Free Settler or Felon

Convict and Colonial History



Convict Ship William Jardine - 1838


Embarked: 214 men
Voyage: 139 days
Deaths: 2
Surgeon's Journal: no
Previous vessel: Gaillardon arrived 30 March 1838
Next vessel: Bengal Merchant arrived 21 July 1838
Captain John Crosbie
Surgeon Richard Lewis
Agents Aspinall and Brown
Follow the Irish Convict Ship Trail
Convicts and passengers of the William Jardine identified in the Hunter Valley

Dublin

The William Jardine was fitted out in England and commenced loading goods and supplies on 8th October 1837 before departing for Ireland. A detachment of the 51st regiment was ordered to be at Dublin on the 8th November in readiness to embark. The Guard consisted of Captain Austin of 51st regt., Ensign Cormick of 28th regt., 28 rank and file of 28th and 51st, 7 free women, 7 women and 6 children.

Two prisoners, Michael Walsh and John Stanley were re-landed prior to departure

Departure

The ship departed Kingstown, Dublin on 28 November 1837

Free Passengers

Included in the steerage passengers were several relatives of various convicts already in the colony who had been recommended for a passage to New South Wales [1]

Owen Smith age 15, son of Patrick Smith, (the wife of Patrick Smith and their four other children came on the Diamond.)
John Gavin,
James Gavin,
John Nunan age 21,
Thomas Nunan age 14,
Connor Galvin 27,
John MacNamara
Robert McCue

The Sydney Gazette reported that on her voyage the William Jardine spoke H.M.S. Conway from Sydney to Hobart and a ship off Howe's Island, bound to Sydney from London.

Port Jackson

The William Jardine arrived in Port Jackson on 11 April 1838. They were compelled to anchor near Watson's Bay in consequence of the unfavourable state of the weather.

Convict Muster

The convicts were probably mustered on board in the days after arrival. The convict indents are printed and in alphabetical order. Copies of these volumes were distributed throughout the colony as a means of keeping track of convict movement and crimes. They provide each man's name, age, education, religion, marital status, family, native place, offence, trade, when and where tried, previous convictions and physical descriptions. There is no information as to where and to whom the prisoners were assigned.

Records were kept of those prisoners who had relatives already in the colony :

John Connolly (or Gardiner) - Wife Margaret Connolly arrived as a prisoner per Diamond in 1838.

John Corbett - Brother Thomas Corbett came as a prisoner 8 years previously per Larkins 1829

Samuel Dickson - Son Edward Dickson on board aged 9 years

Thomas Donnellan or Donlan - Nephew John Molloy, a prisoner on board

Michael Donohoe - Brother William Donoghoe a prisoner five years previously

Cornelius Hurley - Wife Ann Hurley came as a prison per Diamond in 1838

John Jackson - First cousin John Fitzwilliam a prisoner two years previously

James Johnstone - First cousin Patrick Tracey arrived as a prisoner 10 years previously

Peter Keenan - two brothers James Keenan came 7 years ago; Joseph Keenan 3 years ago

Michael Kennedy - Brother Edward Kennedy came as a prisoner 8 years previously

Michael and Patrick McCall brothers on board

John McCarthy - Brother to Daniel McCarthy on board. Also Humphrey McCarthy arrived as a prisoner 15 years previously; Honora Leary a prisoner per Margaret in 1837; Sister, Mary McCarthy a prisoner per Margaret in 1837.

Peter McCloy - Daughter Mary McCloy came as a prisoner per Diamond

Thomas McCluckan - brother James McCluckan came a prisoner 12 months previously.

James McGuire - Brother Martin McGuire came as a prisoner per Neptune

Thomas Mahon - Brother Andrew Mahon came as a prisoner seven years previously

Daniel Moriarty - brother in law Thomas Foy came as a prisoner 10 years previously

William Murnane - Uncle William Murnane came 20 years previously. First cousin John Murnane came free 3 years previously

Denis Murphy - Wife Catherine Murphy came as a prisoner per Diamond in 1838

John Murray from Waterford - Cousin Lawrence O'Geary came a prisoner a few months previously

John Murray from Kildare - First cousin Thomas Reilly arrived 12 months previously

John Reilly - mother Catherine McGuck, free, wife of a soldier in the 80th regiment

Edward Reilly - Mother Mary Reilly, came as a prisoner 8 years previously. Sister Johanna Reilly three years

Matthew and Patrick brothers, both on board


Seventeen of the prisoners were formerly soldiers who had been court-martialled for desertion or insubordination - James Bennet, Archibald Clarke, Alexander Dogherty, William Gentle, John Keany, Thomas Lowe, Alexander McClutock, Daniel McGuiggan, Thomas Mahon, James Morton, William Murnane, George Newlands, William Pearson, Thomas Smith, William Sutton, Robert Wilson and William Wright. Their indent numbers are consecutive indicating that they were mustered together.

There is no surgeon's journal listed at the National Archives for this voyage.

Convicts Thomas Summers from Dublin and Thomas McKeon died on the voyage out. Another man Thomas Carroll died in Sydney Hospital on 2nd May 1838.

Departure from the Colony

The William Jardine was to leave for Batavia on 9th May 1838

Marquis of Huntley 1835 Recovery 1836 Charles Kerr 1837 Westmoreland Norfolk Backwell England John Barry Susan Waterloo Moffatt Strathfieldsaye Portsea Lady McNaughten Convict Ships 1835 - 28th regiment guard

Notes and Links

1). Convicts and passengers of the William Jardine identified in the Hunter Valley

2). Convict ships bringing detachments of the 51st regiment included the Neptune, Waterloo, William Jardine, Bengal Merchant, Lord Lyndoch, Westmoreland, Clyde, Earl Grey, Portsea, Elphinstone, John Barry, Blenheim, Waverley and the Middlesex.

3). Convict ships bringing detachments of the 28th regiment included the William Jardine, Recovery, Charles Kerr, Westmoreland, Marquis of Huntley, Norfolk, Backwell, England, John Barry, Susan, Waterloo, Moffatt, Strathfieldsaye and Portsea.

4). Richard Lewis was formerly employed as surgeon on the convict Morley in 1829.

References

[1] Convict Ship Musters and Related Records (Ancestry)