Item #22078 Manuscript Order of Transportation Signed by King George IV, "Warrant for the removal of male convicts under Sentence of Transportation" Australia, Convicts, George IV.
Manuscript Order of Transportation Signed by King George IV, "Warrant for the removal of male convicts under Sentence of Transportation"
Manuscript Order of Transportation Signed by King George IV, "Warrant for the removal of male convicts under Sentence of Transportation"

Manuscript Order of Transportation Signed by King George IV, "Warrant for the removal of male convicts under Sentence of Transportation"

London: May 18, 1824. An original manuscript "Warrant for the removal of male convicts under Sentence of Transportation", dated 18 May 1824, and signed strongly at the head " George R". It lists 66 convicts, the majority of whom were transported to Australia. The convicts are listed along the left margin of the order, organized by the court where they were tried, i.e.. Nottingham, Lancaster, the Old Bailey and York. The ship destinations were equally divided between New South Wales & Van Diemen's Land.

Trove records only one other original manuscript Warrant, dated April 17, 1824, held at the National Library, Rex Nan Kivell Collection NK626.

Astoundingly, the convicts were held on hulks in the River Medway, sometimes for years. While some ship departed as early as 1824, others left in 1836, and seemingly, one F. H. Germaine, who had a 10 year sentence, was held on the hulks for 18 years, being transported in 1842.

15 convicts were shipped on the Minerva in July of 1824. Other ships include the Sir Charles Forbes (7); Lady East (6); Medina (5); Medway (3); Lady Nugent (2); England (2); and 1 each on board the Mangles, William Metcalf, Elphinstone, Manlius, Triton, Marquis of Huntley, Hooghley, Woodman, Norfolk and Guildford. The destination(s) of the remaining 15 prisoner names was not determined.

The Minerva sailed from London in July of 1824 with 172 convicts on board, under the command of Captain John Bell, with Surgeon Superintendent Alexander Nisbet on his first appointment to a convict ship. On board there was a guard consisting of Major Tobias Kirkwood, Quarter Master Francis Hales and 43 men of the 40th regiment, and 5 passengers. Surgeon Nisbet kept a medical journal, in which he expresses his concerns over prisoners' sickness: "I suspect that it lay in the ship herself, she having taken out her convicts unhealthy for the two previous voyages ... I tried to remove whatever might be the cause of diseases by the most unremitting attention and supporting their spirits by every indulgence in my power. By attention to cleanliness and encouraging amusements, having provided myself with musical instruments there were occasional dances of an evening in which all took great pleasure." (Held at the National Archives, Kew). After a journey of 128 days the Minerva arrived in Port Jackson in November 1824. Two prisoners had died on the passage out; a muster was held by the Colonial Secretary Frederick Goulburn on the 22nd November 1824. The prisoners appeared to be in good health and stated they were well treated; however 16 men were sent on to the hospital in Sydney. [see jenwilletts dot com].

The prisoners held at Nottingham include, followed by the ship they were transported on and the date: George Henry Fowler (Minerva, July 1824), Henry Green (Lady East, November 1824), John Cooper (Mangles, July 1824), William Bonnington (Minerva, July 1824), William Markham (Medina, April 1825), Daniel Boswell (Minerva, July 1824), William Hayes (Minerva, July 1824), Benjamin Preston, John Witherbed and Richard Bosnell (Minerva, July 1824).

The Lancaster list includes: John Atkinson (Minerva, July 1824), John Walmsley (Minerva, July 1824), John Arnold, William Walker (Medway, July 1825), William Smart (Minerva, July 1824), Robert Clegg (Medina, April 1825), Joseph Ramsbottom (Minerva, July 1824), George Partington (Medina, April 1825), George Jones (Lady East, November 1824), John Hordern (Sir Charles Forbes, November 1824), George Griffiths (Lady East, November 1824), Richard Marsden (Lady Nugent, December 1834), James Timperley, George Thompson (Sir Charles Forbes, November 1824), John Child, Paul Hesketh, John Hatton (England, March 1832, James Buckley (Minerva, July 1824), Peter Williamson (Sir Charles Forbes, November 1824), John Smith (William Metcalf, May 1834), Samuel Thornton (Medina, April 1825), W. H. Topping (Sir Charles Forbes, November 1824), John Moorby (Elphinstone, January 1836), William Thornton, Thomas Lynett, John McFarlane (Medway, July 1825), Jos.h Irving (Manlius, April 1827), John Johnston, William Garguin, and Peter Cunningham (Lady Nugent, July 1836).

The Old Bailey prisoner list includes: F. H. Germaine (Triton, August 1842), John Bass (Marquis of Huntley May 1826), John Hutchins (Medina, April 1825), Richard Stagg (Hooghley, July 1834; or Bengal Merchant, August 1836), William Sykes (Minerva, 08 July 1824), Samuel Briggs (sentenced to death 1824, not transported), Joseph Thompson (Lady East, November 1824), William Thompson (Woodman, December 1825), James Thompson (Norfolk, May 1829), John A. Henley (Sir Charles Forbes, 23 November 1824), John Willis (Sir Charles Forbes, November 1824), Samuel Moore, John Gibson, Edward Salt (Medway, 28 July 1825), Peter Ryan (Minerva, July 1824), William Ludlow (Lady East November 1824), Thomas Oakes, John Kealer (Sir Charles Forbes, 23 November 1824), Edward Brimmell (Minerva, July 1824), William Clatterback, John Wales (Minerva, July 1824), James Whitby (Minerva, July 1824), Joseph Bolton (England, June 1835, William Fairchild (Guildford, March 1827), and Edmund Burton (Lady East, November 1824).

The York prisoner list includes: Thomas Hunley Taylor, Als Thomas Hunley.

4pp, 8 x 12 1/2". Written on 2 sides, with the title of the warrant on the verso. A closed split at the center fold; short splits at contemporary horizontal folds, with no loss. In very good condition overall. On watermarked laid paper, with a crest at one side and "Weatherley 1823" on the other.

Research for much of the above was obtained from the very fine site convictrecords.com.au, which is made possible by the State Library of Queensland.

A remarkable and rare survival of Australia's convict history, signed by the King of England. Very good condition. Item #22078

Sold

See all items in NEW SOUTH WALES
See all items by , ,