10th January 1818: The Luddite John Clarke (aka 'Little Sam') arrives in Australia

'View of Sydney Cove from Dawes Point' by Joseph Lycett, c.1817/1818

On Saturday 10th January 1818, the transport ship 'The Ocean' arrived at Port Jackson, Sydney, Australia after a voyage of 142 days and carrying 180 male convicts.

Among them were two prisoners called John Clarke, one of whom was also known as 'Little Sam' and had been convicted 10 months earlier of shooting at John Asher during the 'Loughborough Job' and sentenced to death, although the Judge later respited this to transportation for life.

Clarke and his fellow convicts had left England from Spithead on 21st August 1817, and had arrived at St. Helena on 31st October, remaining there for a week before continuing to Australia. Conditions on board were better than normal aboard such transport ships; even so, that by the time that the ship arrived at Sydney, 2 of the convicts who had originally boarded the ship had died of consumption.

After arrival, Clarke and his namesake were amongst a group of prisoners sent on to Windsor, New South Wales.

30th May 1816: The convict, Thomas Holden, sends his final letter from Sydney, Australia

Sydney New South Wales May 30th 1816

Honorde parents

I take this Opportunity by the Ship Alexander with pleasure to inform you that Mr Allan as procured a promise from the Governor of Emancipation for me which I am to Receive the first Monday in nexs Month which kindness we agree than of this Colony for the Remainder of my Sentence & do expect to leave Mr Allan, in hopes of getting into some More Lucrative Employment which I trust in God will prove [    ] [    ] that at the Expiration of the time I have the [inexpressable] Happyness of once More enjoying my beloved parents and Relations I have to Acknowledge the Receipt of three Letters
from you which I was happy to Receive & hope I shall hear Again at all Opportunity with all information as to hear from you is a great Happyness to me – I have no particular News here to Relate Excepting that the Native Blacks are Continually Murdering the White People in the Interior
of the Country the Soldiers where font in persuit of them A few weeks back & Shot 14 of them – I hope when you write you will inform me of the Welfare of my Wife & Dear Child I wish you to Understand that this favor I am to Receive is totally Risen from my own good Conduct in Service
[of] not the least indebted to Any Interest through Colonell Melcher in fact it is only wasting paper mentioning him or Isaac Crompton & I hope when I have the pleasure of Returning to you which Nothing but Death will prevent that I shall never be Disgusted with their presents or names

I hope that you got my last Letter by the Emu Dated March last, wherein I wishd you to forward me Sundry Goods which I now most earnestly hope you will not Neglect doing According to my Instructions as they will be of Serious Service towards assisting me Home I am Exceeding Sorry to hear the Death of my Grandmother & Uncle Richard Holding – but it is a Debt we must all p[  ] I would be happy to receive a Letter from my Brother if he can possibly find time to Write me one – & [    ] Cousin James – haveing No further information to Communicate at present I conclude hopeing to God to give you all health & Happiness & my speedy Return hopeing to be Rememberd to my Wifes Sister – & all Enquiring friends & with God Bless You all --

I remain Yours
Most Dutifull Son
Thos Holding

NB The night after this was wrote I was robbed of all my money and among other things they broke open this letter. I hope by this time you have received the newspapers which I sent by my last letter. The first monday in next December I am to receive my Emancipation which day I hope you will keep up

yours &c
T. Holding

My dear wife and Louing Child that is the [  ] any has I hope the dey will Coum when we shall have the ple[sure] of once moar meetting  in this world, No more hat present from you Lovin housband

Address:
Mr John Holding
to be left at the Golden Lion
Church Gate Bolton le Moors
Lancashire

19th March 1816: The convict, Thomas Holden, writes to his parents & his wife from Sydney, Australia

