Summary
Personal Information
Crime
Voyage
Transportation
John Baker was transported on the Hougoumont, departing 10th Oct 1867 and arriving 9th Jan 1868 with 281 passengers.
875 ton ship was built at Moulmein in 1852. http://www.australiangeographic.com.au/journal/on-this-day-in-history-australias-last-convict-ship-docks.htm ---------------------------- Incorrect Image ....This is a four masted steel hulled Barque in the drawing , im surprised Australian Geo didn't do a bit more research on this .......The Hougoumont was a works ship on the Forth Bridge Project in 1885 ....the one potrayed as a drawing in Aust Geo is the later version of this ship.....the photograph i have attached is the correct and original convict vessel. --00-- 1867 "The hired convict ship Hougoumont, which has been taken up by the Government for the conveyance of a numerous party of convicts to Freemantle, Western Australia, left the Nore on October 1, and proceeded down Channel, after receiving on board 150 convicts from the establishments at Chatham and Millbank. The convicts from the Chatham establishment, at St. Mary's, embarked from the dockyard on board the paddle-wheel steamer Adder, Mr. W. J. Blakely, and were in charge of a numerous party of convict guards and wardens, all heavily armed. Among the convicts shipped were a party of fifteen Fenians, who were engaged in the late conspiracy in Ireland, together with the officers and crew convicted of scuttling the ship Severn, and some others who have achieved notoriety from their crimes. The Fenian convicts, like the remainder of the prisoners, were chained together in gangs, but it was observed that they were kept apart from the other convicts in a portion of the vessel by themselves. The steamer Petrel also took down a number of convicts from the establishment at Millbank for shipment on board the Hougoumont, in charge of a strong escort and convict guard. On Tuesday, October 8th, the Hougoumont arrived in Portland roads. Shortly before midday ninety convicts were marched down to the Government pier at Portland under a strong escort of the 12th Light Infantry. The party included twenty-three Fenian convicts, among whom it was said, was Moriarty. The Government steamer employed in the breakwater service was used for conveying the convicts on board the Hougoumont transport ship. The convicts were chained together on embarking, and on board the steamer a strong guard of marines from her Majesty's ship St. George was formed, and saw the convicts safely placed on board the Hougoumont. The Governor of the penal settlement at Freemantle, Captain Young, is on board the Hougoumont, and returns in that ship to his sphere of duty after paying a visit to his native land." Source: Sydney Morning Herald, Thu 19 Dec 1867, p4, English Shipping, available on Trove at https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/28608271?searchTerm=hougoumont.
HougoumontReferences
| Primary Source | Australian Joint Copying Project. Microfilm Roll 93, Class and Piece Number HO11/19, Page Number 248. --0-- Edgar, W. (Bill) (2018), “The precarious voyage of her majesty’s convict ship ‘Nile’ to the Swan River colony, late 1857 – and the unexpected aftermath.” The Great Circle, 40(1), 20–43. |
| Source Description | This record is one of the entries in the British convict transportation registers 1787-1867 database compiled by State Library of Queensland from British Home Office (HO) records which are available on microfilm as part of the Australian Joint Copying Pro |
| Original Source | Great Britain. Home Office |
| Compiled By | State Library of Queensland |
| Database Source | British convict transportation registers 1787-1867 database |
Claims
No one has claimed John Baker yet.
Photos
No photos have been added for John Baker.
Convict Notes
FOOTNOTE: Of the three men sentenced to penal servitude, only John Baker was transported to WA.
