Convict Ship Guildford
1827
Embarked: 190 men
Voyage: 116 days
Deaths: 1
Surgeon's Journal: yes
Previous vessel: Countess of Harcourt arrived 28 June 1827
Next vessel: Marquis of Hastings arrived 31 July 1827
Captain Magnus Johnson
Surgeon Superintendent Charles Linton
Convicts and passengers of the Guildford identified in the Hunter Valley
The Guildford was built on the Thames in 1810.[2] This was the seventh of eight voyages bringing convicts to New South Wales. The others being in 1812 1816, 1818, 1820, 1822, 1824 and 1829.
It was reported on 10th February that the Guildford was being fitted up in the Thames River in preparation for taking male prisoners to New South Wales.
Departure of the Guildford
The Guildford departed London on 24th March and Plymouth on 31 March 1827.Military Guard
The Guard consisted of Captain John Douglas Forbes, Surgeon Hamilton and 30 men of the of 39th regiment.Living Conditions on the Ship
Charles Linton kept a Medical Journal from 7 March to 15 August 1827. His detailed report on ventilation was included in the journal:The width and height of the Guildford between decks was very favourable for keeping the prison well ventilated. I have had difficulty however in getting the windsails mounted and kept property trim and attended to during the passage - from the criminal want of activity in the Master and his Mates, from whom I received very little efficient assistance of any kind during the whole voyage. I consequently was obliged on all cases of the most trifling nature to attend to every minute detail myself in order for the preservation of health.
I regret to say that the hospital was very imperfectly ventilated during almost one third of the first part of the passage in consequence of the ship having a forecastle deck over the hospital. The grated scuttle on the upper deck of the Hospital being rendered completely useless from the sailors being allowed to berth under the forecastle by this means their scuttle was almost constantly closed up by the sailors. It was a nuisance I could not get remedied before our arrival at the Equator notwithstanding repeated remonstrances and applications to the Master on the subject. I proposed to have had this remedied before the Guildford sailed from Sheerness, having recommended a wooden square tube to be carried up from the Hospital Scuttle to that of the Forecastle by which means constant ventilation could have been ensured and all communication with the seamen cut off. The Master however refused to comply with this request and as the Dispatch had arrived, I had not time to communicate with the Navy Board on the subject. When this tube was at length put up, I found great advantage from its use and subsequently the vessel was kept in the most perfect state of ventilation. [1]
One prisoner, John Towns died on the voyage out (on 25th June) after suffering dysentery.
Arrival in Port Jackson
One hundred and eighty-nine prisoners arrived at Port Jackson on 25 July 1827 after a voyage of 116 days.Muster of Convicts
The prisoners were mustered on board by the Colonial Secretary Alexander McLeay on 28th July. Convict indents include the name, age, education, religion, marital status, family, native place, occupation, offence, when and where tried, sentence, prior convictions, physical descriptions and to whom assigned on arrival.Sixteen prisoners were under the age of 16 years of age. The youngest two were William Johnson and George MacFarland who were only 14 years old.
Convicts of the Guildford identified in the Hunter Valley :
Aarons, Hyam
Abrahams, Thomas
Adams, William
Andrews, William
Atkinson, James
Atkinson, William
Bell, James
Bolton, William
Bornell, Michael
Brown, John
Claybourne, Richard
Cook, John
Cormic, George
Councell, Michael
Crawford, James
Daly, James
Dakin, Robert
Davidson, George
Dempsey, Stephen
Dick, James
Fenwick, William
Fitzgerald, Dennis
Flockhart, William
Gee, Charles
Glover, Joseph
Goodwin, James
Greenhalgh, Joseph
Hanna, John
Hendry, William
Heritage, John
Hoyle, John
Hunt, Joseph
Jamison, John
Johnson, James
Jones, John
Kelly, John
Ketland, John
Lancaster, William
Lane, John
Langley, John
Lilley, William
Lindsay, Thomas
Mace, William
MacCullum, Peter
Makin, John
McDonald, Charles
McNamara, John
Mitchell, John
Mulloy, Martin
Parson, James
Patterson, Alexander
Perring, William
Phantom, Henry
Powell, George
Quinn, John
Reid, James
Riddle, William
Ross, James
Russell, William
Scott, George
Shales, John
Simmons, John
Steele, Edward
Stevenson, Abraham
Telluso, Charles
Walker, William
Wood, James
Woodman, John
Notes and Links
1). George Lynch Cotton served as 3rd Mate on the Guildford.2). Charles Linton was also surgeon on the Surry in 1823
3). Captain John Douglas Forbes was the son of Bartholomew Forbes Esq,. He was appointed Ensign in 39th regiment on 17 April 1823. He kept a Diary on the voyage of the Guildford which is available at NLA Australia. Captain J.D. Forbes was Commandant of the Mounted Police 1830 - 1832; he was commended for his zeal and efficiency in that position. He played a prominent part in colonial life. He departed for India with the 39th regiment on the John on 26th July 1832 and died at sea age 33, on his passage from Madras to England on the Protector when in command of invalids on 16 June 1837.
