Summary
Personal Information
Crime
Voyage
Transportation
George Cowper 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 250 |
| 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
OTHER: From his WA Convict record: Wife -- Louisa, aged 24, 102 High Street, Weymouth. Child -- Louisa, aged 1.5 years. Other -- After conviction at Dartmouth, he "made an attempt to escape from Hants County Prison by kicking away the walls of his cell". Absconder -- Employed on 21 January, 1871, doing "piece work" for T Russell, York, from which he absconded. Notation gives currency of absconding at 30 June 1872 (Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930; Convict Department, Registers, General Register for Nos 9059-9598 cont., 9599-10128 (R15-R16)). --00--
IN WA: From his Fremantle jail record: COWPER, George; inmate #9701, arrived 10 Jan 1868 per Hougoumont Alias: GRIFFIN Martin [per William Jardine, 1852] Other No: 1324 [in 1852] Date of Birth: 1827 Marital Status: Married, 1 child Literacy: Literate Sentence Place: Winchester Crime: Larceny Sentence Period: 7 years Previous Convictions: Yes Ticket Leave Date: 18 Jan 1871 Comments: Absconded from York, 30 Jun 1872 (https://fremantleprison.com.au/). --0--
8 October, 1867: George Cowper was sent from Portland to board the Hougoumont for transportation to WA: "...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.” (Sydney Morning Herald, 19 Dec 1867, p4, at https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/28608271). --00—
21 November, 1866: He was sent to Portland Prison (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951 for George Cowper; Millbank Prison, Register of Prisoners, 1865-1866). Portland, Portsmouth, Chatham and Spike Island in Ireland were listed public works stations and the second stage in the penal process. After separate confinement, prisoners were “placed on work parties at various locations, most commonly naval stations, where maintenance of facilities was vital for the effective protection of Britain’s far flung commercial and military influences around the world. While there, attitude and behaviour were monitored closely. In theory, only after consistently positive reports was a prisoner moved on to the third stage of his incarceration — transportation.” (Edgar, p40) --0—
JAILS: 1866: Winchester Gaol – he served 2 months 10 days in separate confinement. --0-- 7 May, 1866: George Cowper alias Brown was sent from Winchester and admitted to Millbank Prison, Pimlico, London – inmate #1946; no trade; 36, married with one child; Roman Catholic (Church of England on reception); convicted of burglary, 7 years’ PS; previous conviction 1851, 10 years’ PS. Behaviour “bad”, “has attempted to escape” (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951 for George Cowper; Millbank Prison, Register of Prisoners, 1865-1866). 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 his trial: “George Cowper, alias Brown, alias Griffin, 36, was indicted for burglariously breaking out of a dwelling house at Freshwater, and stealing certain articles therefrom on the 7th of December, 1865.—Mr. Bullen prosecuted. The prisoner, who is an old offender, was convicted and sentenced to seven years’ penal servitude.” (Saturday 10 March 1866, Portsmouth Times and Naval Gazette, p3) --0—
TRIAL: 27 February, 1866: Convicted at Winchester Castle Assizes of larceny in a dwelling house, aged 39. One previous conviction for felony; sentenced to 7 years penal servitude (England & Wales, Criminal Registers, 1791-1892 for George Cowper; England; Hampshire, 1866). --0--
CALENDAR OF TRIALS – WINCHESTER GAOL 1866: Case #36, George Cowper, alias Brown, alias Griffin (7 April, 1851, convicted at Dartmouth Quarter Sessions of Felony, by name of Martin Griffin, sentenced to 10 years’ penal servitude); aged 36, no trade, semi-literate. Committing magistrate WG Shedden, Esq, Spring Hill, East Cowes, Isle of Wight; warrant issued 27 January; received into custody 8 February, 1866. Offence as charged in Committment: “Burglariously breaking out of a certain dwelling-house and stealing therefrom thirty pairs of boots, five pounds in money, a hawker’s license, and a basket, at Freshwater, on the 7th December, 1864.” Tried: 5 March, 1866 [note different date to that of Court record below] before Mr Justice Byles. Verdict: “Guilty of Larceny in Dwelling-house and burglariously breaking out after a previous Conviction” – 7 years’ penal servitude (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951 for George Cowper; Winchester Gaol, Calendar of Trials, 1825-1829 [sic]). --0--
OCCUPATION: Listed on various UK and WA records as "none". --0--
George Cowper's proper name was Martin Griffin. He was originally convicted, under that name (see other record)and transported to Western Australia on the "William Jardine" 1852. He obtained his Ticket of Leave. It is thought he escaped and returned to England. He was then reconvicted, at Winchester, for larceny, and returned to Western Australia on the 'Hougoumont' in 1868 under the name Cowper.