My Dear Father and Mother

March 19th 1816

this Comes to Let you no that I ham in good Ealth hat present thanks be to god for it. I hope it will find you the seme Dear Father if you Could Send me a few things has [   ] same Coulters Bouls and tr\h/ed and mousless spolled for Caps and gouns and Shalls the Best you have yet and a pase of them prinilled Bed Covers wich the making even I laft home and Coulters stokings and a pace of the Best /peses of\ prints you Chan get and Seddels and fine Lin Clath for shirts the Best you Can get and Legs and futten for Caps and tepe and if you heve Recourse to Send soum of the Boults that Coums of the Masten works sumaker hals hers [                ] for the hals and Julanlen and Ribbens Blu and [   ]te and if you send me these particlars it will [    ]u me a great kindness hat this present time

Dear father plese to derect them to Mr Heath Sherby Street Halton garden London to the Comissary girel Allen Nue South weles and put the Letter in the Box that I [       ] the [   ] for and ples to send a Letter to [ ]illm Heath to fonned the seme to Nue South weles a Long with the Allan things and I shall be shoure to get them sefe put Mr Allan neme on it But not mine be sure to Nale this Box doun fast and if there is hanny Room to send James bradley thing with mine

Dear Father has there is No More oppertunety of Sending me No more as my thime is groing Short of Confinement wich I ham Looking for it will Be the happeness dey that he[ ]er I had in My Life if you Should Receiv this Letter Send me word if you Can send me these hartic\less/ nor not Rite to me as soon as you Can for I hop that I soon be with you hall Dear father and fine poucet andkerchifs Someone hat present From your hun dutty ful Son Thos Houlding till Death

Dear wife and Louing Child I Hope the dey will Com when we shall be Both to gather Dear Wife I hope you will geat /the\ monny that my huncel hattan Would [in det to one  ] Left home has it will dow Me a greate kindness hat this present thime and send me has much has you cand get in gouds has this is the Last oppertunity you Shall heue wilst I ham in Country sell the 2 pare of Looms if you can and hall my Close to /sell them\ send to me has it will be a great thing for [to have my pacadge] to England as it is a Long we for me to Com home Rember my Love to My Brother willam and to my Cousen James and to your sister Nancy and Father and Mother and to little nancy grene and if you send me these thing be shour that we hare sefe and if Mr Biley gouse to London yet tell /im\ to see Mr Heath imself and no More from your Loving Housbond till Death Thomas Houlding

30th June 1815: The convict Thomas Holden writes to his wife, from Sydney, Australia

Sydney June [11] 30 1815

My Dear Wife

I take this oppertunity of Writing to you Hoping to find to find you and My Dear Child in good health as this Leaves Me at Presant thanks Be to god for the Same and I ham very unhappy to think that you have for got me So soon for My Part I know that I ham Shut up in one Corner of the World But I hope that you wont for get to write to me hevery 3 Months as there is a Ship Sails from Portsmouth and there is nothing will Give Me More happiness than to hear from you for My Part there is never a Ship Coms to this Contry But I goes to know whether there is aney Letter for Me or no and when there is no Letter then I think you Have quite forgot Me to think that I have got ondley one Letter Since this time 3 yers So I Desire you Will Let Me know the Reason that My Brother Dont Write to Me and My Cousan James and I hope they Will find time to write if they Can and My Dear father and Mother I hear that there is Peace with all the World so I Desire you will Send the Word if it is So and Please to Let Me know how the trade is Since Peac[ ] and Whether I can get a honist Living or not and there is a Strong Report of us getting our pardon and if there is Please to Let Me Know By the first Ship and you Mentinsond Some of the Men that Came from England with Me But I will ashure you I have never Cept Company with any one Sins I Left my natife Contry for I will ashure you I find
it as Much as I Can do to Mind My Self and I have Done all that Eavr Man Can Do to get my Liberty
and to Come home But it is all in vain the More I strive the More I ham Behind So Dear Mother if
Should Please God to Let us Meet a gain in this World I hope it will Be a happy Meetting and if it Should Please god to Call Me Before our Meeting I hope we Shal Meet in another World Where there Will Be no More Parting once I Did not think that it would Be my feat to Be So far Distant from you My Dear Mother and you My Wife and Child Dear Mother things in this Contry is very Dear Mens hats is too Pound too Shillings and Stockings ten Shillings Per Pair and Shoos Sixteen Shillings Per Pair Sugar 3 Shillings Per Pound and Butter 7 Shillings Per Pound Cotton Prints 12 Shillings Per yard velveteen one Pound Per yard 40 Reed Muslin 12 Shillings Per yard and Eavry thing acordingly and allthough the Prices is So high We are Verry glad to get at aney Price so I must inform you of my  Wages

