Summary
Personal Information
Crime
Voyage
Transportation
James Flyn was transported on the Chapman, departing 25th Mar 1817 and arriving 26th Jul 1817 with 202 passengers.
The Chapman ship was built at Whitby, England in 1777, rebuilt in 1811 and refurbed in 1815. Tonnage: 558 The 1817 voyage from Ireland to New South Wales, Australia is not yet fully recorded on this web site - currently being updated. A mutiny occurred on this voyage with 7 men killed and many others wounded. (200 male convicts embarked) 1824 voyage from England to Van Diemen's Land (180 male convicts). 1826 voyage from England to Van Diemen's Land (100 male convicts, 2 escaped). Royal Staff guards & 19 private passengers.
Chapman (generic)References
| Primary Source | New South Wales, Australia Convict Ship Muster Rolls and Related Records, 1790-1849 |
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Convict Notes
IN NSW: 1822: James Flynn, Chapman 1817, convicted on 4 December, 1820, to serve the remainder of his original sentence of 7 years, sent from VDL to Newcastle, is on a list of prisoners transported from VDL to Newcastle, having been tried at Port Dalrymple. January, 1822: James Flynn (Chapman), George Appleby (Almorah), John Matear (Martha), Edward McCracken (Bencoolen) and William Callaghan (Guildford 2) -- all members of the Gaol Gang -- were sentenced to 100 lashes each for "cutting their irons, breaking away from their gang and taking to the bush" (New South Wales, Australia, Colonial Secretary's Papers, 1788-1856; Special Bundles, 1794-1825). April, 1822: James Flynn (or Foy) is on a monthly return of prisoners punished at Newcastle. He received 25 lashes for "disobedience of orders in Gaol and using abusive language to Gaoler" (NSW Colonial Sec Office correspondence, p147-8). --0--
HOW DID JAMES FLYN (alias FLYNN, alias FOY) GET TO NEWCASTLE IN 1820/21? In 1820, James Flynn was on a list of convicts in VDL, in the employment of the Government (1820 NSW and Tasmania Convict Muster). Then, he featured at the 2-5 December, 1820, sittings of the Hobart Court of Criminal Jurisdiction. James FLYNN and John GRIFFITHS, alias Frog, were charged with feloniously stealing a pocket book containing 15 shillings from Andrew Henry and with attempting to steal a watch from William Hall. They were convicted and sentenced to 50 lashes each, and were to be transported, for the remainder of their respective original terms of sentence, to Newcastle (Hobart Town Gazette, 9 Dec 1820, p2). --0-- 20 April 1821: Correspondence from the Colonial Secretary's Office (CSO) -- in reply to a query from the Commandant at Newcastle, Major James Morisset, in February -- states that James Flynn, sent to Newcastle from the Derwent per Elizabeth Henrietta, arrived in NSW per Chapman 1817. It (incorrectly) says he was tried at County Mayo in the Summer of 1816 and sentenced to 7 years. Note: The above error lies in someone in the CSO confusing two young men called James FLYN/FLYNN who arrived in NSW on the Chapman in 1817. Both were transported to serve 7 year sentences. They were nearly the same age (New South Wales, Australia Convict Ship Muster Rolls and Related Records, 1790-1849; 1817, Chapman). But... a couple of things set them apart. First, they were tried in different courts and were from different parts of Ireland: One was tried in Dublin City on July 5, 1816, for stealing handkerchiefs, and was a native of Dublin -- he is the James Flyn/Flynn (or Foy) of this page and I'll call him "DUBLIN Flynn". [I've put this in his Alias section to help a reader differentiate between the men.] The other was tried in County Mayo at the Summer Assizes in 1816, for stealing wearing apparel, and was from Tyrawley (Tirawley) in County Mayo -- he is the James Flynn/Flyn of the other page and I'll call him "MAYO Flynn" [the nickname is also in his Alias section]. Second, only one of them was forwarded to VDL in August, per Jupiter, after the Chapman's arrival in NSW. That was DUBLIN Flynn. MAYO Flynn remained in NSW where, like his namesake, he fell foul of the authorities (see his page).
16/5/1818: PUNISHMENT -- 12 months in the Gaol Gang "The prisoners who lately carried away the Government launch from her moorings in the harbour, and who we reported in our last Paper to have been conveyed hither under an escort of the 48th Regiment from Port Dalrymple, were on Saturday last brought before a Bench of Magistrates, and severally convicted and sentenced as follows:- John Briggs, 200 lashes, and 5 years to Newcastle; John Richards, George Edwards, Robert Dye, John Smith, and James Jenkins, 100 lashes each, and 3 years to Newcastle; James Flynn, John Johnson, and David Kelly, 50 lashes each, and 12 months in the Gaol Gang. The lenity shown the above misguided men, whose daring and atrocious crime might have been made a capital felony, and caused the forfeiture of their lives, we sincerely hope will operate as a warning to others, who may be persuaded to attempts of a similar nature..." (The Hobart Town Gazette and Southern Reporter,Sat 23 May, 1818, p1).
