Summary
Personal Information
Transportation
Edward Hughes was transported on the Ocean, departing 22nd Apr 1823 and arriving 27th Aug 1823 with 175 passengers.
The 'Ocean' was an English merchant ship and whaler built in 1794 at South Shields, England. In 1803 she accompanied the ship 'Calcutta' to Australia, acting as a transport supply ship. When the settlers abondoned Port Phillip, Melbourne, Victoria the ship transferred convicts, settlers and marines to Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania). In 1815, 1817 & 1823 the 'Ocean' transported convicts to New South Wales.
Ocean (generic)References
| Primary Source | Philip Hughes family tree |
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Convict Notes
EDWARD HUGHES (1806-66) was christened on 14 September 1806 at Bilston, Stafford, England. His father was HENRY HUGHES (1772-1832) who, at the age of 15, married MARY SMITH (1769-1821) on 15 October 1787 in Stafford, England. Edward's mother MARY SMITH (from Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent) was christened on 17 June 1769 in the village of Kingsley (near Stoke-on-Trent) Stafford (father THOMAS SMITH; mother MARY). Around one year after her son Edward was convicted for 14 years for highway robbery at Warwick Assizes in March 1820, MARY SMITH committed suicide and was buried on 29 March 1821 in Stafford, England. Edward's father HENRY HUGHES was christened on 18 May 1772 in Bromsgrove, Stafford and his father was JOHN O'HUGHES who married HANNAH RICHARDS on 24 November 1772 in Aston Juxta, Birmingham, Warwick, England. When Edward received news of his father's death, via a letter sent from England in January 1833, he applied to the Governor in NSW for permission to marry ANN MEEHAN (1813-99), tying the knot on 4 April 1833 at Parramatta.
It is not known with any certainty where or when Edward Hughes was born due to conflicting evidence in documents that have survived. When he was received aboard the convict hulk in Portsmouth Harbour on 13th June, 1820 his age was given as 13, the ships muster on arrival in Sydney Cove on 27th August, 1823 his age was given as 19 and native place given as Birmingham, his Certificate of Freedom on 22nd May, 1840 his date of birth given as 1805 and native place Birmingham. On 24th March, 1820 Edward was convicted at the Warwick Assizes for the crime of highway robbery and sentenced to death, which was commuted to transportation for 14 years. Edward was incarcerated in Warwick Prison and transferred to the prison hulk "Leviathan" in Portsmouth Harbour on 13 Jun 1820. The Home Office Records contained the following information, 'Received from Warwick on 13 Jun 1820, Edward Hughes, aged 13, convicted of felony on 27 Mar 1820 at Warwick, sentence 14 years, disposed of to NSW on 112 Apr 1823'. The gaoler's comment regarding his behaviour was the word 'bad'. Edward was transported to NSW aboard the ship 'Ocean' which arrived in Sydney Cove on the 2nd September, 1823. On arrival in Sydney Cove the ship's muster recorded the following, Edward Hughes convicted at Warwick Assizes on 27th March, 1820, sentenced to fourteen years, native place of Birmingham, calling cowboy, age 18, height five feet three inches, florid complexion, flaxen hair, grey eyes. Once in the colony Edward was sent to Hyde Park Barracks where he was employed to make shoes for the government. In 1832 Edward Hughes was assigned to James Walker to work on Walker's property at South Creek. In January, 1833 Edward applied to the governor for permission to marry Anne Meehan (alias Mary Deering). When permission was granted on 6th March, 1833, they were married by Samuel Marsden in St Johns Church, Parramatta on 4th April, 1833. After their marriage, Edward and Mary moved to James Walker's property Wallerawang at Lidsdale, where Edward continued his occupation as a shoemaker.
Curious why his name does not appear in your list of convicts on Ocean 1823.