Summary
Personal Information
Crime
Voyage
Transportation
Charles Harmsworth 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 246 |
| 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 Charles Harmsworth yet.
Photos
No photos have been added for Charles Harmsworth.
Convict Notes
NEWSPAPER COVERAGE OF TRIAL/2: From the Illustrated Times, 10 March, 1866, p15: MIDDLESEX SESSIONS ALTERING A SENTENCE. -- Charles Harmsworth, twenty-one, and Henry Brown, twenty-three, were indicted for stealing silver watch, value £2 10s, the property of John Mann, from his person. The prosecutor was passing down Whitechapel-road, and stopped at a stall where tools were sold, when he felt a tug at his watch, and immediately collared the prisoner Harmsworth, who was standing nearest to him, and said, “You have stolen watch.” Harmsworth replied, “Have I? Search me,” at the same instant passing something to Brown. The prosecutor kept hold of Harmsworth, and Brown was afterwards secured by the police. He said to the prosecutor, “If you don’t charge me, I will try and get you another.” The jury found both the prisoners guilty. Numerous convictions were proved against Harmsworth. The Assistant Judge sentenced Harmsworth to be kept in penal servitude for seven years. As the prisoner was being passed out of the dock leading to the cells he struck the prosecutor a violent blow under the left ear, which was heard throughout the court. Upon this, the Assistant Judge ordered the prisoner to be brought back, and again placed in the dock, and, addressing him, said, “You have had the audacity strike the prosecutor a violent blow within the very walls of the court, when he came here to perform a public duty, I shall therefore alter your sentence, and the sentence I now pronounce upon you is that you be kept in penal servitude for ten years. With respect to you, Brown, you do not appear to be so bad as your companion, but I would have you take warning by his fate; and the sentence upon you is that you be imprisoned and kept to hard labour for two years.” Then, addressing the prosecutor, he said, “As we believe you have sustained some injury, we order you to receive £1 in addition your ordinary allowance for attendance.” (https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000357/18660310/034/0015) --0--
NEWSPAPER COVERAGE OF TRIAL/1: From the London Evening Standard, Thursday, 8 March 1866, p3: MIDDLESEX SESSIONS, March 7. (Before W. H. Bodkin, Esq., Assistant Judge.) A DESPERATE RUFFIAN. ASSAULT ON THE PROSECUTOR IN COURT. Charles Harmsworth, 21, and Henry Brown, 23, were indicted for stealing a silver watch, value £2. 10s., the property of John Mann, from his person. The prosecutor was passing down Whitechapel-road, and stopped at a stall where tools were sold, when he felt a tug at his watch, and immediately collared the prisoner Harmsworth, who was standing nearest to him, and said "You have stolen my watch." Harmsworth replied, "Have I? Search me," at the same instant passing something to Brown. The prosecutor kept hold of Harmsworth and Brown was afterwards secured by the police. He said to the prosecutor, "If you don't charge me, I will try and get you another." The Jury found both the prisoners Guilty. Mr. George Ager, head warder at the City Prison, Holloway, proved the following convictions against Harmsworth: March 4, 1861, three months; June 13, two months; Oct. 30, two months; Jan. 1, 1862, two months; May 16, two months; Sept. 22, twelve months, at the Central Criminal Court; April 2, 1864, three months. Mr. George Lockyer, officer of the House of Correction, Coldbath-fields, said the prisoner had had two months in that prison since. The Assistant Judge sentenced Harmsworth to be kept in penal servitude for seven years. As the prisoner was being passed out of the dock leading to the cells he struck the prosecutor a violent blow under the left ear, which was heard throughout the court. Upon this, the Assistant Judge ordered the prisoner to be brought back, and again placed in the dock, and, addressing him, said, "You have had the audacity to strike the prosecutor a violent blow within the very walls of the court, when he came here to perform a public duty. I shall therefore alter your sentence, and the sentence I now pronounce upon you is that you be kept in penal servitude for ten years. With respect to you, Brown, you do not appear to be so bad as your companion, but I would have you take warning by his fate; and the sentence upon you is that you be imprisoned and kept to hard labour for two years." Then, addressing the prosecutor, he said, "As we believe you have sustained some injury, we order you to receive £1 in addition to your ordinary allowance for attendance." --0--
CHARLES HARMSWORTH: TRIAL: 1866, 5 March: He was tried and convicted at Clerkenwell General Sessions, Middlesex, and sentenced to 10 years for larceny from the person and receiving. He had seven previous convictions for felony (England & Wales, Criminal Registers, 1791-1892 for Charles Harmsworth; England; Middlesex; 1866). --0--