Free Settler or Felon
Convict and Colonial History




Convict Ship Norfolk - 1825


Embarked: 180 men
Voyage: 123 days
Deaths: 2
Surgeon's Journal: yes
Tons 547
Previous vessel: Mariner arrived 10 July 1825
Next vessel: Minstrel arrived 22 August 1825
Captain Alexander Greig
Surgeon William Hamilton
Convicts and passengers of the Norfolk identified in the Hunter Valley


The Norfolk was built at Littlehampton in 1804 [1]. Convicts were transported to New South Wales on the Norfolk in 1825, 1829, 1832 and 1837.

The prisoners were taken to county prisons before being transferred to prison hulks moored in the Thames to await transportation. John Blyth, Robert Miller, John Moore and James Godfrey were all tried at Norwich on 10th August 1824. They were received on to the Leviathan Hulk on 7th September 1824 and transferred to the Norfolk on the 4th April 1825.

Departure

The Norfolk sailed from Portsmouth on 17 April 1825 in company with the Minstrel and came direct. (See 'Advantages of the Various Routes of Convict Ships')

Military Guard

The Guard was a detachment of the 57th regiment under orders of Captain James Brown. James Brown was appointed Captain in the 57th regiment on 17 January 1822. He married Ann Lockyer daughter of Major Edmund Lockyer in January 1827 and sailed for Madras with his regiment in 1831. Ann Lockyer Brown and their four children died tragically in 1833 [5]

Surgeon William Hamilton

This was William Hamilton's third voyage as surgeon superintendent on a convict ship having previously been employed as surgeon on the Elizabeth in 1818 and the Maria to Van Diemen's Land in 1820.

He kept a Medical Journal from 11 March 1825 to 23 August 1825, remarking in the general notes that he found it a difficult aspect of the voyage to deal with men not only so little disposed to assist each other but also to look after themselves. [2]

Some of the convicts and soldiers mentioned in the Surgeon's journal included:

Isaac Emerson, private of the guard, aged 23;
William Dawson, convict, aged 26;
John Mawn, convict, aged 17;
John Connor, corporal of the guard, aged 29;
Benjamin Hazlelip, convict, aged 29; disease or hurt, this man a [convict] for life of extremely melancholy temperament leaving a wife and family in England has suffered much from dyspepsia. Taken ill, 14 July 1825 at sea. Died 21 July 1825.
Stephen Baldry, convict, aged 30; disease or hurt, one of those men who having slight symptoms of scurvy. Taken ill, 3 August 1825 at sea. Died 7 August 1825. [3]

Port Jackson

The Norfolk arrived in Port Jackson on 18 August 1825. Two prisoners died on the passage out, both had been tried at Bury St. Edmonds on the same day - Stephen Baldry; and 29 year old Benjamin Hazelip.

Convict Muster

The prisoners were mustered on board on Friday 19th August 1825 by Colonial Secretary Frederick Goulburn. The Indents include name, date and place of trial, sentence, native place, trade, age, physical description, remarks as to conduct and where assigned on arrival. There is occasional information as to deaths and colonial sentences.

Disembarkation

An order was given on 22nd August that sufficient boats be in readiness early the following morning for disembarkation of the convicts. They were to be taken to the gaol yard where they would be inspected by Governor Brisbane at 10.30am. They were then forwarded to Parramatta, Liverpool, Windsor, Evan and Bathurst for assignment to private settlers. Fifty three of the men were sent to Hyde Park Barracks.

