McCorroll. Died at Newcastle 2 September 1831

Martin Cormick or McCormick died in the watch house at Hyde Park Barracks 1835

John Carrigan died at Sydney 30 April 1831

Daniel Desmond - from Cork. spoke no English

John Dowde - various punishments in iron gangs etc

Thomas Divine - sent to Cockatoo Island for 12 months

William Flinn - Died at No. 2 Stockade

John Gallivan age 47 from Limerick was the father of 12 children

John Healy - Died in Bathurst Hospital 1835

James Heher - Convicted of Felony and executed at Sydney 1836

Denis Haberline - Executed at Sydney 15 June 1838

John Harrison - Died at Windsor

Michael Kennedy - Died in Maitland Hospital

Patrick Molony age 18 and Michael Molony age 21 from Limerick, brothers. Michael Molony was executed for murder at Sydney 17 June 1836

Cane Mahony - Died at No. 2 Stockade 3 April 1834

Edmond Russell age 30 and Mark Russell age 32 brothers.

Thomas Ryan accidentally killed 18 July 1842

Daniel Scammell aged 13. Sentenced to 3 years at Moreton Bay 15 November 1830 for running away and stealing

Patrick Tobin - Sentenced to 12 months in an iron gang at Parramatta 1835 for theft

James Walsh - Died in Port Macquarie hospital (3)

Notes and Links

1). James Oliphant Clunie joined the 17th Regiment as an ensign in 1813 and was promoted to lieutenant the following year. He first arrived in New South Wales in 1821 as commander of the guard for the convict ship Prince of Orange. In 1821 he was transferred to Madras, India on the Almorah. He returned to New South Wales on this voyage of the Forth in 1830. He succeeded Captain Patrick Logan as Commandant at Moreton Bay and was stationed there from 1830 to 1836. He died in 1851.

2). William Clifford was also surgeon on the convict ships Harmony (VDL) Norfolk in 1832 and Sir Charles Forbes in 1837.

3). Political Prisoners

4). Return of Convicts of the Forth assigned between 1st January 1832 and 31st March 1832 (Sydney Gazette 14 June 1832; 28 June 1832).....

Ralph Nash Wheelwright assigned to Sir John Jamison at Regent Ville

Patrick Connor Errand boy assigned to M.W. Pierce, Seven hills

Terence McGuire Carpenter assigned to James Glennie at Hunters River


5). National Archives - Reference: ADM 101/28/2 Description: Medical journal of the Forth, convict ship from 20 December 1829 to 4 May 1830 by William Clifford, surgeon and superintendent, during which time the ship was employed in a passage to New South Wales.


6). Convict Ships bringing detachments of the 17th regiment.

Dunvegan Castle departed Sheerness 30 September 1829 - Lieut. John Grey

Katherine Stewart Forbes departed Spithead 14 October 1829 - Major Fairtclough 63rd regt.,

Mermaid departed Sheerness 5 December 1829- Lieutenant Isaac Blackburn

Forth 1 departed Cork 1 January 1830 - Captain James Oliphant Clunie

Nithsdale departed Sheerness 1 January 1830 - Captain Robert G. Moffatt

Lady Feversham departed Portsmouth 8 April 1830 - Lieutenant Harvey 29th regt.,

Marquis of Huntley departed Sheerness 9 April 1830 Lieutenant Watson 20th regt.,

Adrian departed Portsmouth 27 April 1830 - Ensign Reynolds

Lord Melville departed the Downs 6 June 1830 - Lieutenant Robert Graham

Hercules departed Dublin 3 July 1830 - Major J.W. Bouverie

Royal Admiral departed Portsmouth 5 July 1830 - Captain John Church

Burrell departed Plymouth 27 July 1830 - Captain John Alexander Edwards

Andromeda departed Cork 28 August 1830 - Captain Charles Forbes

York departed Sheerness 4 September 1830- Lieut-Col. Henry Despard

Edward departed Cork 17 October 1830 - Captain Deeds

Eliza II departed Cork 10 May 1832 - Lieutenant Hewson 4th regiment

Hunter Valley Convicts

The following convicts of the Forth have been identified in the Hunter Valley region


Barry, Daniel
Carman. Assigned to James Reid at Rosebrook


Carroll, Patrick
Ploughman and soldier. Assigned to Thomas Pendergast at Wollombi


Clare, Michael
Tailor. Assigned to John McIntyre at Patterson Plains


Coughlan, William
Ploughman. Assigned to Standish Lawrence Harris


Cox, Joseph
Occupation distiller. Assigned to Thomas Pendergast at Wollombi


Driscoll, Denis
Errand boy. Assigned to Carters Barracks


Farrell, Matthew
Ploughman, reaps, milks. Assigned to John Pike at Pickering


Flaherty, Patrick
Ploughman. Assigned to John Pike at Pickering


Gegan, Michael
Labourer. Assigned to William Bowen at Hunter River


Hickie, Thomas
Maltster. Assigned to Archibald Bell


Jackson, Patrick
Miller, reaps, ploughman. Assigned to Alexander McLeod


Kearney, John
Errand boy. Assigned to Joshua Page at Portland Head


Keiffe, Thomas
Ploughman, reaps. Assigned to James Reid at Rosebank


Kennedy, Michael
Ploughman, reaps, shepherd. Assigned to Andrew Bennett at Paterson


Kenny, Henry
Cordinger and weaver. Assigned to Standish Lawrence Harris


Kirk, Daniel
Farm boy. Assigned to William Henry Warland


Larkin, Stephen
Tailor. Assigned to David Smith in Sydney


Maguire, Terence
Carpenter. Assigned to Dept. of Public Works


Mahoney, Thomas
Boatman. Assigned to John Pike at Pickering


Manning, Cornelius
Butcher. Assigned to Frederick Augustus Hely


Martin, William
Stableman. Assigned to Michael Cook at Lane Cove


McCarthy, Daniel
Tobacco spinner. Assignid to J.P. Webber at Penshurst, Paterson


Mulenaux, Patrick
Tailor. Assigned to Mr. Macarthur at Camden


Mullins, Michael
Indoor servant. Assigned to David Maziere at Sydney


O'Roarke, Michael
Labourer. Assigned to William Henry Warland


Regan, Jeremiah
Ploughs, reaps. Assigned to William Henry Warland


Sheehan, Edmond
Assigned to John Turner at Hunter River


Stapleton, Thomas
Shoemaker. Assigned to Charles Boydell


Walsh, James
Labourer, reaps. Assigned to Martin Herrring at Hunter River

References

1. 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.348-349, 386

3. Ancestry.com. New South Wales, Australia, Convict Indents, 1788-1842 Original data: Bound manuscript indents, 1788 - 1842. NRS 12188, microfiche 614 - 619,626 - 657, 660 - 695. State Records Authority of New South Wales, Kingswood, New South Wales, Australia.