Summary
Personal Information
Crime
Voyage
Transportation
Henry Devlin was transported on the Thomas Arbuthnot, departing 6th Jan 1847 and arriving 4th May 1847 with 289 passengers.
Built 1841 at Aberdeen, Scotland. Wood ship of 621 Tons. Thomas Arbuthnot, 1847. “The Thomas Arbuthnot convict ship, Captain Thomson, sailed from Spithead this morning for Port Phillip, with a superior class of delinquents, officially called “exiles.” These are the first “exiles” sent to the above settlement, which the inhabitants of that respectable place are very wroth at, and have memorialised the Government on the subject. The most ingenious trades and professions are carried on, on board this ship; in fact, we believe, all trades in vogue have their representatives on board. The most ingenious affair, however, is a newspaper in manuscript, published every Saturday, having its foreign and domestic correspondence, advertisements, and, indeed, all the necessary accessories to an apparently well-conducted journal. The articles are well written and the arrangements well made. The name of this paper is the Citadel, and the conductors dub the captain of the ship ” the governor.” The Citadel having no opponents enjoys a large circulation. The editor is a man who has been of considerable note in the legitimate literary world; but all names and circumstances in connexion with their present position is strictly preserved secret with regard to these “exiles,” the greatest majority of whom are juvenile offenders from Millbank, Pentonville, and Parkhurst (Isle of Wight) prisons.”—Times, January 12. Published in the Launceston Examiner, 2 June 1847. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/36252218?searchTerm=Thomas Arbuthnot There was a lot of public criticism of the arrival of these “Exiles” in New South Wales, and of their treatment, by being offered training, etc, to the detriment of honest but poor labourers.
Thomas Arbuthnot (generic)References
| Primary Source | Australian Joint Copying Project. Microfilm Roll 92, Class and Piece Number HO11/15, Page Number 147 (75) |
| 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
Real name: Francis Sharry or Sherry. Son of Francis Sharry and Hannah Delivine. Born Manchester.
Occupation: Boot closer. Son of Francis Sherry, a shoemaker.
The Exiles,— The seven men who are in custody on suspicion of having stolen various articles of property and disposed of them to a dealer, in miscellaneous articles, were yesterday further remanded till to-day. It it not likely the case will be entered into for nearly a week, some of the witnesses having proceeded to Geelong. The names of the men who are in durance vile, are Henry Devlin, George Clarke. John Phillips, Thomas Clarke, William Todd, Christopher Ingledew, and Richard Hart. Port Phillip Gazette, 30 Jun 1847. THE CORNET'S PETS - On Wednesday the seven worthies from Pentonville, for whose importation the province stands indebted to Mr Cornet Cuninghame of the Ayrshire yeomanry cavalry, were again placed at the bar of the police-office, before Alderman Condell and Mr Hull, and some further evidence having been taken five of their number, viz -Thomas Clark, George Clark, Richard Hart, Henry Devlin, and John Phillips were committed for trial The Melbourne Argus, Vic. 9 July 1847. Henry Devlin, George Clarke, Richard Hart, and Thomas Clarke, were charged with larceny in having stolen a quantity of wearing apparel from one John Dascombe, at Melbourne. A verdict of guilty was returned against Hart and Devlin, and the others were acquitted. George Clarke was charged with burglary, in breaking open the premises of John Dascombe. Found guilty of larceny. Geelong Advertiser, 30 Jul 1847. Sentences. Henry Devlin and Richard Hart found guilty of larceny on being asked if they had anything to say, Devlin accused the principal witness Green of perjury, and also paid a similar compliment to Mr. Dascombe and Mr. Sugden - he said be had a good trade and could earn three pounds a week and had done so since he'd been here - if he had another chance he thought this would be the best job that had ever happened to him since he was created -- he had, he said, certainly made a little too free with liquor since he'd been here. He simply said he was perfectly innocent. His Honor said he would have much rather heard some expression of contrition from the prisoners, than an accusation against others of the crime of perjury ; there could be no doubt of their guilt, and after the neglected opportunity which had been afforded the prisoners of redeeming their characters, he had determined upon visiting offences committed by the class to which they belonged (Pentonvillains) with more severity than he had hitherto done. The sentence of the Court was, that they be transported for the term of seven years. Upon hearing the sentence, Devlin exclaimed - "Well if this is a sample of a Melbourne Judge and Jury, I'll live without Law, Judges or Juries for the future," Within ten minutes of receiving sentence, both prisoners, evidently hardened young villains, were giggling together. LARCENY. George Clarke, found guilty of larceny, also attempted to impugn the testimony of Mr. Green and others. He also belonged to the same class as the previous prisoner who had been sentenced. His Honor told him it was unnecessary to repeat the observations which he had addressed to the other two, as they had doubtless reached his ear; he must share the same fate as the others, and be transported for 7 years. The Melbourne Argus, 3 Aug 1847.