Summary
Personal Information
Crime
Voyage
Transportation
Thomas Betts 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 249 (127). --0-- https://www.toodyay.wa.gov.au/documents/234/convicts-associated-with-toodyay-as-at-30-sep-2020 |
| 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
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Photos
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Convict Notes
From the "Convicts associated with Toodyay" database: Betts, Thomas (1841-1902); #9665; and #10277 1868-01-10 Hougoumont CWA; Unm; currier; semi lit Prot; griev bodily harm 10yrs; Newcastle, Swan, Toodyay; gen svt; lab; wellsinker. Reconvicted WA 03-07-1879 3 yrs: Mar; collier. BDWA: Betts, Thomas, b. 1843 (expiree), son of Thomas, arr. 10. 1.1868 per Hougoumont. m. Emily Sarah Clarke b. 8.5. 1854, dtr. of George Brown & Sarah Ann (nee Cooper ). Chd. [several]. Labourer. Wellsinker. Victoria Plains. "Edibegibergi" Walebing 1884. Farmer. Pro. BDM: Married Emily Sarah Clarke in 1877; listed under Thomas Alexander Bates. Ancestry: WA convict records: General Register for Nos 9059 - 9598 cont., 9599 - 10128 (R15 - R16): P532: 9665 Betts, Thomas. Hougoumont. Was employed in the Toodyay district in 1872, and also later went on Conditional Release in 1875 and 1876, before CF given by RM Newcastle. --0--
From the Inquirer and Commercial News (Perth), 9 July 1879, p3: "Thursday, July 3. Thomas Betts was charged with unlawfully wounding James Wilson, at Walebing [a station on the Victoria Plains], in February last. Mr. Howell conducted the defence. The assault arose out of a drunken orgie, in which both prosecutor and prisoner pretty freely indulged with several boon companions, on the arrival at the station of several bottles of rum. Verdict, guilty; sentence, three years' penal servitude." (https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/65958132)
From the Western Australian Times (Perth), 1 July 1879, p2: "LOCAL AND GENERAL... The Criminal Sittings. -The July Criminal Sittings of the Supreme Court begin tomorrow morning at ten o'clock. There are sixteen cases on the calendar, and some of the offences are of a serious character. We are indebted to Mr. Sheriff Roe for the following list of prisoners who stand committed for trial:-Thomas Betts, wounding with intent to disable and to do grievous bodily harm, at Victoria Plains..." (https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/2981422). --0--
WA CONVICTION: BETTS, Thomas; inmate #10277, Colonial Other No: 9665 Date of Birth: 1841 Marital Status: Married Occupation: Collier Sentence Place: Western Australia, Australia Sentence Period: 3 years Previous Convictions: Yes (https://fremantleprison.com.au/) --0--
OCCUPATION: Thomas Betts' occupation is listed as both a currier and a collier in various WA Convict records. Since the newspaper report of his trial calls him a collier, this occupation is the one given above. A currier "dressed leather after it is tanned", according to the Dictionary of Old Occupations (https://www.familyresearcher.co.uk/). --0--
IN WA: From his Fremantle jail record: BETTS, Thomas; inmate #9665, arrived 10 Jan 1868 per Hougoumont Date of Birth: 1841 Marital Status: Unmarried Occupation: Currier Literacy: Semi-literate Sentence Place: Nottingham Crime: Grievous bodily harm Sentence Period: 10 years Previous Convictions: Yes Ticket of Leave Date: 17 Dec 1871 Certificate of Freedom Date: 27 Jul 1876 Comments: Conditional Release 1874. General servant, labourer, well sinker. Reconvicted in Western Australia(https://fremantleprison.com.au/). —0—
8 October, 1867: He was sent from Portland to board the Hougoumont for transportation to 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 on October 1, and proceeded down Channel, after receiving on board 150 convicts from the establishments at Chatham and Millbank... 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." (Sydney Morning Herald, Thu 19 Dec 1867, p4, at https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/28608271)
16 April, 1867: He was admitted to PORTLAND prison, Grove Road, Dorset. John Freeman was sent to Chatham prison in Kent. Thomas Betts' behaviour in Portland was listed as "good" (Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930; Convict Department, Registers; General Register for Nos 9059-9598 cont., 9599-10128 (R15-R16)). --0--
10 September, 1866: He was admitted to PENTONVILLE prison, Caledonian Road, London -- inmate #3978. Remarks: "Not to go to same prison as 3977 [John Freeman who was admitted to Pentonville at the same time] (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951 for Thomas Betts; Pentonville Prison; Register of Prisoners; 1866-1869). --0--
JAILS: July, 1866: He was held at NOTTS County jail (the jail adjoined the Shire Hall, High Pavement Nottingham) along with John Freeman (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951; Register of Prisoners; 1866-1869). --0--