I have 20 Pounds Per year in Corrency Money it will Be More than 12 Pounds in English Coin So My Dear Brother I hope you will Stay at home with your Mother and Becontented in the State you are in and I Desire you to write to Me and Send Me all the news that is going with you Both in family afairs and how trade is and the Prise of Vitling and all oather news that you Can as ther is nothing will give Me More Satisfaction then to hear from you all & when it is Dark with you it is Light with us and the natifs of this Contry they are Blaiks and they go naked Just as they Came into the world and they live on Nuts of trees as [   ] [   ] Snouts or aney oather Creeping thing [   ]n and Children goes all naked a Like So I have nothing More to add ondley Begging of you My Dear Wife that you will take Perticul[  ] Care of My Dear Child until I Return for I will ashure you I think of nothing But you and My Dear Child and My Sincere Prayr is Both Day and night that I May once More Be along with you Both and never More to Be Parted – – –

So no More at Presant from your Loving husba[ ] – [til Death] and affectinate father and Dutifull Son til Death Thos Holding

[To] Mrs Holding
to be left at the sign of the Golden L[   ]
Church Gate Bolton
Lee Moores
Lancashire

23rd June 1815: The convict, Thomas Holden, writes to his parents from Sydney, Australia

No 13 Letter and only one Answer

Sydney, Port Jackson.
New South Wales,
New Holland 23rd June 1815

My Dear Father & Mother,

I take this Opportunity of [  ]iting to you those few lines hoping it will [ ]ind you in good Health as it leaves me and I should wish to know the reason you dont write to me as there is a Ship sails from Portsmouth every 3 Months there is nothing in this World that would giue me more happiness than hearing from you at euery Opportunity there is never a Ship comes into New South Wales but I always go and ask for one and when there is not one I always think that /you\ quite forgott[  ] me

Mr and Mrs Holding

Dear Father you was a speaking to me about the Men that came in the Ship with me but I neuer associated with any of them so that I dont know any thing about any of them for I have as much as ever I can do to look after myself Dear Father I should like to know the reason my Brothe dont write to me Si[nce] that he can find as much time as I can do So I hear there is Peace made in England and I hope you will let me know how trade is in England since there was Peace and whether I could gett an honest living if I was at Home .... Dear Wife and Child I should wish to know the Reason that she does not write to me for there is some hopes of me getting my Pardon let me know the foundation andd send it by the next Ship

Not to be afraid of putting them in the Post Office for I will pay the postage for them and let me know all the New They can andd not to be afraid to let me know all particulars Dear Mother if it should be our fortune in this Wo/r\ld I hope it will be a happy meeting and if not in this world I hope in [    ]xt so now I think we will can[  ] [    ]ife Child, father Mother Broth[   ] [    ] my Cousin James & my Wifes Sister

Dear Father and Mother I am
your Most Afft and Loving Son
Till Death shall part
Thomas Holding

P:S: [Kiss] my Dear little Wife & Child for me my Dear Mother

T Holding

sydney New South Wales 23[   ]

[To] Mr John Holding
To be left at the sign of the Golden
Lion Church gate, Bolton
Lee Moores
        Lancashire
Holding

7th February 1814: Foster Roach, the last prisoner from the 1812 trials, arrives in Australia

'View of Sydney Cove from Dawes Point' by Joseph Lycett, c.1817/1818

On Monday 7th February 1814, the transport ship General Hewitt arrived at Port Jackson, Sydney, Australia carrying 266 male convicts.

Among them was Foster (or Forster) Roach, a young weaver from Ireland, aged 18 at the time of his trial in May/June 1812. Roach had originally been sentenced to death for unlawful assembly and theft in Etchells, Stockport on 15th April 1812, but the trial jury had recommended mercy and the sentence was respited, meaning Roach was transported for life. Roach was the last of the prisoners convicted at the 1812 Special Commissions to be transported, more than 20 months after he was sentenced.

