Free Settler or Felon
Convict and Colonial History




Convict Ship Princess Royal - 1823


Embarked: 154 men
Voyage: 124 days
Deaths:
Surgeon's Journal: no
Previous vessel: Surry arrived 4 March 1823
Next vessel: Brampton arrived 22 April 1823
Captain Henry Sherwood
Surgeon James Hunter
Convicts and passengers of the Princess Royal identified in the Hunter Valley region


The Princess royal was built at Yarmouth in 1794 [2]. She was the next convict ship to leave England after the departure of the Surry in October 1822.

Departure

The Princess Royal departed England 8th November 1822.

Military Guard

The guard consisted of a detachment of the Buffs under the Command of Lieut. Howard of 59th regiment and Ensign Grant of the 3rd regiment. Ships bringing detachments of the 3rd regiment included Guildford, Shipley, Asia, Surry, Mangles, Asia, Countess of Harcourt, Henry, Princess Royal,
Eliza and Brampton

Surgeon James Hunter

James Hunter's surgeon's journal is not available for this voyage, however James Hunter was well experienced in the duties of Surgeon-Superintendent having previously been employed on the voyages of the Minerva in 1818 and the Prince Regent in 1820. His attitudes towards the prisoners and their likely treatment can be derived from his solicitous care towards the men during his first two voyages in 1818 and 1820.

Port Jackson

After a voyage of 124 days, the Princess Royal arrived in Port Jackson on 11th March 1823 with 154 male prisoners. Convict indents include the name, when and where tried, sentence, native place, trade, age and physical description. There is no indication in the indents as to where the prisoners were assigned on arrival.

Disembarkation

The Sydney Gazette reported the prisoners as having landed on Thursday 13th March when they were inspected by Governor Brisbane in the forenoon.

Governor BrisbaneGovernor Brisbane

Their healthy appearance was said to indicate the kind treatment they had met with during the voyage.

Convict Assignment

The men were immediately forwarded by boat to Parramatta.

In the Colonial Secretary's Correspondence there is a list of 72 men who were assigned to various settlers and government service at Parramatta, Liverpool, Airds, Bringelly, Windsor, Minto, Emu Plains and Bathurst.

Captain Sherwood

It was revealed in correspondence to the Governor written in 1823, that life for the sailors was difficult under Captain Sherwood, and so while the prisoners were being distributed throughout the colony and the vessel was being made seaworthy once again, the crew of the Princess Royal made use of their short time of freedom in Sydney........

Two sailors of the Princess Royal had become intoxicated while on shore leave. When they returned to the vessel Captain Sherwood and the Chief Mate were displeased. They handcuffed the men and threw one of them down the half deck hatch injuring him severely; the other the Captain struck with a cutlass cutting his hand and threatening to run him through. The Chief Mate struck him several times and kicked him cruelly. Nine other of the crew came to their rescue and later in fear for their lives wrote a letter of appeal to the Governor stating that the Captain had threatened revenge when he got them to sea again. They stated the Captain to be a tyrannical man who often struck them for little reason. The letter was signed John Jones, John Baylis, John Wright, Edward Tyson, George Hemmings, William Wallace, John Foster, John Harris, John George, John Francis and Christian Marten.

On the 8th April Captain Sherwood, of the ship Princess Royal appeared at the Police Office on Tuesday morning to lay a complaint against two of his seamen for drunkenness, abusive language, and striking their commander on board. Nine other of the seamen were also charged with knocking off work, in consequence of Captain Sherwood's determination to punish the two refractory hands. The complainant was supported in his testimony by his chief officer. The nine men were directed by the Magistracy to return peaceably on board, and go to work as usual, as such was the wish of Captain Sherwood; but, regarding the other two, it being necessary to visit their conduct with some slight degree of punishment, they were ordered into solitary confinement, on bread and water, till the departure of the vessel. Upon the annunciation of this very lenient act of Magisterial authority, the whole of the others, nine in number, declared that they would not go on board ; in consequence of which, the whole party was ordered to be lodged in gaol, and to be separately confined on bread and water, till the vessel's departure. [1]

On 18th April John Jones was given his discharge from the Princess Royal. On 25th March Second Mate Augustus Warner was permitted his discharge from the Princess Royal in Sydney. He returned to England on the Denmark Hill in April. The First Mate Mr. Wilson and Third Mate Mr. Duggan remained with the vessel and departed on her on the 20th April 1823 when she sailed for Batavia and Calcutta.

Notes and Links

1). An interesting Court-martial later took place in Chatham in 1826. The Princess Royal under Captain Sherwood, was on the voyage from Madras to England in 1825 with troops when an altercation took place between Agent for the transport Lieutenant Thomas Hewett R.N. and Major Browne commander of the Guard regarding the sailing of the vessel. Select here to read more about the court-martial.

