Summary
Personal Information
Crime
Voyage
Transportation
Cornelius Barrett 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 236 |
| 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 |
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Convict Notes
1883-1896: Over this period, Cornelius Barrett made regular appearances before the courts, usually to answer charges of vagrancy and/or drunkenness. The final reference to him in the WA press is on 18 December, 1896, in the Inquirer and Commercial News (Perth), p3: "THE POLICE COURTS. PERTH. (Before Mr. Cowan, P.M.) Drunkenness. — Patrick Derkin was ordered to pay 2s. cab fare, and Cornelius Barrett was sent to the depot." --0--
23 February, 1883 -- from the Daily News (Perth), p3: "One of those peculiar and horrible cases of depravity, which to how low a man may fall when he gives reins to his evil passions, was heard in the City Court this morning, when Cornelius Barrett (for whose apprehension a warrant was issued yesterday) was brought up charged with having committed an aggravated assault upon a poor little girl only about three years of age. Pitiful to relate, the chief witness was the infant victim's brother, who was so young that he had to be lifted up into the bench to give his evidence, which he did in a modest, yet straightforward manner, which won for him the warm approval of the magistrates. The evidence, which was of course utterly unfit for publication, was quite conclusive as to the prisoner's guilt, who contented himself with simply protesting his innocence. Mr. Cowan censured Barrett's atrocious conduct in the severest terms, and said that the Bench had decided upon giving him the full penalty the law allowed in such a case, viz., imprisonment with hard labor for six calendar months, adding that he was sorry he could not sentence him to be flogged as well." (https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/76932288) --0--
OTHER: 13 April, 1875 -- from the Western Australian Times, p3: "Cornelius Barrett, a bricklayer, in Mr. Platt's employ, was charged by p.c. Carroll, with being absent from his reported place of abode, on the night of the 3rd inst. after 10 o'clock, when he was detected leaving the residence of a pensioner's widow by the name of O'Brien, where he had been in the company of a prostitute—with whom he had quarrelled, which occasioned the constable's presence, and led to his discovery. He was ordered 2 months' imprisonment, with hard labor." (https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/2974000) --0--
From his Fremantle jail record: BARRETT, Cornelius, inmate #9659, arrived 10 Jan 1868 per Hougoumont Date of Birth: 1830 Marital Status: Married 2 children Occupation: Plasterer Literacy: Literate Crime: Possessing coin mould Sentence Period: 10 years Previous Convictions: Yes Ticket of Leave Date: 15 Jun 1871 Certificate of Freedom Date: 9 Oct 1877 Comments: Plasterer, bricklayer, mason, carpenter, builder (https://fremantleprison.com.au/). --0--
IN WA: 10 January, 1868: On arrival in WA, he was listed as Cornelius Barrett -- convict #9658, aged 36 when convicted, plasterer, married with two children by this time (Cornelius aged 8, and Elizabeth aged 6). His wife, Elizabeth, aged 27, was now living at Brixton. All other details are as per previous records (Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930; Convict Department, Registers; General Register for Nos 9059-9598 cont., 9599-10128 (R15-R16)). --0--
5 October, 1867: He was sent from Portsmouth to board the Hougoumont for transportation to WA (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951 for Cornelius Barrett; Portsmouth Prison; Registers of Prisoners; 1866-1868). --00--
27 September, 1867: He was admitted to Portsmouth prison, Cumberland Street, Portsmouth, Hampshire -- inmate #1234 (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951 for Cornelius Barrett; Portsmouth Prison; Registers of Prisoners; 1866-1868). --0--
November, 1866: Cornelius Barrett was held at Woking prison, Knaphill, Woking, in Surrey. Opened in April 1859, Woking was "primarily for invalided male convicts". Between 1862 and 1867, convicts from Woking made up "the working party sent to labour for the construction of Broadmoor Criminal Asylum." (https://www.prisonhistory.org/) --0--
--00-- --00-- ANOTHER TRIAL: OLD BAILEY -- 19 November, 1866: #19. JOHN BARRETT (44), CORNELIUS BARRETT (34), and ELIZABETH BARRETT (26), unlawfully having in their possession a certain mould for making counterfeit coin, to which CORNELIUS BARRETT PLEADED GUILTY.— Ten Years' Penal Servitude. MESSRS. COLERIDGE and STRAIGHT conducted the Prosecution, and MR. DALY Defended John Barrett. JAMES BRANNAN. I live at No. 39, Radnor Street, St. Luke's, and am principally employed by the authorities of the Mint in carrying out their inquiries—I am also agent to the Inspector of Reformatories—on the 2nd of November I went with Fife and other officers to No. 5, George Street, Spitalfields, between two and three o'clock in the afternoon—on entering the street an alarm was given, and John Barrett's head, which was out of the window, disappeared—we proceeded with all speed to the second floor front room, which was found open by Inspector Fife—at the time we entered Cornelius Barrett was standing close to John at the table, and he swept off the table with his hand a quantity of crowns, some of