CAPTURE: "HOBART TOWN, SATURDAY, MAY 2, 1818. The launch which was carried away from hence on the 8th of April was spoken by a boat returning from the Islands belonging to the Rosetta (now at Port Dalrymple) on the 13th ult. a few miles from the entrance of the Tamar. A Government boat with part of the Lieutenant Governor's escort, and John Beamont, Esq. Naval Officer, and James Gordon, Esq. went in pursuit, but the lapse of some hours enabled the pirates to get out of sight. Two of them, however, John Smith and James Flynn, surrendered in a starving state to -- Barrett the gardener, and a man named Kelshall, on Sunday last at York Plains; and as from that circumstance it seemed beyond doubt that they had gone into the Western River, sanguine hopes are entertained of their capture. A boat belonging to the Rosetta, under the master, Mr. Rook, who is thoroughly acquainted with the Straits, and with an Officer and party of the 48th Regt. on board, has gone in pursuit, with provisions to enable them to search the neighbouring rivers, inlets, and islands..." (The Hobart Town Gazette and Southern Reporter, Sat 2 May, 1818, p1). --0--
Note re above Notice: There was no John Le Gart (or Gard) on board the Chapman in 1817. A John Gard, whaler, arrived in NSW per Indefatigable in 1815 to serve 7 years for housebreaking (he was convicted at the Old Bailey on 7 April, 1813).
8/4/1818: ESCAPE FROM VDL "Public Notice. POLICE OFFICE, HOBART TOWN. Thursday, 9th April, 1818. WHEREAS the Eight Convicts hereinafter described did on the Night of Wednesday the 8th of this Month, feloniously carry away Two Government Boats from their moorings in Sullivan's Cove, in the River Derwent, and are now supposed to be lurking about some of the Bays in the lower part of the Harbour. All Constables and others are hereby commanded to use every exertion in their power to apprehend the said Felons; and lodge them in His Majesty's Gaol at Hobart Town; and all Persons are cautioned not to harbour, maintain, conceal, or in any way comfort the said Felons, on pain of the Penalties that will thereon ensue. John Briggs, 5 feet 7 inches high, fallow complexion, light brown hair, grey eyes, 46 years of age, by trade a Seaman, sentenced for life, native place Bermuda, is crippled in both hands, was tried here for stealing and burning four cart wheels belonging to Mr. Peters. George Edwards, 5 feet 7 inches high, dark complexion, dark brown hair grey, eyes 31 years of age, by trade Shipwright, was Jackson in the Lord Eldon, and was landed at Port Dalrymple. John Le Gart, 5 feet 6 inches high, brown hair, brown eyes, 26 years of age, by Trade a Boat-builder, tried at Leicester in 1815, was sentenced tor 7 years, native place Armagh in Ireland, run from Port Jackson in the Chapman. John Richards, 5 feet 6 inches high, fair complexion, flaxen hair grey eyes, aged 26 years, a Clerk was tried at London in May 1815, was sentenced for 7 years, his native place Coventry, run from Port Jackson in the Lord Eldon, and was landed at Port Dalrymple. Robert Dye, about 5 feet 10 inches high, light complexion, light hair, about 28 years of age, was tried here for stealing four cart wheels from Mr. Peters and burning them, came, from England in the ship, Sir William Bensley, and was sent from Port Jackson to Port Dalrymple in the Brig Elizabeth Henrietta. David Kelly, 5 feet 1 inch high, dark complexion, brown hair brown eyes, 17 years of age, by trade a Shoemaker, tried in Dublin in February 1816, transported for 7 years, came from England in the Chapman and here in the Jupiter, and was born in Dublin. James Flynn, 5 feet 3 inches high, sallow complexion, light brown hair, grey eyes, 18 years of age, tried at Dublin in July 1816, transported for 7 years, came from Ireland in the Chapman, and from Sydney here in the Jupiter, was born in Dublin, and has a crucifix pricked on his left arm. John Johnson, 5 feet 4 inches high, fair complexion, flaxen hair, hazel eyes, 19 years of age, a Seaman, was tried at London the 18th Sept. 1816, and transported for life, was sent from England to Port Jackson in the Almorah, and from Sydney to Hobart Town in the Pilot in 1817. A. W. H. HUMPHREY, Superintendant of Police" (The Hobart Town Gazette and Southern Reporter, Sat 25 Apr 1818, p1).
IN VDL: 9/8/1817: He was one of 70 convicts (69 from the Chapman and one from the Pilot) who were forwarded from NSW to VDL per the brig Jupiter. He is listed in VDL as James FLINN or James FOY, per Chapman and Jupiter, a native of Dublin (https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON13-1-1$init=CON13-1-1p79).
AGE: Listed on the Chapman's Muster Roll as 18 in 1817 and on the Mayberry database as 19, born 1798 (New South Wales, Australia Convict Ship Muster Rolls and Related Records, 1790-1849; 1817; Chapman; and http://members.pcug.org.au/~ppmay/cgi-bin/irish/irish.cgi).
TRIED: On 5 July 1816, Dublin City -- convicted of stealing silk handkerchiefs (New South Wales, Australia Convict Ship Muster Rolls and Related Records, 1790-1849; 1817, Chapman).
James Flyn or Foy Ship; Chapman - 26 Jul 1817 Trial Dublin - 5 July 1816 - 7 years Native Place; Dublin. Trade; Labourer Age; 18 [1787] Height; 5 Ft. 3 1/4 in Complexion; Fair, Pale Hair; Light Brown Eyes; Hazel Indent No; 11 1821 - Newcastle 10 December 1820.