Free Settler or Felon
Convict and Colonial History




Convict Ship Greyhound - 1818


Embarked: 15 men
Captain Ritchie
Surgeon Mr. Baird
Previous vessel: Batavia
Next vessel: Lady Castlereagh

The Greyhound departed Calcutta on 7th October 1817

Death of the Surgeon

On her passage she touched at Bencoolen and went from there to Batavia where she remained three weeks. On 3rd January 1818 when in the Straits of Lombock, Assistant Surgeon Baird of the Honorable East Indian Company's service died. He had been sailing to the colony for the recovery of his health.

The Greyhound sailed via Pundy and Baly and arrived at the Derwent on 28th February, leaving there for Port Jackson on 28th March 1818.

Port Jackson

The Greyhound arrived in Port Jackson on 14th April 1818.

Among the prisoners were runaway convicts who had escaped on the Windham four years previously when troops of the 73rd regiment were being conveyed to Ceylon. The runaways were discovered and on their arrival in Calcutta were confined in gaol until they could be returned to the colony. There were also other prisoners who had been convicted in India.

Passengers

Passengers included Lieut. Macquarie of the 86th regiment

Deaths

Deaths on the voyage included James Nixon of the crew and Stephen Smith, private of the 73rd regiment. [2]

Convicts

Fifteen prisoners in total arrived in good health. One man Theophilus Mitchell who originally arrived on the General Hewitt in 1814 and who was embarked on the Greyhound to be returned to New South Wales, made his escape at Batavia. No blame was placed on Captain Ritchie for this escape.

Two men Thomas McCann and Henry Headly had been granted Conditional Pardons in New South Wales with the express terms that they remain resident in Australia. They were returned on the Greyhound as fugitives and were to serve their original sentence. [3]

The names of the convicts who had been tried in India:

John Dougherty
Goine Brady
John Howes
John Pluck alias Plook
James Smith
Alexander Wilson
John Kigley[4]


The names of the runaways who were being returned were:

John Lyall Duncan,
Thomas Yates alias William Rhodes,
William Chapman
Thomas McCann
Charles Riley or Roiley,
John Berks or Perks or Sperks and
John Clarke
Henry Hatcher

Departure from Port Jackson

The Greyhound sailed for Calcutta in early June 1818. She returned to Australia with convicts in 1819

Notes and Links

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

2). Crew of the Greyhound - Sydney Gazette 16 May 1818

References

[1] Colonial Secretary's Correspondence Series : (NRS 939) Copies of letters sent outside the Colony, 'Foreign', 1814-1825

[2] Hobart Town Gazette 28 February 1818

[3] Selection of Reports and Papers of the House of Commons: Prisons Volume 51

[4] State Archives NSW; Series: NRS 12188; Item: [4/4003A]; Microfiche: 627