Convicts of the Norfolk identified in the Hunter Valley :

Beaney, William

Betts, William

Blyth, John

Bull, George

Burrell, Benjamin

Burrell, John

Cannam, Thomas

Chipperfield, William

Collins, Patrick

Cook, John

Davies, James

Davies, John

Dorking, George

Dufferty, William

Fielder, George

Edward Finn

Garrard, Joseph

Gilbert, William

Goff, John

Grimes, Mark

Hall, Samuel

Hammes, Thomas

Hammett, Philip

Harris, Samuel

Hickman, Joseph

Hinton, Thomas

Holt, Charles

Hunter, John

Jenner, William

Jennings, William

Keyes, James

Loveday, Charles

Marrs, Stephen

Merrin, William

Miller, Joseph

Miller, Robert

Nettle, Peter

Nuttall, Charles

Parvin, George

Salwood, Stephen

Say, James

Shepherd, William

Snell, John

Sparks, William

Stephens, James

Thwaites, Robert

Waye, William

White, Denis

Worth, Abraham

Worth, William

Notes and Links

1). Convicts John and Benjamin Burrell who arrived on the Norfolk were executed in 1830 for robbery in the house of Samuel Adair at Paterson

2). The Norfolk was next taken up by Government to convey troops to India departing in September.

3). By the loss of the ship Lady Munro, from Madras, bound to Sydney, on the Island of Amsterdam, 11th of October last, Mrs. Ann Brown, wife of Captain James Brown, H. M. 57th Regiment, aged 23 years, with her four infant children, Ellis, Martha, Edmund, and Ann ; all of whom, with their unfortunate parent, have met a premature and untimely death, to the great sorrow of her afflicted parents and relatives - Major Lockyer with his family, in this Colony ; and her disconsolate husband and brothers with their Regiment, at Madras (Sydney Herald)

4). Loss of the Lady Munro. Perth Gazette 30 November 1833.

5). On 12th March 1841 at Madras Captain Brown was appointed aide-de-camp to the Major General commanding the Forces. (Asiatic Journal)


6). Convict ships bringing detachments of the 57th Regiment........

Asia 1825 departed Cork 29 October 1824 - Captain Richard Heaviside

Asia (III) 1825 departed Portsmouth 5 January 1825 - Lieutenant Thomas Bainbridge

Royal Charlotte 1825 departed Portsmouth 5 January 1825 - Major Edmund Lockyer

Hooghley 1825 departed Cork 5 January 1825 Cork - Captain Patrick Logan

Norfolk 1825 departed Portsmouth 17 April 1825 - Captain James Brown

Minstrel 1825 departed Portsmouth 17 April 1825 - Lieutenant Henry John Tudor Shadforth

Lonach 1825 departed Cork 16 May 1825 - Lieutenant John William Donelan

Sir Godfrey Webster departed Cork 11 July 1825 - Lieutenant John Ovens

Medway 1825 departed the Downs 2 August 1825 Downs - Lieutenant William Bates

Henry Porcher 1825 departed Dublin 5 August 1825 Dublin - Captain Vance Young Donaldson

Marquis of Hastings 1826 departed Portsmouth 22 August 1825 - Ensign Stewart

Mangles 1826 departed Cork 23 October 1825 - Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Shadforth

Sesostris 1826 departed Portsmouth 30 November 1825 - Major John Campbell

Prince Regent 1827 departed London 11 June 1827 - Lieutenant Campbell

Morley 1828 departed Dublin 3 November 1827 - Captain Robert Hunt

Borodino 1828 departed Cork 11 February 1828 Cork - Captain Philip Aubyn

Mangles 1828 departed Dublin 23 February 1828 Dublin- Lieut. Hill and Adjutant Lieut. Kidd

Bussorah Merchant 1828 departed London 27 March 1828 - Captain Burton Daveney (+ 1 soldier)

Marquis of Hastings 1828 departed Portsmouth 1828 30 June 1828 - Colonel Allen

Asia 1828 departed London 23 November 1828 - Lieutenant George Edwards.

References

[1] Bateson, Charles, Library of Australian History (1983). The convict ships, 1787-1868 (Australian ed). Library of Australian History, Sydney : pp.346-347

[2] Medical Journal of William Hamilton. Ancestry.com. UK, Royal Navy Medical Journals, 1817-1857. The National Archives. Kew, Richmond, Surrey.

[3] National Archives - Reference: ADM 101/57/1 Description: Medical journal of the Norfolk convict ship from 11 March to 23 August 1825 by William Hamilton, surgeon and superintendent, during which time the said ship was employed on a voyage from Deptford to Port Jackson in New South Wales.