4). Select here to find out more about Bushranger William Atkinson who arrived as a convict on the Guildford
5). Henry Phantom, John Andrews, and William Andrews were all transported on the Guildford. Select Untold Lives Blog, British Library to find out more about their crimes.
6). Seventeen convict ships arrived in New South Wales in 1827 - Grenada, Brothers, (F) Albion, Midas, Mariner, Countess of Harcourt, Guildford, Marquis of Hastings, Princess Charlotte, Manlius, Cambridge, Harmony, Prince Regent, Champion, Eliza, John and the Louisa
7). Return of Convicts of the Guildford assigned between 1st January 1832 and 31st March 1832 (Sydney Gazette 14 June 1832; 28 June 1832).....
John Brooks - Cabinet maker assigned to Major Mitchell in Sydney
Isaac Hendall (Hindle) (Hurdle) - Farmer's man and weaver assigned to Cooper and Levy at Sydney
Thomas Jenkins - Farmer's labourer assigned to William Bateman senior at Parramatta
Peter Price - Shoemaker's boy assigned to John Webb at Sydney
8). Discovery of Jane Island by Magnus Johnson 11 October 1827....The India Directory
9). Convict ships bringing detachments of the 39th regiment included the following............
Regalia departed Dublin 16 March 1826. Lieutenant William Sacheverell Coke
England departed the Downs 6 May 1826. Major George Pitt D'Arcy
Marquis of Huntley departed Sheerness 16 May 1826 - Major Donald MacPherson
Boyne departed Cork 29 June 1826 - Captain Thomas Edward Wright
Speke departed Sheerness 8 August 1826 - Lieutenant Henry Clarence Scarman
Phoenix departed Dublin 27 August 1826 - Lieutenant Charles Cox
Albion departed Plymouth 4 October 1826 - Captain Francis Crotty
Midas departed Plymouth 16 October 1826 - Lieutenant George Meares Bowen
Mariner departed Cork 14 January 1827 - Captain Charles Sturt
Countess of Harcourt departed Dublin 14 February 1827 - Lieutenant George Sleeman; Ensign Spencer
Guildford departed Plymouth 31 March 1827 - Captain John Douglas Forbes
Manlius departed Downs 17 April 1827 - Quarter-master Benjamin Lloyd
Cambridge departed Dublin 2 June 1827 - Colonel Patrick Lindesay
Champion departed London 3 June 1827 - Ensign Reid
Bussorah Merchant departed London 27 March 1828 - Ensign W. Kennedy Child
Sophia departed Dublin 15 September 1828 departed Dublin 15 September 1828 - Major Thomas Poole
10). National Archives. Reference: ADM 101/31/4 Description: Medical and surgical journal of His Majesty's Convict Ship Guildford for 7 March to 15 August 1827 by Charles Linton, surgeon and superintendent during which time the said ship was employed in the river Thames and passage to New South Wales.
References
1. Ancestry.com. UK, Royal Navy Medical Journals, 1817-1857. Medical Journal of Charles Linton on the voyage of the Guildford in 1827. 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.346-347, 385