Summary
Personal Information
Crime
Voyage
Transportation
Robert Myerscough was transported on the Hougoumont, departing 10th Oct 1867 and arriving 9th Jan 1868 with 281 passengers.
875 ton ship was built at Moulmein in 1852. http://www.australiangeographic.com.au/journal/on-this-day-in-history-australias-last-convict-ship-docks.htm ---------------------------- Incorrect Image ....This is a four masted steel hulled Barque in the drawing , im surprised Australian Geo didn't do a bit more research on this .......The Hougoumont was a works ship on the Forth Bridge Project in 1885 ....the one potrayed as a drawing in Aust Geo is the later version of this ship.....the photograph i have attached is the correct and original convict vessel. --00-- 1867 "The hired convict ship Hougoumont, which has been taken up by the Government for the conveyance of a numerous party of convicts to Freemantle, Western Australia, left the Nore on October 1, and proceeded down Channel, after receiving on board 150 convicts from the establishments at Chatham and Millbank. The convicts from the Chatham establishment, at St. Mary's, embarked from the dockyard on board the paddle-wheel steamer Adder, Mr. W. J. Blakely, and were in charge of a numerous party of convict guards and wardens, all heavily armed. Among the convicts shipped were a party of fifteen Fenians, who were engaged in the late conspiracy in Ireland, together with the officers and crew convicted of scuttling the ship Severn, and some others who have achieved notoriety from their crimes. The Fenian convicts, like the remainder of the prisoners, were chained together in gangs, but it was observed that they were kept apart from the other convicts in a portion of the vessel by themselves. The steamer Petrel also took down a number of convicts from the establishment at Millbank for shipment on board the Hougoumont, in charge of a strong escort and convict guard. On Tuesday, October 8th, the Hougoumont arrived in Portland roads. Shortly before midday ninety convicts were marched down to the Government pier at Portland under a strong escort of the 12th Light Infantry. The party included twenty-three Fenian convicts, among whom it was said, was Moriarty. The Government steamer employed in the breakwater service was used for conveying the convicts on board the Hougoumont transport ship. The convicts were chained together on embarking, and on board the steamer a strong guard of marines from her Majesty's ship St. George was formed, and saw the convicts safely placed on board the Hougoumont. The Governor of the penal settlement at Freemantle, Captain Young, is on board the Hougoumont, and returns in that ship to his sphere of duty after paying a visit to his native land." Source: Sydney Morning Herald, Thu 19 Dec 1867, p4, English Shipping, available on Trove at https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/28608271?searchTerm=hougoumont.
HougoumontReferences
| Primary Source | Australian Joint Copying Project. Microfilm Roll 93, Class and Piece Number HO11/19, p245 (125) --0-- Edgar, W. (Bill). (2018). “The precarious voyage of her majesty’s convict ship ‘Nile’ to the Swan River colony, late 1857 – and the unexpected aftermath.” The Great Circle, 40(1), 20–43. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26783779 --0-- https://fremantleprison.com.au/history-heritage/research/convict-database/ |
| 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 |
Claims
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Convict Notes
HOME FROM ENGLAND: 1888, 8 September: Arrived at Albany, from London, on the “ORMS Orizaba” Robert Myerscough and two other passengers (https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/232704884). --0--
STAMPS, THE GOVERNOR AND THE MYERSCOUGHS: 1888, 30 May: From the Inquirer & Commercial News, p5: “Our Fremantle Letter. (From our Correspondent.) Mr. Robert Myerscough, of High-street, Fremantle, who is a newspaper and book vendor, held a license for selling postage and receipt stamps, which his Excellency Governor Broome has caused to be notified he has been pleased to cancel. No reason (so far as I can learn) has been assigned for such a course to be adopted, it can only therefore, be imagined that Mr. or Mrs. Myerscough has at some time unconsciously annoyed or offended His Excellency. Some say it is because they are vendors of the Daily News, but it can hardly be conceived that his Excellency would be capable of any such vindictiveness towards a person who in the way of business happens to sell a newspaper that has in the