Summary
Personal Information
Transportation
George Morris was transported on the Ocean, departing 31st Jul 1815 and arriving 30th Jan 1816 with 221 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 | Australian Joint Copying Project. Microfilm Roll 87, Class and Piece Number HO11/2, Page Number 236 |
| 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 |
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Convict Notes
The following convicts, under sentence of transportation, have been delivered have been delivered on board the Laurel hulk, in Portsmouth harbour, from Lincoln Castle: viz. George Morris and John Air, for life; ... Stamford Mercury, 26 May 1815.
HORSE-STEALING SLEAFORD. GEORGE MORRIS, (aged 40,) late of Sleaford, huckster, stood charged with stealing bay mare and a chaise cushion, the property Mary Job, innkeeper, of the same place. the night of the 16th of May, the prisoner was seen loitering about the stable-yard of the prosecutrix by George Mayle, one of her servants ; and the following morning the mare was missing Nathaniel Ball stated, that the 17th of May he saw the prisoner going to Deeping St. James, who offered him a mare for sale. After some cavelling to price, witness at length agreed pay him 3£. 10s. and give him his own pony for the mare. The prisoner stated his name to be William Clarke, and agreed that witness should have a chaise cushion. In consequence the robbery having made public the distribution of hand-bills, suspicion attached the prisoner, who was apprehended Mr. Smith, constable, and the mare was soon after identified by Robert Job, son of the prosecutrix.—The prisoner during his trial affected to be insane—we say because, from the evidence of Mr. Merryweather, it appeared that he had, soon as his trial drew near, put an appearance idiocy which was not at all consistent with with his previous conduct in gaol. The written testimony of two medical men, stating that that the prisoner had some years ago received an injury on his head which times affected his brain, was offered in evidence, but as the medical men did not appear, and their signing such a certificate was be proved only by two strangers, the Judge said he could not admit of evidence so loosely supported. The prisoner conducted, himself perfectly collected way whilst engaged in selling the mare; and when taken near Peterborough, on being pressed by the constable to state properly his name, (that information might be given to his friends of his situation,) acknowledged his name was George Morris, that came from Sproxton, in Leicestershire, and that he was married to a daughter of Mr. Hand, a respectable farmer. The Judge, in his address to the Jury, observed it no uncommon case to see persons in the prisoner's situation affect insanity; and he did not see here that any weight should attach to this circumstance: the .witness was proved at all points, and he was sorry not to have something notice favorable the prisoner's case. The Jury immediately returned a verdict of guilty. In passing sentence of death upon Morris, the Judge said was happy to observe that the prisoner seemed duly Impressed with the fulness of the state in which he had arrived; and that that would induce his Lordship represent his case in such a light as, had he continued obstinately bent on imposing the specious mask of idiocy on the Court, he should not have considered be consistent with his duty. Stamford Mercury, 29 July 1814.