2). Return of Convicts of the Princess Royal assigned between 1st January 1832 and 31st March 1832 (Sydney Gazette 28 June 1832)..... Andrew McKenzie - Bleacher assigned to George Barber at Argyle

3). Convicts of the Princess Royal identified in the Hunter Valley region -

Aburneathy, Hugh
Tried Glamorgan Great Session 5 April 1822. Sentenced to transportation for life. Absconded from E. Doyle at Jerrys Plains in 1837

Allen, William
Tried London Gaol Delivery 17 February 1820. Sentenced to transportation for life. Sentenced to 3 years at Port Macquarie in 1824 for stealing boots. In 1844 sent to Newcastle gaol from Cassilis for stealing a sheep. Escaped from the escort en route to the gaol. Died at Newcastle hospital in April 1846. Buried in Christ Church Burial Ground

Beaumont, John
Tried at Somerset Assizes 30 March 1822. Sentenced to 7 years transportation. Assigned to Robert Scott at Hunter River in June 1823. Sent to Sydney gaol in March 1827 on suspicion of felony. Acquitted at the Criminal Court.

Bradford, James
Ploughman. Tried at Somerset Assizes 30 March 1822. Sentenced to 7 years transportation. Assigned to James Glennie in 1825. Absconded from a clearing party in April 1825. Employed on John Wood's estate in September 1825. Assigned to James Glennie in 1828. Married Maria Howells (ship Competitor 1828) in 1829

Burnham, William
Tried at Bucks Assizes 15 January 1822. Sentenced to 7 years transportation for stealing wearing apparel. Assigned to T. V. Bloomfield in January 1824. Granted Certificate of Freedom July 1829.  Married Mary Harvey (ship Kains) in 1832

Butt, John
Tried at Gloucester Assizes 3 April 1822. Sentenced to 7 years transportation for stealing money. Assigned to John Howe at Patrick Plains in 1828

Clayton, Alexander
Tried at Northampton Quarter Sessions 21 February 1822. Sentenced to 7 years transportation for stealing hemp.  Punished for being absent from prisoner barracks in October 1824.  Absconded from Barracks in May 1825. Sent to Port Macquarie in July 1825. Granted Certificate of Freedom in 1829. Married Elizabeth James (ship Roslin Castle 1830) in 1832

Cox, Robert
Tried Northampton Quarter Sessions 21 February 1822. Sentenced to 7 years transportation for stealing wearing apparel. In Newcastle gaol in November 1828

Crowther, John
Tried at Chester Quarter Sessions 15 January 1822. Sentenced to 7 years transportation for stealing wearing apparel. Assigned to government service at Newcastle 1823- 1825

Darlington, Richard
Tried at Flint Great Session 4 April 1822. Sentenced to 14 years transportation for stealing a watch. Assigned to George Cobb near Newcastle in March 1824. Sentenced to Rev. Middleton in 1824. Sentenced to 50 lashes in March 1825 for neglect of work and absenting himself from his gang. Assigned to Port Macquarie district in 1828. Absconded from No. 27 road gang in June 1829. Died at Morpeth in May 1840 having been shot by former constable John Johnstone

Davis, Job
Tried at Gloucester Quarter Session 15 January 1822. Sentenced to 7 years transportation. Granted Ticket of Leave for Upper Hunter district in June 1828

Goulding, William
Tried at Somerset Assizes 30 March 1822. Sentenced to 7 years transportation. Sawyer, employed by Simeon Lord on a cedar party at Newcastle. Illegally at large in April 1824.

Hancock, James
Tried at Flint Great Sessions 4 April 1822. Sentenced to 14 years transportation. Assigned to Andrew Dickson near Newcastle in July 1823

Hayes, Michael
Sent to Port Macquarie in February 1824. Assigned to Joseph Pennington near Newcastle in April 1824

Jones, John
Tried at York Quarter Sessions 17 January 1822. Sentenced to 7 years transportation. Employed by Simeon Lord in a cedar party at Port Stephens. Illegally at large in February 1824

Kirkham, Edward
Tried at Warwick Quarter Session 15 January 1822. Sentenced to 7 years transportation for stealing money. Assigned to John Eales at Swan Reach in November 1828

Lowe, Richard
Alias Cowhorn. Tried at Stafford Quarter Session 16 January 1822. Sentenced to 7 years transportation for stealing a watch. In the prisoner barracks at Newcastle in November 1828

Pursehouse, James
Tried at Warwick Assizes 30 March 1822. Sentenced to 7 years transportation for stealing in a dwelling house. Shepherd. Assigned to Peter McIntyre at Segenhoe in 1828

Wood, Charles
Native place Stockport. Tried at Chester Quarter Session 15 January 1822. Sentenced to 7 years transportation for stealing from the person. Sentenced to 7 weeks on the tread mill in Sydney in August 1824 for absconding from Mr. A. Bowman.  In March 1825 assigned to government service when he was sentenced to 50 lashes for insolence to his overseer and absenting himself from his gang.  Appointed constable and assistant turnkey at Newcastle gaol in December 1825. In March 1826 charged with absenting himself from duty and improper language to the Chief constable. In May 1826 sentenced to 3 years to a penal settlement for theft at Newcastle. Granted a Certificate of Freedom in May 1829

Wright, William
Tried at Bedford Assizes 14 March 1822. Sentenced to 7 years transportation for robbery in a dwelling house. Assigned to Mr. Cobb in district of Newcastle in 1825. Sent to Newcastle gaol from Sydney, as a debtor in December 1841

Young, John
Tried at Warwick Assizes 30 March 1822. Sentenced to 7 years transportation. Assigned to Robert and Helenus Scott in June 1823

References

[1] Sydney Gazette 10 April 1823

[2] Bateson, Charles, Library of Australian History (1983). The convict ships, 1787-1868 (Australian ed). Library of Australian History, Sydney : pp.344-345, 384