The Life and Voyage of William Hunt of Tharston, Norfolk(1828 - 1890)by Philip John Buzzard & Nigel Peacock
7.0The Voyage of the Convict Ship Pyrenees
The dates and positions of the ‘Pyrenees’ have been taken from Alfred Grey’s log of the 1853 journey from England to Australia. Alfred was the ship’s ‘chaplain’, looking after the spiritual welfare of those aboard, regularly performing acts of worship with the prisoners and the ship’s company.
The Pyrenees started loading convicts on the Thames Estuary, at Woolwich, from the hulks Warrior and Defence and then went onto Portsmouth to load convicts from Portsmouth Prison and 2 prisoners from the hulk York in Portsmouth Harbour. (John Bower, ship’s surgeon, incorrectly lists the 2 prisoners were from the hulk Stirling Castle). The ship then sailed to Portland, to pick up William and 87 other Portland prisoners and then onto Plymouth to load the Dartmoor prisoners. [22]
Portland 24th Jan 1853
On the 24th of January 1853 William embarked on the convict ship “Pyrenees” with 87 other convicts from Portland Prison. The March 1853 Portland Prison register notes that he was transferred to the ship.
Portland Prison (William’s embarkation on Pyrenees noted) [23]
Journal of the Governor, Portland Prison [24]
The Portland prison Governor’s journal for the period showed that the “Pyrenees” came into the port near Portland at 2am in the morning, by 11am the 88 prisoners were inspected, at 2pm they all left the prison for the Breakwater Pier and embarked on the Weymouth steamer from which they were conveyed to the “Pyrenees”.
A note in the journal also states that as the prisoners were being loaded there was a lot of cheering from those already on board and by the prisoners from Portland being loaded. An officer was undecided as to whether disciplinary action should be taken against the men, but it was decided not to.
The Voyage of the “Pyrenees” 1853
The voyage of the “Pyrenees”, for William, commenced at 4:30pm on the 24th of January 1853 with 94 passengers and 296 Prisoners.
Embarkation list - page 201
Embarkation list - page 202
The names of prisoners, guards and families aboard the Pyrenees are on the Convicts to Australia website [25] .
One notable prisoner was Bolitho Johns, a.k.a. Moodyne Joe [26] , who was to become infamous as Western Australia’s celebrated bushranger.
The Lloyds Online Register of Shipping [27] shows that the most likely ship was the “Pyrenees” [28] built in 1851 in Sunderland by D. Dunbar, a sail ship made of wood. Its captain/master was B. Freeman when William sailed to Australia.
The ship’s Surgeon Dr Bower was not impressed with the design of the prisoners’ bunks as he goes to some lengths to describe modifications carried out on them during the voyage to stop rotting food accumulating under the bottom bunk.
A ‘Convicts to Australia’ website document gave descriptions of the convicts on board the Pyrenees [29] . William was recorded as Reg. No. 1878, a labourer, single with no children, ’ 8¾” tall, dark brown hair and hazel eyes, a long face with a sallow complexion, of stout build, with the little finger on his left hand crooked and a scar on his right wrist.
The voyage was described in some details by a log kept by Alfred Gray [30] , a religious instructor onboard the ship. The first page only of the transcript of the log is shown below. In the whole log some prisoner names were mentioned by Alfred Gray but William’s was not.
Tuesday, January 14th 1853.3 p.m. Joined the “Pyrenees” at Portsmouth.4½ p.m. Returned by Bumb Boat [bumboat: small vessel for ferrying provisions/people from shore to ship] & spent the evening with Mr Shire the Governor’s son of the “Stirling Castle”. Captn. Freeman, Dr Bowyer and myself accompanied by Mr Garrett visited thoroughly the “Wellington” Man of War.19th. Spent the day with Mr Williams the Sub. Governor of the above ship.23rd. 10½ a.m. Held Divine Service. 4 p.m. Got under weigh & sailed from Portsmouth. 8 p.m. Most lovely evening.Monday 24th. 2 a.m. Arrived at Portland Roads. 3½ p.m. Under weigh for Sea.25th Head rather giddy, fine breeze.26th Arrived yesterday at 10 a.m. at Plymouth.28th, 3½ p.m. The Dartmoor Prisoners arrived in the “Queen” Man of War’s Boats.29th. Plymouth, fine day, after breakfast Mr Wright a passenger joined the ship whom I accompanied ashore at 12 at noon and visited the “Royal Dockyard” at Devonport/ Rope making very interesting, the walk more than a mile in length. Six large Men of War are now being built but from some cause, the public are not allowed to go in during work. Engineers shops are well worth notice, although not equal to some Engineers’ Manufactories, that I have seen in the North of England. saw Nasmith’s Hammers in use, for the making of Anchors very much pleased with my visit I returned to the Ship to Dinner.Sunday 30th – Plymouth. As the sun this Sabbath casts its rays on our good Ship, so I trust the minds of the unfortunate people, whose care I have will be illumined, with the golden truths of the Gospel of Christ. The Rev. Mr Child of Devonport came on board, and performed Divine Service the whole of the unhappy prisoners were mustered ’tween decks, and a ……….
Mr. John Bower, Ship’s Surgeon [31] details the names of persons ill on the ship and the treatment he gave them. William was one of them as he had a fever on the 18th of March and after treatment returned to duties on 29th April 1853. [31]
“A very strong and powerful young man. The disease in this case came on in the usual manner. The febrile excitement was treated by a small blood-letting and Diaphoretics. No unfavourable symptoms showed until the 12th day after the attack when the lungs became congested evidenced by cough and rusty expectoration this was relieved by large dose of Au. Pot Ash and blisters: the expectoration continued copious and bloody for a considerable time; under the constant use of Quinine and restoratives with a general diet and wine, he speedily recovered health and strength and returned to duty on 29th April.”
At 8 a.m., on 30th April 1853, a pilot from “Rottenness” Island, (Alfred Gray’s name for Rottnest Island) off Fremantle, came aboard the Pyrenees and the ship anchored at 5 p.m. a journey of 96 days.
On 6th May 1853 most of the prisoners were sent ashore. The remainder went sent ashore between the 16th May and the 2nd of June.
William had arrived in the Swan River Colony.
------------------------------ [22] From journal of John Bower, Ships Surgeon, Pyrenees [23] - [24] England & Wales, Crime, Prisons & Punishment, 1770-1935. HO8 Home Office: Convict Hulks, Convict Prisons And Criminal Lunatic Asylums: Quarterly Returns Of Prisoners Page 63 [25] Convicts to Australia website [26] Wikipedia, Moodyne Joe [27] Lloyds Online Register of Shipping [28] Lloyds Online Register of Shipping, Pyrenees [29] Physical Descriptions Of Convicts On Pyrenees 1853 [30] Alfred Gray’s Log 1853 [31] The journal of John Bower, Ships Surgeon, Pyrenees 1853
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Page last updated: 15 Apr 2023© Philip John Buzzard & Nigel Peacock
6.1
