Summary
Personal Information
Crime
Voyage
Transportation
Alexander Gordon 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 256 |
| 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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Photos
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Convict Notes


1868, 10 January: On arrival in WA, he was listed as 28 years old, and a blockcutter; married, with two children (see Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930; Convict Department Registers (128/40 - 43)). This record also contains his physical description.


CRIME -- WILFUL FIRE-RAISING was not available above. Wilful fire-raising is "when someone deliberately sets fire to someone else's property to damage it or to injure people. It is similar to arson in English and Welsh law" (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilful_fire_raising).


1866: PRECOGNITION -- against Alexander Gordon for the crime of wilful fire-raising, or attempt to commit wilful fire-raising. Accused: Alexander Gordon, Age: 26, print block cutter, Address: Grahamston, Barrhead, Neilston, Renfrewshire (see National Records of Scotland; Reference AD14/66/129). --0-- 1866, 27 September: TRIAL -- papers relating to Alexander Gordon for the crime of wilful fire-raising, or attempt to commit wilful fire-raising. Tried at High Court, Glasgow. Accused: Alexander Gordon, Verdict: Guilty, Verdict Comments: Guilty - fourth, fifth and eleventh charges, Sentence: Penal servitude - 21 years. Note: Diet initially deserted pro loco et tempore (see JC13/102, f.139v). The remaining charges were not proven (see National Records of Scotland; Reference JC26/1866/155). [Note: To desert a case pro loco et tempore means stopping the particular indictment or summary complaint proceeding further without the facts being determined. It does not prevent the prosecution re raising the case. The Dictionary of Scots Language says "to desert the diet means to give up a criminal charge, either pro loco et tempore, when a fresh charge can be brought or simpliciter, which is final (Sc. 1946 A.D. Gibb Legal Terms 28)" (see https://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/desert).


OCCUPATION: BLOCK CUTTER -- not listed above. The Dictionary of Old Occupations says a block cutter "cut blocks of stone used in the slate industry, or produced wooden blocks used as a base in the hat making industry, or cut patterns for fabric printing into blocks of wood or copper inlaid with felt, or cut letters into wooden blocks for use in the printing Blocker" (see https://www.familyresearcher.co.uk/).