Summary
Personal Information
Voyage
Transportation
John Blakely was transported on the Chapman, departing 25th Mar 1817 and arriving 26th Jul 1817 with 202 passengers.
The Chapman ship was built at Whitby, England in 1777, rebuilt in 1811 and refurbed in 1815. Tonnage: 558 The 1817 voyage from Ireland to New South Wales, Australia is not yet fully recorded on this web site - currently being updated. A mutiny occurred on this voyage with 7 men killed and many others wounded. (200 male convicts embarked) 1824 voyage from England to Van Diemen's Land (180 male convicts). 1826 voyage from England to Van Diemen's Land (100 male convicts, 2 escaped). Royal Staff guards & 19 private passengers.
Chapman (generic)References
| Primary Source | New South Wales, Australia Convict Ship Muster Rolls and Related Records, 1790-1849; and Irish Convicts to Australia, by Peter Mayberry at http://members.pcug.org.au |
Claims
No one has claimed John Blakely yet.
Photos
No photos have been added for John Blakely.
Convict Notes
CRIME: Sheep stealing. He was tried and convicted at County Antrim's Summer Assizes in 1816 (see New South Wales, Australia Convict Ship Muster Rolls and Related Records, 1790-1849). DEATH: John Blakely/Blakeley died at sea on May 8, 1817, from wounds received during one of two "shooting incidents" on board the Chapman on April 17 and April 28 (see H.R.A. Series 1, Vol. IX pp. 570-599). This synopsis of Conor Reidy's (2018) book, “Mutiny or murder? The bloodsoaked voyage of the Chapman convict ship”, puts John Blakely's death at sea in context: “On 15 March 1817 the convict ship the Chapman departed from Cork with 200 male prisoners on board. When it dropped anchor off Sydney Cove four months later, its prison doors opened to reveal 160 gaunt and brutalised men. Twelve were dead and twenty-eight lay wounded in the hospital below deck. As officials pieced together the horrors of the voyage many questions arose. Why did Michael Collins claim that his fellow convicts conspired to take the ship? Why was Captain Drake unable to rein in the violent and sadistic Third Mate Baxter? Was there really an attempted mutiny on the Chapman? Or was this cold-blooded murder? Using daily journals from the crew, detailed testimony from several convicts and official colonial government correspondence, this book unravels what happened during those four months at sea. Tarnished by intrigue, suspicion and mutual hatred, this is the story of one of the darkest episodes in the history of penal transportation between Ireland and Australia.” Source: https://www.kobo.com/nz/en/ebook/mutiny-or-murder