course of its duty to the public had occasion to adversely criiticise the Governor's actions; but as his Excellency declines to furnish any information as to his reasons for the withdrawal of the license he has himself to blame if any erroneous construction is placed upon his proceedings. Mr. and Mrs. Myerscough have by their courteous manner and attention to their business won the esteem of a large circle of residents who patronage their shop, which is situated in a most central part of the town, and the cancellation of the license referred to will greatly inconvenience the general public, who have already petitioned his Excellency on the subject, but who declines to alter his decision. His action, therefore, bears the stamp of contempt for those who have appealed to him in so small a matter, and (after his conduct towards the Bayswater-Busselton railway deputation) is another instance of his arbitrary, overbearing nature. The petition in question included the names of the Mayor (Mr. D. K. Congdon) and the two members of the Legislative Council for the district— Messrs. W. E. Marmion and W. S. Pearse. Wednesday morning.” (https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/66086666) --0--
TO LONDON: 1888, 26 April: Sailed from Fremantle on the steamer “Rob Roy” for Albany (https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/232703495, p3). 1888, 27 April: Sailed from Albany, WA, for London on board the “SS Carthage”. Listed as Robert Myerscough, expiree, late reg. no. 9833, per Hougoumont. Remarks: “Healthy appearance, age 57 years, height 5ft. 5½in. tall, brown hair, grey eyes, long visage, dark complexion, cut on left thumb, a cotton broker, latterly news agent, Fremantle.” (WA Police Gazette, 1888) --0--
IN BUSINESS: 1884 onwards: Newspaper ads and articles show Robert Myerscough immersed himself in public life in Fremantle. His name appears in numerous ads listing supporters of various candidates for Municipal elections; for example he is on a list of supporters calling for the sitting Mayor of Fremantle, BC Wood, to again contest the election in 1884. Business interests: 1885, 9 June: From the Daily News, Perth, p2 “MR. R. MYERSCOUGH, of the Lending Library, is authorised to receive payment of The Daily News accounts. All orders given to Mr. Myerscough for Advertising or Printing will receive prompt attention. STIRLING BROS., Perth, June 5, 1885.” -- 1885, 10 June: From the Inquirer and Commercial News, p3: “As will be observed by an advertisement in another column, Mr. Myerscough has taken over the stationery and library business which he has so successfully conducted at Fremantle for Messrs. Stein & Co for sometime past. With the additions he purposes making to his present extensive stock of stationery and books, the well known Lending Library at Fremantle should prove a thorough success to the proprietor, as well as a great boon to the people at the Port.” (https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/71998990) --0--
SECOND MARRIAGE: 1882, 5 February: Robert Myerscough married Sarah Jane Bond, at Fremantle; reg. no. 5241 (WA Registry of BDM at https://www.wa.gov.au/organisation/department-of-justice). Note: Family researchers say he married his first wife, Sarah Valentine, on 9 April, 1853. She died in 1886 at Salford. The same source says Robert Smith Myerscough was baptised in January, 1831, at the Parish Church of Manchester, the son of Robert Myerscough, an agent, and his wife Mary Ann. --00--
FREMANTLE JAIL RECORD: MYERSCOUGH, Robert; inmate #9833, arrived 10 Jan 1868 per Hougoumont Date of Birth: 1830 Marital Status: Married, 2 children Occupation: Cotton broker Literacy: Literate Sentence Place: Liverpool Crime: Receiving stolen goods Sentence Period: 14 years Previous Convictions: Yes Ticket of Leave Date: 3 December, 1873 Certificate of Freedom Date: 7 June, 1881 Comments: Clerk. To England, 27 April, 1888, returned 8 September, 1888. To Victoria, 26 September, 1893, returned to Western Australia, 22 October, 1893 (https://fremantleprison.com.au/history-heritage/research/convict-database/). --00--
IN WA: 1868: On arrival, Robert Myerscough, 37, was listed as convict #9833; sentenced to 14 years, at Liverpool, 8 June, 1867, for “receiving stolen goods knowing the same to have been stolen”; cotton broker; married, two children; literate; Protestant; family – wife Sarah, 23 Helen Street, Crescent Court, Salford; children Robert Arthur and Alice M.M.; character “good”. Described as 5’5½” tall, brown hair, grey eyes, long visage, dark complexion, healthy; cut left thumb. Previous convictions, etc: “1866, Feb sessions stealing cotton -- discharged” Other: 3.12.73 Ticket of Leave; 7.9.77 Conditional Release; and 7.6.81 Certificate of Freedom (https://www.perthdps.com/convicts/con-wa42.html; and Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930; Convict Department, Registers; General Register for Nos 9599-10128 cont. (R16)). --0--