Roach and his fellow convicts had left England on board the General Hewitt on 26th August 1813, and had arrived at Rio de Janeiro on 17th November before continuing to Australia. Conditions on board were so appalling, that by the time the ship arrived at Sydney, 34 of the convicts who had originally boarded the ship had died.

Also aboard the ship was Joseph Lycett, an artist who had been convicted of forging a bank note in 1811 and is well-known for his pictures of Australia, one of which is above.

9th October 1813: The 'Earl Spencer' arrives in Australia, bringing Luddites & a Steam Engine

'Part of the Harbour of Port Jackson, and the country between Sydney and the Blue Mountains, New South Wales', an Aquatint by R Havell & Sons, after Major James Taylor, c.1821

The Transport ship 'Earl Spencer' arrived at Port Jackson, Sydney, Australia in the forenoon of Saturday 9th October 1813, after a voyage of 129 days. It would be the last transport to bring large numbers of convicted Luddites from the 1811/1812 disturbances, a later ship bringing one remaining prisoner from the trials thus far.

The ship had left Portsmouth on 2nd June 1813, and had stopped at Madeira exactly a month later, before completing the rest of the journey unbroken. Four prisoners died on the trip. The prisoners went ashore 5 days after arriving on 14th October, and included 17 men convicted of various offences connected with Luddism:

Chester Special Commission:

James Bennett (death, respited)
John Bradshaw (7 years transportation)
Thomas Brunt aka Etchells (7 years transportation)
Thomas Burgess (7 years transportation)
William Greenhough (death, respited)
John Henshall (death, respited)
John Heywood (death, respited)
Samuel Lees (7 years transportation)
Richard Lowndes (death, respited)
James Radcliffe (7 years transportation)
Edward Redfern (7 years transportation)
William Thompson (death, respited)
James Tomlinson (death, respited)
James Torkington (death, respited)
Thomas Whittaker (7 years transportation)

Derby Summer Assizes 1812:

Andrew Scott

Nottingham Summer Assizes 1812:

George Spray

Ironically, the 'Earl Spencer' also brought the first steam engine to Australia.

11th June 1813: The Convict Ship 'The Fortune' arrives in Sydney, Australia

'The entrance of Port Jackson, and part of the town of Sydney, New South Wales' an aquatint by Havell & Son, after Major James Taylor, c.1821

On Friday 11th June, the ship 'The Fortune' arrived in Port Jackson, Sydney, Australia, after a voyage of 6 months from when it left England.

The exact date of departure is not clear. For whilst the official records state that it left the South Coast on 3rd December 1812, the fact is that one of the prisoners on board - the Bolton Luddite convict, Thomas Holden - sent a letter to his family dated 11th December 1812 from the ship. 'The Fortune' had been beached in a storm after leaving Woolwich and had spent almost 7 weeks moored in Rio de Janeiro between 3rd February and 22nd March 1813.

200 prisoners had left England, but only 196 arrived: 2 had died of illness on the voyage (including the Luddite John Burney), whilst another 2 had drowned. 36 of the prisoners were under 21 years of age.

The prisoners on board were not taken ashore until a further 7 days had passed: 16 of them had been convicted with various offences connected with Luddism, to wit

Lancaster Special Commission (all sentenced to 7 years transportation):

James Brierley
John Burney (died en route)
Samuel Crossley
John Fisher
Joseph Greenhalgh
Thomas Holden
John Hope
Jon Hurst
James Knowles
Christopher Medcalfe
Samuel Radcliffe
Henry Thwaite

Chester Special Commission (all respited death sentences):

James Crosland
Colin Linden
James Wilson aka Roach

Derby Lent Assizes 1812:

John England (death, respited)

Nottingham Lent Assizes 1812:

Gervas Marshall (7 years transportation)

The Sydney Gazette reported that 6 of the prisoners were in irons, having been punished for their behaviour on the trip. Governor McQuarrie reportedly released them from this punishment before they were all sent to various locations to serve their sentences.