Summary
Personal Information
Crime
Voyage
Transportation
James Flood 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 259 (132) |
| 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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Convict Notes
1870, 29 January: From the Melbourne Advocate, p9: "We learn from the Sydney Freeman's Journal, Mr James Flood, one of the thirty-four released Irish State Prisoners, is in Sydney. Mr. Flood arrived in the Alexandra, and is now staying at the Swiss Hotel, Lower George street, where it will he recollected his fellow exiles were cordially received and hospitably entertained." --00--
From his Fremantle jail record: FLOOD, James; #9734; arrived 10 Jan 1868 per Hougoumont Date of Birth: 1845 Place of Birth: Dublin Marital Status: Unmarried Occupation: Fitter Literacy: Literate Sentence Place: Dublin Crime: Treason Sentence Period: 5 years Ticket of Leave Date: 12 Dec 1868 Comments: One of 62 Fenians transported on the Hougoumont, the last convict ship sent to Australia. Its arrival at Fremantle on 9 Jan 1868 signalled the end of transportation to this country. Labourer. To Victoria, 16 Dec 1869 (see fremantleprison.com.au). --00-- 1869, 5 February: JAMES FLOOD was one of 35 Fenians who had been transported to Western Australia (as well as others imprisoned in Great Britain) who were given Free Pardons / “unconditionally discharged” by the House of Commons. For a full list, see the Melbourne Advocate, 22 May 1869, p4, at https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/169267360?.
1868, 10 January: On arrival in WA, JAMES FLOOD was listed as #9734, 21 years old, and a fitter; single, with no children (see Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930; Convict Department Registers (128/40 - 43)). This record also contains his physical description. On the General Register, his next of kin was his sister, Elizabeth Flood, of 82 Eden Street, Liverpool (see Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930; Convict Department, Registers; General Register for Nos 9059 - 9598 cont., 9599 - 10128 (R15 - R16)). --00--
1866, 27 January: JAMES FLOOD was tried and convicted by the Special Commission in Dublin for treason - felony and sentenced to 5 years' penal servitude. The business of the Special Commission was reported widely, including in the Ballarat Star of 14 April, 1866, p1: "THE FENIAN MOVEMENT... James Flood was next put forward. The case, as stated by the Solicitor-General, showed the wonderful audacity of the Fenian conspirators. At the very time that the special commission was holding its adjourned sittings in Dublin, the police visited the house 18 North Anne street, on the 11th of January. Smollen, a police-officer, accompanied by a detective-officer, entered the house. The door was locked. Smollen knocked, and a voice called out, "Who is there?" Smollen said, " A friend." The door was then opened, the officers went in, and found a man named Jeremiah O'Neill, standing close inside the door, and they observed opposite the fire, standing in a group in tho same room, the prisoner at the bar, James Flood; Terence Byrne, the drill-instructor at Halston street; a militiaman and a man named Benjamin Marsden. A block of wood was on the floor, and upon that was a wooden box, in which the detectives found no less than four stone weight of newly-cast Minie rifle bullets. In that room they also found another box, in which there was also a quantity of newly-made bullets of a similar description. They also found a bullet almost hot, evidently after being cast, in the box. They found a quantity of bullets, a little rough, as if they had been cast hurriedly, but still well manufactured. They also found a rasp in the hands of the prisoner. The bullets were all rasped. The police then searched the house and found pistols, daggers, and a whole lot of implements of a destructive character. On the prisoner they found a proclamation issued by a committee calling itself "The Vigilance Committee." The Solicitor General then read the proclamation, along with another document found on the prisoner. These circumstances were all sworn to by several witnesses, and, after a short deliberation, the jury found the prisoner guilty. Mr Justice Keogh sentenced him to five years' penal servitude." (see https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/112868738) --00-- Some time after 27 January, 1866, JAMES FLOOD was sent from Mountjoy jail in Dublin to Portland jail in England. Portland 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” (see Wikipedia). —0— 1867, 8 October: According to newspaper reports, 23 Fenian prisoners were among the 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 party included 23 Fenian convicts… 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.” (see https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/28608271?searchTerm=hougoumont).
1866, 12 January; JAMES FLOOD, 19, born 1847, was admitted to Richmond jail in central Dublin, awaiting trial on a charge of "being a member of the Fenian brotherhood and conspiring to levy war against the Queen in Ireland". He was held there for three days (see Ireland, Prison Registers, 1790-1924; Dublin; Richmond (Bridewell) 1861-1880). 1866, 15 January: JAMES FLOOD was transferred to Kilmainham jail, also in Dublin. He was listed as 19, born 1847 in Liverpool and lately of North King Street, Dublin. He was 5'6½" tall with dark brown hair, grey eyes and a fresh complexion, and a blacksmith. A Catholic, he could read and write and had family in Liverpool (see Ireland, Prison Registers, 1790-1924; Dublin; Kilmainham 1850-1871). He was sent from Kilmainham to Mountjoy prison, also in Dublin, on 26 January. --0--
CRIME: Treason-felony [not listed in options; hence use of high treason] OCCUPATION: Fitter [not listed in options]. Fitter is another term for a joiner, which is a skilled carpenter. It's also an old term for a mechanic / engineer, or a coal broker, according to the Dictionary of Old Occupations (see https://www.familyresearcher.co.uk/).