EMBARKATION: 1867, 30 September: Robert Myerscough was sent from Millbank to board the Hougoumont for WA. “The hired convict ship Hougoumont, which has been taken up, by the Government for the conveyance of a numerous party of convicts to Freemantle, Western Australia, left the Nore on October 1, and proceeded down Channel, after receiving on board 150 convicts from the establishments at Chatham and Millbank. The convicts from the Chatham establishment, at St. Mary's, embarked from the dockyard on board the paddle-wheel steamer Adder, Mr. W. J. Blakely, and were in charge of a numerous party of convict guards and wardens, all heavily armed. Among the convicts shipped were a party of fifteen Fenians, who were engaged in the late conspiracy in Ireland, together with the officers and crew convicted of scuttling the ship Severn [only two were on the Hougoumont – Thomas Berwick and Lionel Holdsworth, each sentenced to 20 years for fraud], and some others who have achieved notoriety from their crimes. The Fenian convicts, like the remainder of the prisoners, were chained together in gangs, but it was observed that they were kept apart from the other convicts in a portion of the vessel by themselves. The steamer Petrel also took down a number of convicts from the establishment at Millbank, for shipment on board the Hougoumont, in charge of a strong escort and convict guard. On Tuesday, October 8th, the Hougoumont arrived in Portland roads. Shortly before midday ninety convicts were marched down to the Government pier at Portland under a strong escort of the 12th Light Infantry. The party included twenty-three Fenian convicts, among whom it was said, was Moriarty [not the senior Fenian, Captain Moriarty; rather, this was Bartholomew Moriarty, aged 17]. The Government steamer employed in the breakwater service was used for conveying the convicts on board the Hougoumont transport ship. The convicts were chained together on embarking, and on board the steamer a strong guard of marines from her Majesty's ship St. George was formed, and saw the convicts safely placed on board the Hougoumont. The Governor of the penal settlement at Freemantle, Captain Young, is on board the Hougoumont, and returns in that ship to his sphere of duty after paying a visit to his native land.” (Sydney Morning Herald, 19 Dec 1867, p4, at https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/28608271). --00--
1867, 28 September: Admitted to Millbank Prison, London – inmate #3859, awaiting transportation (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951 for Robert Myerscough; Millbank Prison; Register of Prisoners; 1867-1868; image 85). --00--
1867, 16 July: Admitted to Pentonville Prison, Caledonian Road, London – inmate #4729, Robert Myerscough, 36, married two children, literate, cotton dealer; convicted 8 June, 1867, at Liverpool Borough Sessions, “feloniously receiving stolen property”, 14 years (UK, Criminal Records, 1780-1871 for Robert Myerscough; Prison Registers and Statistical Returns; 1864-1871; HO 24/18; image 147). “After a sentence of transportation was handed down, the prisoner entered into a separate stage where he was placed into an individual cell, isolated from others, apart from brief periods of exercise and attendance at chapel. However, no communication of any kind with other prisoners was permitted at any time. The philosophy behind this penal methodology had its provenances in the religious, monastic traditions; i.e., that in the isolation of his cell the malefactor would be able to contemplate the errors of his way, unadulterated by the negative influences of former contemporaries, and be reformed.” (Edgar, 2018, pp39-40) When first put into practice, the mandated period of separate confinement was 18 months. By the late 1840s, authorities had conceded that such conditions of imprisonment were “injurious to many prisoners’ mental health” and the stint was reduced to 12 months. Periods of separate confinement were reduced further “as a prisoner displayed good behaviour tendencies” (Edgar, p40). Pentonville, Millbank, Wakefield and Mountjoy in Ireland were the “Probation” or “Separate” prisons, as were some local jails. --0--