Summary
Personal Information
Voyage
Transportation
Noel Lafortune was transported on the Waterwitch, departing 30th Nov 1838 and arriving 19th Dec 1839 with 21 passengers.
Schooner Water Witch, 99 tons. From Mauritius, 19th October,1839 with sugar—passengers Mrs.Rolls, I female and 16 male prisoners. (ref. Hobart Town Courier & Gazette 20 Dec 1839) From Bourbon via Mauritius 1843
Waterwitch (generic)References
| Primary Source | New South Wales, Australia, Convict Records, 1810-1891 |
Claims
No one has claimed Noel Lafortune yet.
Photos
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Convict Notes
1875, 29 November: Noel LAFORTUNE died; his death is recorded in the Parramatta District (see New South Wales, Australia, Convict Records, 1810-1891; Convicts Deaths; Annual Returns of Convicts Who Died, 1867-1891).
1839: Noel LAFORTUNE: He is listed as having a black complexion, oval head, black hair, oval visage, low forehead, black eyebrows, dark eyes, medium nose, medium mouth, … chin and scar on inside of left arm (see Tasmania, Australia, Convict Court and Selected Records, 1800-1899; Register; Description lists of convicts convicted locally or arriving on non-convict ships, 1832-1842).
1839, 15 October: Noel LAFORTUNE is on a list of prisoners sentenced for transportation from Port Louis, Mauritius, to Van Diemens Land by the Criminal Court of the Colony of Mauritius. Although a covering letter refers to 18 prisoners, only 17 are described in detail, and one man - called Paul - has been crossed out having been "ordered not to go by His Excellency the Governor". Noel LAFORTUNE is described as: single, aged 20, a silversmith; tried for theft at the Assizes and sentenced to 10 years; copper complexion, brown hair and brown eyes; 5'2"; has a scar on his left arm and hand; cannot read or write. A letter accompanying this record, signed by the Colonial Secretary of Mauritius (G.F. Dick), and addressed to the Colonial Secretary of VDL, says the convicts have been embarked on the "Water Witch" for "conveyance to Van Diemen's Land, their place of transportation, and... their passage has been paid from the Public Treasury of this Colony [Mauritius]." Dick also refers to the legality of assignment of the convicts' labour, "more particularly as doubts are entertained by the legal authorities here whether His Excellency possesses the power of making any such assignment". Strangely, this record appears in documents for the "Layton" 1840, except there was no voyage to VDL in that year. The "Layton" took convicts to VDL (arriving) on 7 December 1839 and again on 1 September 1841. That said, the record I found is "New South Wales, Australia Convict Ship Muster Rolls and Related Records, 1790-1849; 1840 LAYTON".
TRIED: 3 July 1839, Port Louis Assizes, Mauritius (see New South Wales, Australia Convict Ship Muster Rolls and Related Records, 1790-1849; 1840 Layton).