IN WA: BAKER, John; inmate #9656, arrived 10 Jan 1868 per Hougoumont Date of Birth: 1830 [jail records suggest 1838] Date of Death: 8 Jul 1870 Place of Death: Fremantle Prison Hospital, paralysis Marital Status: Unmarried Literacy: Literate Sentence Place: Norwich Crime: House breaking Sentence Period: 10 years Previous Convictions: Yes (https://fremantleprison.com.au/). --0--
30 September, 1867: He was sent from Millbank to embark on the Hougoumont for WA. “The hired convict ship Hougoumont, which has been taken up by the Government for the conveyance of a numerous party of convicts to Freemantle, Western Australia, left the Nore [an anchoring-ground in the estuary of the Thames; 3 miles n-e of Sheerness] on October 1, and proceeded down Channel, after receiving on board 150 convicts from the establishments at Chatham and Millbank. The convicts from the Chatham establishment, at St. Mary’s, embarked from the dockyard on board the paddle-wheel steamer Adder, Mr. W. J. Blakely, and were in charge of a numerous party of convict guards and wardens, all heavily armed… The steamer Petrel also took down a number of convicts from the establishment at Millbank for shipment on board the Hougoumont, in charge of a strong escort and convict guard.” (Sydney Morning Herald, 19 Dec 1867, p4, at https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/28608271) --0--
JAILS: 1 January, 1867: He was held at Norwich Castle County Gaol and House of Correction -- served 22 days. --0-- 23 January, 1867: John Baker, alias William Murty, was admitted to Millbank prison, Westminster, London -- inmate #2832. Listed as 29 when convicted, hawker, single, illiterate, Roman catholic; next of kin -- mother Mrs Dearmark, King Street Friar Street, Blackfriars Road, London. On 2 September, he was visited by his mother, sister and Mrs Smith (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951 for John Baker; Millbank Prison; Register of Prisoners; 1866-1867). In Millbank, he would have been kept in separate confinement. “After a sentence of transportation was handed down, the prisoner entered into a separate stage where he was placed into an individual cell, isolated from others, apart from brief periods of exercise and attendance at chapel. However, no communication of any kind with other prisoners was permitted at any time. The philosophy behind this penal methodology had its provenances in the religious, monastic traditions; i.e., that in the isolation of his cell the malefactor would be able to contemplate the errors of his way, unadulterated by the negative influences of former contemporaries, and be reformed.” (Edgar, 2018, pp39-40) When first put into practice, the mandated period of separate confinement was 18 months. By the late 1840s, authorities had conceded that such conditions of imprisonment were “injurious to many prisoners’ mental health” and the stint was reduced to 12 months. Periods of separate confinement were reduced further “as a prisoner displayed good behaviour tendencies” (Edgar, p40). Millbank, Pentonville, Wakefield and Mountjoy in Ireland were the “Probation” or “Separate” prisons, as were some local jails. --0--
NEWSPAPER report of the trial: 5 January, 1867 -- from the Norfolk Chronicle, p3: "TRIALS OF PRISONERS. John Thomas (27), dealer in skins, Henry Williams (38), chaser [engraver], John Baker (29), hawker, and John Hopper (49), coachman, were charged with breaking and entering the dwelling-house of Emily Cushing and stealing two salts, thirty-seven silver spoons, two pairs of silver sugar tongs, two gold watches and chains, three pairs of spectacles, and £4 10s. in money; they were also charged with breaking and entering the dwelling-house of James Cross, and stealing two coats, a silk handkerchief, and two ...; they were further charged with breaking and entering the dwelling-house of Edward Dyball, and stealing five brooches, three rings, two shirt studs, two collar studs, six silver tea-spoons, a gold necklet, a chain and locket, a locket, a pair of bracelets, two bracelets, a baby's rattle, a silver tooth-pick, a watch key, a gold sword ornament, and an umbrella. All the prisoners, with the exception of Thomas, pleaded guilty to the several indictments..." Verdicts: Hooper 10 years' penal servitude for housebreaking (three previous convictions for felony); Thomas 14 years' penal servitude for housebreaking (two prev convictions felony); and Williams 6 months' imprisonment (England & Wales, Criminal Registers, 1791-1892; England; Norfolk; 1867). --0--
TRIAL: 1 January, 1867: He was tried, convicted and sentenced at the General Quarter Sessions at the Guildhall, Norwich, to 10 years' penal servitude for housebreaking. Three previous convictions for felony were taken into account (England & Wales, Criminal Registers, 1791-1892 for John Baker; England; Norfolk; 1867). --0--