Free Settler or Felon
Convict and Colonial History




Convict Ship Frederick - 1817


On 18th October 1817 the Hobart Town Gazette reported the arrival of the Frederick from Calcutta via Bencoolen and Batavia. According to the Hobart Town Gazette the Frederick brought a valuable cargo of merchandize as well as seven male and three female prisoners who were destined for Port Jackson. (there are no female prisoners mentioned in the indent).

Passengers on the Frederick to Hobart included Thomas White Melville Winder and Captain Stewart of the Bengal Military. On arrival they transferred to the Pilot and immediately departed for Sydney.

The Frederick arrived in Port Jackson on 22 November 1817. The following male prisoners were named in the Colonial Secretary's correspondence:
James Butler,
Owen Haslem,
Robert Sharpe,
Francis McHugh,
Thomas Pagett,
David Freer
James Whilly.

In correspondence dated 17 January 1818 J.T. Campbell to Mr. Hutchinson, Principal Superintendent of convicts:

Above I give you the names of the seven male convicts who arrived from India on board the Frederick, Williams Master on 22nd November last whom it is necessary should be present at my office at one o'clock this day to witness a business which the late disgraceful transactions on board that vessel have called for - Be so good as to have them here precisely at one o'clock. The disgraceful transactions referred to related to comments made by Captain Williams regarding the integrity of Governor Macquarie.

An investigation of the events on board the Frederick was carried out in which T.M.W. Winder gave evidence:

3 January 1817
Memorandum of Remarks made by Mr. Williams, Master of the ship Frederick on his hearing Captain Stewart and myself conversing about Port Jackson:

Captain Stewart and I were conversing on the Quarter Deck of the ship Frederick. Captain Stewart asked 'are there any Architects at Port Jackson' I replied There were a Mr. Kitchen and a Mr. Greenaway. The Master of the Ship, Mr. Williams was then sitting on the opposite side of the Quarter Deck and hearing our conversation made the following reply. 'That though there were Architects they took good care not to employ them as they always employed men that they could pay in rum and other goods and as an instance there was the rum Hospital which was falling down, on account of being built by these means for that the Governor had given to Darcy Wentworth and others the monopoly of spirits and for which they were to build an Hospital. That it was a damn'd infamous shame and a great hardship on traders to that Port. And was it to be supposed that the Governor gave that Privilege without going snacks'

Mr. Williams further stated that the Governor received presents. I said I knew otherwise - he said - No - He will not accept of a roll of China Silk or a few gallons of rum, but offer him one or two hundred pounds or anything worth His Acceptance and see if he will refuse it. He further said 'take my word for it, He is an infamous scoundrel and a damn'd old Villain'

Mr. Williams Further remarked that a paper had been signed by himself and others against the Governor and sent to England
. (Colonial Secretary's Correspondence, Main Series of Letters Received.)

Hunter Valley convicts and passengers arriving on the Frederick in 1817