Summary
Personal Information
Voyage
Transportation
Edwin Merritt was transported on the Buffalo, departing 28th Sep 1839 and arriving 12th Feb 1840 with 90 passengers.
1833 - Voyage. Transported; 179 Female Convicts and 25 Children 1839 - Voyage. On 28th September 1839, the Ship Buffalo left Quebec, Canada, taking 144 prisoners to Van Diemen’s Land and New South Wales, following the Patriot War in Canada in 1837-38. Some of the prisoners were French Canadians patriots and others were American patriots, captured after the Battle of the Windmill. The Ship went first to Van Diemens Land, arriving at Hobart on 11th February 1840, where most of the American prisoners were landed, and then went on to Sydney, arriving on 26th February 1840, where the 58 French speaking prisoners were landed. They were separated mainly because there was hostility between the Americans from Lower Canada and the Canadians from Upper Canada. The prisoners were in the main, literate, idealistic and honest men.
BuffaloReferences
| Primary Source | Tasmanian Conduct Record: https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON31-1-32$init=CON31-1-32p107 |
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Convict Notes
Edwin Merritt was not a political prisoner. -------------------------------------------------- Tasmanian Conduct Record: https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON31-1-32$init=CON31-1-32p107 1845. Edwin Merritt, Buffalo, Tried ? Coburah S.C. 10 Oct 1838, Life. Transported for Murder. No Gaol or Hulk report received. Stated this offence, Murder of Thos. ?Pilliius? in my own house for assaulting my wife. Married and 4 children. Wife Mary . ? out here one brother. Several incidents on his conduct record- Drunk. 14 June1843. Misconduct in having written a letter for a female and forging the English postmark thereon for the purpose of obtaining the marriage of the female by stating her husband died in England. 12 months hard labour. T. of L. 14/11/48. Recommended for a Cond. Pardon 27/1 52. Conditional Pardon approved, 14/12/52. Died at Port Arthur 22 March 1867. --------------------------------------------------Tasmanian Appropriation Record: https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON27-1-8$init=CON27-1-8p31 1845. Edwin Merritt, 5 ft 4 ½ . Age 33. Clerk, tried at Upper Canada, life. Native of Worcestershire. X -------------------------------------------------- Marriage Permissions: https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON52-1-6 M – Jan- Mar 1853. Date : Feby 2 1853, Edwin Merritt, per Buffalo, and Mary Godwin, per Stately. Recommended 11/2/53. Married 17/3/53.