which dropped on the floor, and some he threw out at the open window—he was seized and secured—he resisted very violently—John Barrett sat down on a chair by the window, and I then saw Elizabeth Barrett take from a table a black bag—it is a very small room—she took up a packet from the table wrapped up in a rag, and threw it out of the window—I had stationed Inspector Broad at the door outside in the street—I seized the female prisoner's hand, having seen her take a crown off the mantel-piece, and endeavoured to get it—she said, "May God strike me b—dead if it is not a good one, Mr. Brannan"—I said, "I quite imagine it is, and the pattern piece from which the mould is taken"—I got it from her hand with some difficulty, and soon afterwards Inspector Broad brought in a parcel with nine crowns in it, which she threw out, and two half-crowns which Cornelius threw out—I found that some of them corresponded in date and marks with the one I took from Elizabeth—she resisted very violently—I saw the officers pick up off the floor a quantity of coin which was strewed about—there was a clear bright fire in the fireplace, and I found this ladle (produced) with a small portion of white metal in it, hot, but not melted—Inspector Broad found a file with white metal hanging to the teeth of it, as if it had been recently used—I recovered this packet, containing the fragments of a plaster of Paris mould for casting crowns, and which Broad said that he saw thrown out at the window—the prisoners heard that, but made no answer. Cross-examined. Q. Are you sure you said at the police-court that an alarm was given? A. Yes, but it was not taken down—a man at the corner of the street gave the alarm, and we immediately rushed upstairs—we do not apply to be let in, unless it is by a sledge hammer—the room door was fastened, but not the street door—the prisoner John has been occasionally working at the Docks—I do not think he has ever been convicted—this was Cornelius's place—they are brothers—the female prisoner cohabits with Cornelius. MR. COLERIDGE. Q. Was the room door locked? A. I do not know, we did not wait to try—Fife broke it open with a sledge hammer—I was present when the prisoners were committed, and heard Cornelius say that John was not guilty—he said, "This man is innocent"—Elizabeth was exceedingly violent. JOHN FIFE (Police Inspector G). I went with Brannan and broke the panel of the door in—I saw Cornelius seize a quantity of coin, and throw it out at the window—Elizabeth was standing by the fireplace—she seized a bag and threw it out at the window—I found on the table seven counter-feit half-crowns. JAMES BRANNAN (Police Inspector F). I went with the other officers—I found two bad crowns at Cornelius's feet, and this plaster of Paris, and a bottle of acid under the table—this knife was on the table, with plaster of Paris on it—Cornelius said, "You have, got me and the old woman to rights; my brother merely came up for a bit of grub, as he had been out of work six weeks; he is innocent." WILLIAM BROAD (Police Inspector H). I went with the party and remained in the street—I saw Brannan and Fife go upstairs, and shortly afterwards I saw several pieces of coin thrown out at the window—I picked them up, and also a black parcel containing a mould and a file. ARTHUR ELLIOTT (Police Sergeant 13 G). I am employed by Mr. Brannan in watching suspected places, and had been watching this house in Spitalfields about a week—I know the room in which Cornelius Barrett lived—I have seen John go in and out there half a dozen times, and have seen him at the window—I had seen them together two days before—I saw John go in, and saw him at the window as well. Cross-examined. Q. You were not of sufficient importance to be examined before the Magistrate? A. No; I was there—it was for the solicitor to the Treasury to call me—I had not told him what I now say—I was ordered by Mr. Brannan to be there—I had told him that I had seen John going in and out with Cornelius—Mr. Brannan told me to be here to-day, and he spoke to me since—he was cross-examined, and asked me if I could remember the days, and I said "Yes. MR. COLERIDGE. Q. Does Mr. Brannan arrange about the witnesses going up? A. Yes—he told me to be in attendance at the police-court, and also here—I have been employed by him for many years in cases of this description, and knew that it was my duty to be in attendance. WILLIAM WEBSTER . These fragments are parts of a mould for making crowns, here is part of the get—this piece has the same marks on it as the good crown, proving that this coin was used for making the mould—these eleven crowns are bad, and all were made in this mould—this metal is the same that the coins are made of—the plaster of Paris is used for making moulds—the acid is for charging the battery, and the file to file off the get, which is the aperture in the mould through which the metal is poured. John Barrett. This woman is my wife; she is innocent. JOHN BARRETT— NOT GUILTY. ELIZABETH BARRETT— GUILTY — Ten Years' Penal Servitude. -- NOTE: Elizabeth Barrett was Cornelius's wife.
22 February, 1866: Cornelius Barratt was granted a “prison licence”/Ticket of Leave #17932 (Digital Panopticon; UK Licences for Parole of Male Convicts 1853-1925; Record ID tlmTNA/CCC/2B/PCOM3/01466242). He would have earned this licence by virtue of his “exemplary” behaviour in the previous 32 months. —00—