convicts to Bermuda
Guy Grannum
transportation. Unfortunately, although the ones I have looked at refer to
transportation to Bermuda and Gibraltar there were no lists - the register
just gave the numbers transported. There are lists of Bermuda convicts in HO
8 - I can't remember the series title but I think it refers to Hulks.
Those sent to Bermuda worked on Ireland Island Naval Base and there are
register of baptisms (1826-1946) and burials (1826-1848) in ADM 6/434-435.
Guy Grannum
----- Original Message -----
From: "John Weiss" <john....@virgin.net>
To: <CARIB...@rootsweb.com>
Sent: Sunday, August 04, 2002 10:16 AM
Subject: Re: convicts to Bermuda
> Carol Pratt wrote
>
> : Does anyone on this list know how to acquire details of convicts who
were
> sent to Bermuda please?.......shipping lists? trial details? jobs
> assigned? anything at all.
> [ . . . ]
>
> Carol
>
> Official records of all convicts transported from the UK are in the Public
> Record Office, in the Home Office files, the relevant ones running from HO
> 11/5 for 1823-25 to HO 11/18 for 1853-63. I'm not familiar with these
> documents, so I don't know how they are arranged or indexed. It's highly
> possible that they have been microfilmed or that someone has indexed some
or
> all.
>
> As background, you might like to know that although the first convict
hulk,
> HMS SOMERSET, arrived in Bermuda in 1799, the main period of convict
service
> on Bermuda was from 1823, when the hulk HMS ANTELOPE arrived, to 1863,
when
> the last convicts were sent home. The hulks used were ANTELOPE
(1823-1844),
> DROMEDARY (1826-?1848), COROMANDEL (1827-?1853), TENEDOS (1843-48, and
then
> as the convict hospital to 1863), and THAMES (1844-?1863). The convicts
were
> brought to work on the defenses for the Royal Naval Dockyard, British
> government property during its active existence. From 1823 to 1861 9,094
> convicts served in Bermuda, of whom 2,041 died from illness arising from
> their conditions.
>
> If you have a year and a name to look for, I would be happy to do a quick
> browse on my next visit to the Public Record Office (hopefully during the
> coming week) to report on how easy or difficult it is to use these
records.
> But perhaps someone on this list is already familiar with them?
>
> A book has been published recently which may help considerably if you can
> get hold of a copy - I have not yet seen it:
> Forty years of convict labour. Bermuda, 1823-1863; by C.F.E. Hollis
Hallett.
> Bermuda, Juniperhill: 1999; ISBN 0921992114
>
> John Weiss
> London
>
>
>
>
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>
carol pratt
Dear John.....Thank you for that very informative mail and your kind
offer.....unfortunately I don't have and exact date......In Australia we are
able to access an index and then a microfilm of the ship's indent on which
the convict arrived, this tells you the crime they committed and the date
and place of their trial as well as a VERY comprehensive
description....sometimes even where they were 'put to work' as well.
My James WORSLEY was tried at the Cheshire Assizes for his second crime
on 30 march 1836...he arrived here Aug 1836 and .his indent stated he had a
previous conviction of 7 years 6 of which was served in Bermuda.
He was only 27 in 1836 and was born in Macclesfield Cheshire sooooooooo
I would assume he was tried there the first time maybe 8 or 9 or so years
earlier.....hopefully the shipping lists to Bermuda would be indexed the
same as ours are (the films were a bi-centennial gift to Australia from the
PRO in London)
Sorry I can't be more specific.....I am totally fascinated by this whole
episode as I hadn't realised that convicts even WENT to Bermuda and I will
certainly make every effort to find that book.
Once again thank you very much for your interest and additions to my family
'jigsaw' puzzle.
Just so you have a picture of this colourful man I am researching...whom
family 'lore' claimed was going to be a Cof E minister but gave it all up to
marry his Irish love, whom he met on the boat out to Australia...here it
is:-
James WORSLEY aged 27
arrived....... 'Moffat" 30 Aug 1836
crime....... burglary
trial...........Cheshire assizes 30 March 1836
sentence....life
Previous.....7 years (6 of which were served in Bermuda)
Details......single, could Read and Write...Protestant..
Trade........Carpenter and joiner, indifferent. see note below
Native place....Cheshire
Note
1. Ordinary carpenter - the most complementary
2. Indifferent carpenter - average ability
3. Tolerable sawyer - not great, but acceptable
DESCRIPTION
5' 3" Ruddy complexion..dark red hair, dark grey eyes.
Marks =
Lost front tooth on under jaw, small red mole right cheek, mark of burn
right jaw, small blue mark on nose, crucifix on upper arm, sun mermaid
inside lower right arm, blue ring middle and third finger of right hand, two
pugilists on upper...and other marks which have been burnt out on lower left
arm. eyebrows meeting. (sounds like a REAL candidate for a C of E
minister?)
sorry this turned out to be so long
cheers from Australia
Carol
John Weiss
Your response reminds me that just after I sent my posting it occurred to me
that there must be people on Australian genealogy lists who are familiar
with all the transportation records and not just the Australian ones. Have
you tried posting a query in that direction?
John Weiss
----- Original Message -----
From: "carol pratt" <car...@iprimus.com.au>
To: <CARIB...@rootsweb.com>
Sent: Sunday, August 04, 2002 10:42 AM
Subject: Re: convicts to Bermuda
:
: Dear John.....Thank you for that very informative mail and your kind