Summary
Personal Information
Voyage
Transportation
John Ellis 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 253 (129). --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. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26783779 |
| 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
"John Henry Ellis was my Great GrandFather. Married Maria Elizabeth Shackell on 17-11-1873"
Photos
No photos have been added for John Ellis.
Convict Notes
NOTE: Charles NOBLE, who was convicted for raping Sarah Wrigley, was transported to WA per Norwood; convict #9538, arriving in Fremantle on July 13, 1867. See his bio at https://convictrecords.com.au/convicts/noble/charles/53957 --00--
From his FREMANTLE JAIL record: ELLIS, John Henry; inmate #9726, arrived 10 Jan 1868 per Hougoumont Date of Birth: 1841 Place of Birth: Sheffield Marital Status: Married, 3 children Occupation: Plasterer Literacy: Literate Sentence Place: Leeds Crime: Aiding in rape Sentence Period: 15 years Ticket Leave Date: 10 Jan 1873 Certificate of Freedom Date: 27 May 1881 Comments: Plasterer, labourer, self-employed, 1874, 1877-1878, 1880, builder. Listed as widower on marriage (https://fremantleprison.com.au/history-heritage/research/convict-database/) --0--
IN WA: 1868: On arrival in WA, convict #9726 John Henry ELLIS was listed as 27, married with 3 children, literate, Protestant and a plasterer, sentenced to 15 years’ for “aiding and abetting a rape”. His next of kin was his wife, Mary Ann, 24, living in Lord Street Park, Sheffield, with their children John aged 5, Rhoda 3, and Anna 2. His behaviour in Portland jail was described as “very good”. He received his Certificate of Freedom from the RM at Fremantle on 27 May, 1851 (Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930; Convict Department Registers, General Register for Nos 9059-9598 cont., 9599-10128 (R15-R16)). --0--
1867, October 8: John ELLIS was sent from Portland jail to board the Hougoumont for WA. --0-- TRANSPORTATION: 1867, October: “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 [only two were on the Hougoumont – Thomas Berwick and Lionel Holdsworth, each sentenced to 20 years for fraud], 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 [not “the” Moriarty, though]. 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--
1866-67: At some stage following his conviction, John Henry Ellis was sent to Portland Prison, Grove Road, Dorset. He was recorded as inmate #5977 (Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930; Convict Department Registers, General Register for Nos 9059-9598 cont., 9599-10128 (R15-R16)). 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--
2. From the Sheffield Daily Telegraph - Wednesday 04 April, 1866, p3: “LEEDS ASSIZES CROWN COURT-- Tuesday. (Before Mr. Justice Shee.) …Charles Noble, 23, grinder, and John Ellis, 24, plasterer, were charged with rape upon Sarah Wrigley, at Sheffield, on the 27th of January; and Mary Wrigley, 30, widow, was indicted for feloniously aiding, abetting, and assisting the two prisoners to commit the above offence. Mr. V. Blackburn prosecuted. The evidence in this case disclosed a shocking state of things. The female prisoner is the mother of the prosecutrix, a girl about 14 years of age, and had brought up her daughter amid great profligacy. Witnesses were called to prove that the girl had resisted the outrage of the prisoners, and had exclaimed, ‘Don’t mother, don’t; let me get up.’ The mother responded, ‘Hush, you must not make a noise; it won’t hurt you.’ — The three prisoners were found guilty, and each sentenced to penal servitude for 15 years.” (https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000250/18660404/084/0003) --00—
NEWSPAPER REPORTS OF COMMITTAL & TRIAL: 1. From the Sheffield Daily Telegraph - Thursday 29 March, 1866, p3: “MISCELLANEOUS ASSIZE NEWS…The bills against Charles Noble, 23, grinder, and John Ellis, 24, plasterer, charged with a rape upon Sarah Wrigley, at Sheffield, on the 27th of January, and against Mary Wrigley, 30, widow, charged with feloniously aiding, abetting, and assisting the aforesaid prisoners to commit the above offence, will come before the Grand Jury on Saturday.” (https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000250/18660329/089/0003) --
1866, 3 April: At the Spring Assizes, Leeds Town Hall, John Ellis was found guilty of “aiding and abetting Noble to commit rape”. So, too, was Mary Wrigley. Charles Noble was found guilty of the rape of Sarah Wrigley. All three were sentenced by Mr Justice William Shee to penal servitude for 15 years (England & Wales, Criminal Registers, 1791-1892; England; Yorkshire - West Riding; 1866). --00--
1866, 12 February: Charles NOBLE, 23, grinder, illiterate, John ELLIS, 24, plasterer, illiterate, and Mary WRIGLEY, 30, widow, no trade, illiterate, were admitted to Wakefield jail awaiting committal proceedings on charges that Noble and Ellis raped Sarah Wrigley, and Mary Wrigley feloniously aided, abetted and assisted Noble and Ellis to commit the offence, at Sheffield, on the 27th January, 1866. They were committed to stand trial by TW Rodgers Esq, Endcliffe Vale, Sheffield (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951; Wakefield Gaol; Calendar of Trials; 1860-1879). --
CRIME: Aiding and abetting a rape -- not an option in above list. --0--