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Convict Ship Royal George

1828

Embarked: 160 men
Voyage: 120 days
Deaths: 2
Surgeons Journal:
Previous vessel: Eliza arrived 18 November 1828
Next vessel: Governor Ready arrived 16 January 1829
Master Robert Embledon
Surgeon Superintendent William Gregor
Convicts and passengers of the Royal George identified in the Hunter Valley region

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The Royal George was a two-deck ship built at Hull in 1820, copper-sheathed in 1831, and owned by Samuel Moates of 49 Lower Shadwell.

Prisoners of the Royal George came from counties throughout England. They were held on prison hulks prior to embarking on the Royal George in July 1828.

Departure

The Royal George departed Spithead on Tuesday 26 August 1828 with 160 prisoners and arrived in Port Jackson on Christmas Eve, 24 December 1828.

Surgeon William Gregor

William Gregor was employed as surgeon superintendent, his third voyage in that capacity. He kept a medical journal from 15 July 1828 to January 1829. The first page of the Surgeons Journal has the note: As this surgeon is in a state of derangement or imbecility of mind, let this Journal be passed.

William Gregor's General Remarks were included at the end of the journal -

August 1828 -
During the 5 days which remained of the month of August after our departure from Spithead, the weather was generally fine. The usual sea sickness was general among the Guard and Prisoners

September -
For our progress the weather continued favourable during the month. Towards the termination as might have been expected from the latitude we had reached the heat became oppressive. - All healthy

October -
The average character of the weather was fine

November -

The weather in the beginning of the month clear, dry with strong breezes from between north and west. Towards the end fresh westerly winds with showery squalls. During this month bowel complaints began to make their appearance

January 1829.

During the month of December and January as might have been anticipated the weather was more inclement than on any preceding part of our voyage and as usually happens afflictions of the bowels became more frequent but with the exception of John Howard all terminated favourably.

Two men died on the voyage out - John Howard and Matthew Knight.

William Gregor was also employed as Surgeon Superintendent on the convict ship Medina in 1825 (to VDL) and the Cambridge to New South Wales in 1827.

Military Guard

The Guard consisted of Captain James Briggs and 30 men of the 63rd regiment, accompanied by three women and two children. Select here to find convict ships bringing detachments of the 63rd regiment.

Cabin Passengers

Edward Deas Thomson, Clerk to the Councils, Mr. Hensord of the Commissariat, Mr. and Mrs. Bohen (possibly surgeon of the 63rd regiment) and Mr. Embleton and a Gentleman for the medical services, all arrived as a passengers on the Royal George.

Shortly after Mr. Deas Thomson went ashore, he was received at the Colonial Secretary's Office by Alexander McLeay and the two gentlemen later dined together.

Convicts Disembarked

Prisoners were disembarked in Sydney on Tuesday 6th January 1829 and sent to their various assignments

Departure of the Royal George

On 2nd February 1829 the Royal George departed Sydney bound for Hobart where troops were embarked and then proceeded to Bombay departing in March.

Convicts of the Royal George identified in the Hunter Valley -

Atkinson, John


Balls, Thomas


Baverstock, James


Broomfield, Thomas Westbury


Brown, William (1)


Bulpitt, James


Butler, John


Crawley, James


Cutler, Benjamin


Daniels, Daniel


Dolan, Edward


Falkner, William


Green, James


Henley, Harvey


Holcombe, Thomas


James, John


Jay, Joseph


Johnson, John


Jones, John


Langford, Charles


Laythorne, William


Mahony, Cornelius


Masterson, John


Mileham, Henry


Pennington, Enoch


Phillips, Robert


Richardson, Joseph


Short, James


Smith, John


Straighton, William


Taylor, George


Villa, Amabilles


Williams, Joseph


Wright, Owen


Wyatt, Frederick

Notes and Links

1). Return of Pardons granted in 1870....






2). Seventeen convict ships arrived in New South Wales in 1828 - Florentia, Elizabeth, Marquis of Huntley, Hooghly, Morley, Asia, Mangles, Borodino, Phoenix, Bussorah Merchant, Countess of Harcourt, Competitor, Marquis of Hastings, Albion, City of Edinburgh, Eliza and Royal George


3). Captain James Briggs of the 63rd regiment was Commandant at Macquarie Harbour in 1829 when the Cyprus at Recherche Bay was seized by convicts



Tasmanian Journal of Natural Science, Agriculture, Statistics, Etc, Volume 1 By Royal Society of Van Diemen's Land for Horticulture, Botany, and the Advancement of Science


4). Return of Convicts of the Royal George assigned between 1st January 1832 and 31st March 1832 (Sydney Gazette 14 June 1832; 21 June 1832; 28 June 1832; 5 July 1832)
William Faulkener - Bricklayer assigned to John Wood at Maitland
William Lenford - Brass founder assigned to W.D. Tarlington at Prospect
Robert Phillips - Labourer and shepherd assigned to William Prentice at Maitland


5). National Archives - Reference: ADM 101/65/5A Description: Medical journal of the Royal George, convict ship, for 15 July 1828 to 6 January 1829 by William Gregor, Surgeon and Superintendent, during which time the said ship was employed in a passage from England to New South Wales.


6). Convict ships bringing detachments of the 63rd regiment -

Albion departed Sheerness 1 June 1828 - Lieutenant M. Vickery

Eliza departed London 29 June 1828 - Major Sholto Douglas

Marquis of Hastings departed 30 June 1828 - Ensign Stulbmer

Royal George departed Spithead 26 August 1828 - Captain J. Briggs

Vittoria departed Devonport1 September 1828 - Lieutenant Aubyn

Governor Ready departed Cork 21 September 1828 - Lieutenant J. Gibbons Lane

Ferguson departed Dublin 16 November 1828 - Captain D'Arcy Wentworth

Mellish departed Falmouth 2 January 1829 - Captain Baylee

Lord Melville departed London 5 January 1829 - Lieut-Col. Burke

Waterloo departed London 14 March 1829 - Lieutenant T. Grove

America departed Woolwich 8 April 1829 - Adjutant T. Montgomery

Norfolk departed Spithead 22 May 1829 - Ensign W.J. Darling

Guildford departed Dublin 12 July 1829 - Lieut McLean 89th

Larkins departed Cork 16 August 1829 - Captain Mahon

Claudine departed London 24 August 1829 - Captain Paterson

Sarah departed London 29 August 1829 - Lieutenant Croly

Dunvegan Castle departed 30 September 1829 - Lieutenant John Gray

Katherine Stewart Forbes departed Spithead 14 October 1829 - Major Fairtclough


7). Edward Deas Thomson - Australian Dictionary of Biography

References

[1] Ancestry.com. UK, Royal Navy Medical Journals, 1817-1857. Medical Journal of William Gregor on the voyage of the Royal George in 1828. 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.348-349, 386

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