Summary
Personal Information
Crime
Voyage
Transportation
George Eden 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 243 (124) |
| 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
No one has claimed George Eden yet.
Photos
No photos have been added for George Eden.
Convict Notes
DEATH OF GEORGE EDEN: Eden, George; male, aged 60, died at Fremantle [Prison Hospital]; year of death 1901; reg no.938 / 1901 (Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages at https://www.wa.gov.au/organisation/department-of-justice). --00--
From his Fremantle Jail record: EDEN, George; convict #9724, arrived 10 Jan 1868 per Hougoumont Date of Birth: 1839 Place of Death: Fremantle Prison Hospital Marital Status: Unmarried Occupation: Shoe maker Literacy: Literate Sentence Place: Manchester Crime: Burglary Sentence Period: 10 years Previous Convictions: Yes Ticket Leave Date: 30 Oct 1873 Certificate of Freedom Date: 19 Jul 1882 Comments: General servant, labourer, shepherd, grubber, harvester, clearer, wood cutter. At Jarrahdale, 1884 (https://fremantleprison.com.au/history-heritage/research/convict-database/). --0--
IN WA: 1868: On arrival in WA, convict #9724 George EDEN was listed as 27, single, literate, Protestant and a shoemaker, sentenced to 10 years’ for burglary and previous convictions. His next of kin was his mother, Sarah Ann, in America. His behaviour in Portland jail was described as “fair”. His Certificate of Freedom was handed over at Fremantle on 19/7/82 (Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930; Convict Department Registers, General Register for Nos 9059-9598 cont., 9599-10128 (R15-R16)). --0--
1867, 8 October: George Eden was among a contingent of convicts from Portland who were taken aboard the Hougoumont, on this date, for transportation to WA. “Shortly before midday 90 convicts were marched down to the Government pier at Portland under a strong escort of the 13th Light Infantry… 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.” (https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/28608271?searchTerm=hougoumont). —00—
1867, 17 April: He was sent to Portland jail; listed as inmate #6095. Portland jail, south-west of London on the Isle of Portland, at Dorset, held adult convicts and “its purpose was largely to make use of convict labour in the construction of the breakwaters of Portland Harbour and its various defences” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HM_Prison_Portland). —-0-—
1867, 21 March: Admitted to Millbank prison, London, inmate #3109 -- George Eden, alias John Astbury, William Smith, William Harvey, William Jones, William Williamson and George Headon -- aged 25, single, Church of England and semi-literate. He had been convicted and sentenced to 10 years’ p.s. for burglary, with 4 years’ p.s. handed down in March, 1861, 6 times convicted. Family – mother in America (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951 for George Eden; Millbank Prison; Register of Prisoners; 1866-1867). --
JAILS: 1866, July: George Eden was held at Salford jail where he served 1 month 4 days in separate confinement. -- 1866, 31 August: He was transferred to Wakefield jail where he was held for 6 months 20 days in separate confinement (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951 for George Eden; Millbank Prison; Register of Prisoners; 1866-1867). --
NEWSPAPER REPORT OF THE TRIAL: Leeds Mercury - Tuesday 31 July 1866, p8: “BURGLARY AT ASHTON, GEORGE EDEN pleaded guilty to a burglary at the house of John Sidebottom, Ashton-under-Lyne. THOMAS HEALEY, ALICE LANGDON, and ANN LYONS were charged with feloniously receiving the stolen property. Mr. Torr defended Langdon, but the other prisoners were undefended. The articles stolen were clothing, and this case was not of much interest, but the prisoners were old offenders, Guilty. His Lordship said Eden had been sentenced to four years' penal servitude only five years ago, and had been convicted three times since; sentence – ten years’ penal servitude; Healy, who had been convicted several times, seven years’ penal servitude; Langdon twelve months, and Lyons six months’ imprisonment.” (https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000076/18660731/022/0008) --00—
TRIAL: 1866, 26 July: George Eden was convicted and sentenced at Manchester Assizes to ten years’ penal servitude for “burglary, before convicted of felony [on 5 occasions]” (England & Wales, Criminal Registers, 1791-1892 for George Eden; England, Lancashire, 1866). --0--