Summary
Personal Information
Crime
Voyage
Transportation
George Colkett 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 266. --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 |
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Photos
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Convict Notes
OTHER: 26 October, 1892: From the Inquirer and Commercial News (Perth), p7: "CITY POLICE COURT. ROBBERY FROM THE PERSON. George Colkett, a middle-aged man, on remand, was charged, with stealing a watch, value £4 10s., from the person of George Glover. The prosecutor deposed that on Sunday morning, the 16th, he gave half a crown to the prisoner, a stranger to him, who said he was hungry. On the same afternoon, while lying in a grant off Murray-street, partly asleep, he was aroused by feeling a man fumbling at his watch. The man tugged it, broke the chain, and ran away, the prosecutor chasing him into Wellington-street, where Constable Reynolds caught him. Prosecutor had no doubt of the prisoner's identity. Charles Weaver, residing, in Murray-street, deposed that he saw the prisoner rise from the ground and run away, the prosecutor pursuing him. Witness gave chase, and, though not keeping the prisoner in sight all the way, told a constable who arrested the prisoner in Wellington street. The prisoner then denied the charge of robbery, and said he was not at the place at all. He had time to throw the watch away before being caught. Had no doubt the prisoner was the same man. Constable Reynolds deposed to the arrest. The prisoner had 2s. in silver, but no watch. The watch could not be found on searching along the track taken by the prisoner. The prisoner, who reserved his defence, was committed for trial." (https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/66306938)
FOOTNOTE: The following records may also refer to George Colket/Colkett and warrant further investigation: September, 1861: George Colket, aged 13, was admitted to Wandsworth prison to serve one month in jail for unlawful possession of a watch. He had been convicted at Richmond. He was described as 4'9" tall with brown hair, brown eyes and a dark complexion. He was released on 15 October, 1861 (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951 for George Colket; Wandsworth Prison; Registers of Prisoners; 1861). --0-- George Edward Colket, born 6 February, 1848, in Richmond, Surrey, volunteered for the Royal Navy in February, 1866 (https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D7910534). --0--
From the "Convicts associated with Toodyay" database: Colkett, George (1842- ) 9692 1868-01-10 Hougoumont CWA: Unm; lit RC; conv Frederickton [sic] 1867; Crt Martial firing at superior officer life; Fremantle, Perth, Bunbury, Swan, Wellington, Vasse, Wokalup, York, Beverley; lab, grubbing, sawyer, quarrier, splitting (https://www.toodyay.wa.gov.au/). --0--
From his Fremantle jail record: COLKETT, George; inmate #9692, arrived 10 Jan 1868 per Hougoumont Date of Birth: 1842 [1847?] Marital Status: Unmarried Literacy: Literate Sentence Place: Frederickton [sic] Crime: Firing at superior officer Sentence Period: Life Ticket of Leave Date: 2 Apr 1880 Comments: Remission Certificate 1 Mar 1898. Labourer, grubber, sawyer (https://fremantleprison.com.au/). --0--
10 January, 1868: On arrival, he was called George COLKETT and listed as convict #9692, aged 25, single, no trade, Roman Catholic, able to read and write. His crime was further expanded on: "Firing a loaded musket at a superior, making away with one round of ammunition and using threatening language towards a superior". He arrived with a "good" character reference from jail in England (Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930; Convict Department, Registers; General Register for Nos 9059-9598 cont., 9599-10128 (R15-R16)). --0--
30 September, 1867: Sent from Millbank to board the Hougoumont for transportation to WA (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951 for George Colket; Millbank Prison; Register of Prisoners; 1867-1868). --00--
28 September, 1867: Admitted to Millbank again -- listed as #3860; received from Pentonville (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951 for George Colket; Millbank Prison; Register of Prisoners; 1867-1868). --0--
29 July, 1867: George Colket was admitted to Pentonville prison, Caledonian Road, London -- inmate #4733; sentenced to "Life penal servitude, commuted from Death". Notation: "Parchment Certificate of Discharge from Army received with him" (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951 for George Colket; Pentonville Prison; Register of Prisoners; 1866-1869). At Millbank and Pentonville, George Colket would have been held in separate confinement. “After a sentence of transportation [or penal servitude] 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--
JAILS: 19 June, 1867: Admitted to Millbank prison, Westminster, London, having been received from New Brunswick, Canada. Listed as inmate #3421, aged 20 when convicted, Private 1st Battalion, 22 Regt, No.1362; notation "Parchment Certificate of Discharge received and attached". Sentenced to Life penal servitude, commuted from a death sentence for "firing a loaded musket at a superior officer and using threatening language [latter charge not mentioned in the court martial register]. Next of kin -- mother, Maria Colket of 1 Prospect Place, Red Lion Street, Richmond, Surrey; Protestant, single, able to read and write imperfectly. Had already served 5 months 3 days in jail in Canada and aboard ship (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951 for George Colket; Millbank Prison; Register of Prisoners; 1866-1867). --0--
15 January, 1867: Private George COLKET [sic] of the 22nd Foot was convicted by Court Martial in Fredericton, New Brunswick Province, Canada, and sentenced "to be shot to death" for "firing a rifle loaded with powder and ball at a Lance Sergt and Destroying ammunition". The sentence was commuted to penal servitude for life (Judge Advocate General's Office: general courts martial registers, abroad, at https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1693335401/view). Note 1: Three different official documents give three different dates for his court martial. The above date is quoted as the most likely given that it comes from a courts martial register. The other documents are an English jail record stating his trial was held in New Brunswick on 19 June, 1867, and a War Office summary (Ref#WO 86/15) of an unsighted record that says his court martial was on the Isle of Wight in April 1866. This latter record could refer to a previous offence by Pte Colket. Note 2: The Cheshire Regiment (22nd Regiment of Foot) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Prince of Wales' Division. It was raised by the Duke of Norfolk in 1689 (Wikipedia). --0--