John Heard

338

Penny-Lyn Beale on 18th October 2021

Possible Burial Record Old Sydney Burial Ground – Inventory Name; John Herd ** Spelling as per Register ** Age; 70 years Burial;7 Mar 1813 Remarks; Free by Servitude - Atlantic, Tried; Exeter - 7 years

59

greg petersen on 11th February 2017

The Naval Agent on board was Lieutenant Richard Bowen, and the surgeon was James Thompson.

59

greg petersen on 11th February 2017

Atlantic's Captain: Archibald Armstrong

59

greg petersen on 11th February 2017

One of 220 convicts transported, John Heard died in March 1813 age 70 years. He was buried in the Old Sydney Burial Ground. The New South Wales Corps formed the Guard on the vessels of the Third Fleet. In January 1791 the Belfast Newsletter reported on the progress of some of the convicts who were travelling overland to join the vessels of the Third Fleet at Plymouth: Exeter - On Thursday evening last arrived here, under the care of the gaoler of Bristol, on their way to Plymouth to be shipped for Botany Bay, twenty two convicts in an open waggon, and two who are stiled Gentlemen Convicts, in a tilted cart. They had each of them an iron collar, and an iron chain run through a ring in each collar, which fastened them all together - the next morning, at eight o'clock, they set off again in the same manner, and though there was a violent storm of hail, wind and rain, they were singing and hallowing as they passed through the street, with great glee and jollity. Whilst these convicts were passing the streets of Exeter in the manner above mentioned , a woman, struck at their hardened conduct, called out to them "Ah! you wretched creatures, how can you be so merry in your dreadful situation?" Merry, mistress" replied one of the, "why bless your funny heart, if you was in our situation you would not only be merry, but actually transported!? On 17th March at twelve o'clock, two of the transport ships from Portsmouth appeared off the harbour at Plymouth and made a signal to the Atlantic, Salamander and William and Anne vessels lying in Cawsand Bay; on which they weighed anchor, and got under sail immediately. (3) The London Times reported on the 24 March that the Atlantic, Salamander and William and Ann transports with convicts for Botany Bay, put to sea (again) from Plymouth on the evening of the 23rd, and it was hoped would now get out of the Channel and make a safe passage (4) The Atlantic anchored at Sydney Cove about midday on 20th August 1791, a voyage of 146 days. Also on board was a sergeant and seventeen privates and provisions. (Hunter's Voyages to New South Wales) From An Account of the English Colony in New South Wales....On the 20th, the Atlantic transport anchored in the cove from Plymouth, whence she sailed with two other transports; from whom she had parted five weeks since in bad weather between Rio de Janeiro and Port Jackson, the passage from which had not been more than ten weeks. She had on board a serjeant's party of the new corps as a guard to two hundred and twenty male convicts, eighteen of whom had died on the passage: except nine who were sick, the remainder were very healthy. The evening before her arrival she stood into a capacious bay, situated between Long Nose and Cape St. George, where they found good anchorage and deep water. The naval agent on board, who landed, described the soil to be sandy, and the country thickly covered with timber. He did not see any natives, but found a canoe upon the beach, whose owners perhaps were not far off. (2) The Atlantic left Port Jackson bound for Bengal on 26th October 1791.