A great deal has been written about the terrible hardships and privations endured by convicts during transportation to Australia by ship. Some ships lost a third of their complement of prisoners. It was a practice among some of the ship's officers to withhold portion of the convicts' rations in order to sell them for personal profit in Sydney township. Convicts were also supposedly allowed an issue of clothing, which they seem seldom to have received, and which some of them must have needed urgently, as they quite frequently had been held in the hulks (old warships moored in rivers and harbours) or in gaol for up to two years prior to their transportation. It was, therefore, surprising when researching the ship on which the Hendersons, Margaret and Thomas were transported, to find such a contrasting care given to the health and well-being of the convicts sent out in the SUGAR CANE. The SUGAR CANE and the BODDINGTONS, which sailed from the same port a month before the SUGAR CANE, were both under charter to the British Government to carry convicts to the Colony of New South Wales.
In consequence of the great number of deaths which occurred in 1790, on NEPTUNE, SCARBOROUGH and SURPRIZE (Vol. 1. Pt. 2. p. 355) the British Government adopted the system of placing on board each transport a Surgeon of the Royal Navy, vested with the general control of the convicts, and known as the Surgeon-Superintendent. He was authorised to take cognizance of every circumstance connected with the treatment of the convicts-their rations, clothing, quarters and general discipline. The nature of his duties often brought him into conflict with the captain of the transport ( See 'Two voyages to New South Wales' by Thomas Reid, Surgeon in the Royal Navy, pp. 278-293). It was in this capacity that Surgeons Kent and Bell were placed in the BODDINGTONS and SUGAR CANE. (See Collins Vol.1, pp304-5).
"John Bowen to Secretary Nepean
Yours, etc. John Bowen."
"Lieut. Bowen to Secretary Nepean.
(Note: Surgeon Bell was duly appointed in place of Mr. Jamieson, in addition to his professional duties, he was charged with those of Superintendent and Agent for the Crown. A medical gentleman, Mr. Rogers was engaged by the contractor and, as in the case of the BODDINGTONS, the full passage money was to be paid for the number actually landed, a deduction of five pounds per head being made for convicts buried at sea. (Collins, Vol.1, pp 304-5).
"Surgeon-Superintendent Kent to Under Secretary Nepean
© Joan Taylor 2003
In 1793, the year in which Thomas and Margaret were transported, the owner of the transport CANADA , of 220 tons, tendered for the transport of convicts to the Colony of New South Wales as follows:-
"110 convicts (men and women) at £25.0.0 per head £20.0.0 to be paid immediately and the remaining £5.0.0 to be paid for each and every convict delivered. The owners to find every article and the same allowance of provisions and clothing etc. as per contract made for the ships ATLANTIC, WILLIAM and ANN under the direction of Lieut. Bowen
100 convicts, men and women, upon the same terms as above, and such provisions as the ship can stow, which is to be landed at Port Jackson at £8.0.0 per ton. The ship is to be despatched in 20 days After being ready to take the convicts on board or to be paid £5.0.0 per day and 6d. per day per head for each and every convict, as long as she shall be detained over and above the 20 days. Convicts and provisions to be received in 10 more after her arrival or be subject to the same demurrage as above.
John St. Barbe."
The following are extracts from various letters and despatches concerning these two vessels:-
"John Bowen ( Naval Agent to Secretary Nepean)
Deptford, 11 January, 1793
Dear Sir,
I cannot possibly meet Richards without neglecting the
transports: am obliged to be constantly on board to keep the seamen together; hope to have everything on board and the cabins built and ready to fall down the river tomorrow. We should have been ready today, but the joiners will not sleep on board for fear of the PRESS (the press-gang) nor can I persuade them they will not be touched, as on former occasions, they have been taken away at the first breaking out of the press. The SUGAR CANE goes on something better; I think I shall get her away by the middle of new week.
Yours etc. John Bowen
(W. Richards Jnr. Was contractor for transportation).
Deptford, 21 January, 1793.
Sir,
I have promised to meet Mr. Richards with you this morning, if the SUGAR CANE was ready; but that not being the case, he is not entitled to the second payment. As soon as she has got everything on board, and ready to proceed, he will then be entitled, and not before. I will let you know the time.
Navy Office, 28 January, 1793.
Sir,
The bearer, Mr. David Wake Bell, surgeon in the Navy, has got Sir Henry Martin's leave to go in the SUGAR CANE in the room of Mr. Jamieson. He is strongly recommended as a very proper person for that service.
I am, and etc. John Bowen. "
BODDINGTONS, Cove of Cork, 6th Feb., 1793.
Sir,
The BODDINGTONS arrived here on 23rd of last month, where I found the convicts had been for a considerable time waiting our arrival, and many of them on board the HIBERNIA, where they had been for seven weeks, very ill in fever and dysenterys. We received from three sloops eighty-nine male convicts, all healthy, and the remainder to make 125 from the HIBERNIA which, at coming on board, appeared in health. They had not been long on board before several of them complained, and symptoms of fever very apparent amongst them, though they were properly wash'd and cleans'd. They are now getting better, and I hope to put a stop to its progress before we get into warmer weather. I took the five over the stipulated number contracted for from a letter I received from the sheriff, in consequence of a request of His Excellency the Lord Lieutenant, that we might take as many more as the ship could conveniently carry. In consequence of taking them, we have been obliged to stow twelve casks of water on the main decks. There is a great many more females here than we contracted for. The BODDINGTONS cannot carry one more of them than her number. The SUGAR CANE, I believe, may, as she has better accommodation than the Bod'n. She has not arrived here yet.
One soldier has deserted since our arrival here. They are a very troublesome sett, and require some looking after than the convicts. The convicts have been served with fresh beef since being embark'd, at the rate of four pounds between six, with oatmeal breakfast and bread as stipulated. This they complain of, so have ordered them to be supplied agreeable to contract. The fresh beef was given at the instance of the contractor's agent., in lieu of their rations. If the winds will permit, Capt. Chalmers (Master of the BODDINGTONS) informs me that he will be ready before or by Monday next. I wish sincerely it was sooner; but as the ship was shamefully sent away from the river, without being properly stowed, and the 'tween decks as full as they could stow, it requir'd a considerable time in making room to put the stores away; and I fear from the hurry in stowing the water-casks that many of them may be found to be deficient, which will be attended with disagreeable consequences. I hope my taking the five over will meet with your approbation. The Sheriff has not sent the proper lists with them, but he informs me he had not their crimes, as they had been collected from all parts of the kingdom. This will be unpleasant, as there will be no discriminating those guilty of great offences from those whose offences may be small. As I think it my duty to inform you of every particular, hope you will excuse my being so tedious. I am etc., Rich'd Kent."