Summary
Personal Information
Voyage
Transportation
Matthew Quirk was transported on the Hilsborough, departing 30th Sep 1798 and arriving 26th Jul 1799 with 300 passengers.
Hilsborough (generic)References
| Primary Source | Australian Joint Copying Project. Microfilm Roll 87, Class and Piece Number HO11/1 p248, Home Office, Criminal Register on London Lives, Newgate Calendar of Prisoners, Wm Noah's List of felons on Hillsborough - A Voyage to Sydney in New South Wales in 1798 & 1799 p62, Musters of NSW Corps TNA WO12/9900-9904, Port Dalrymple musters 1811-1819 incl HO10/42 p208 and 4/1235.6 p303, death certificate of Mathew Kirk at Launceston RGD34/1/1 no 3237 |
| 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
Mathew Quirk was listed as a sawyer from Newgate prison, who had survived the journey to NSW in William Noah's shipboard narrative, ‘Voyage to Sydney in the Ship Hillsborough 1798-1977’. This and the Hillsborough Indents are the last known record of him in NSW under the surname Quirk.
31 March 1798 He stole five saddles, valued at £11, the property of Robert Waghorn, John Sabine, and others, from Botolph Wharf near the Thames 11 Apr 1798 – He was committed for trial. On admission to Newgate, he was described as 44 years of age, 5’8”, fair complexion, brown hair, and native of Waterford Ireland. He was a soldier in the Coldstream Regiment 18 April 1798 – Matthew Quirk was tried at the Old Bailey by the London Jury, before Mr. RECORDER and found guilty. His sentence was commuted to Life transportation 18 October 1798 he was delivered to the Hillsborough. William Noah listed him as Mathew Quirk, a sawyer, one of those sent on board from Newgate No record of Matthew Quirk is found in NSW but it is thought that he was conditionally pardoned by Sep 1800 (record not survived) and enlisted as Mathew Kirk into Capt Prentice' Co of NSW Corps 25 Sep 1800. Kirk received his Absolute Pardon as a serving soldier 4 Jun 1803 having served the required period on conditional pardon in NSW, which was the standard arrangment for enlistment of convicts. Pte Kirk was embarked with the Corps to the new Settlement at Port Dalrymple with spouse Elizabeth Edwards and her son Charles per HMS Buffalo in Nov 1804. He was discharged from the Corps and claimed by Civil Power 24 Aug 1807 for an unspecified crime. He was given a colonial sentence of 5yrs which was served at Port Dalrymple. In 1811 he was mustered as a convict with the ship of arrival Coromandel which was a clerical error likely mixed with another convict James Kirk who did arrive aboard that vessel. In other musters Mathew Kirk claimed to have arrived free in the colony, which was a common occurance for convicts in the period, who considered themselves having arrived free in VDL from NSW. He was appointed Town Constable at Port Dalrymple 30 May 1819. The Port Dalrymple Land and Stock muster of Oct 1819 records Mathew Kirk with a wife and two children. Known children were - Sophia Jr b. 29 Jul 1806, Maria b.1809. Kirk is considered to be the man of this name who was buried 14 Jul 1833 recorded as a sawyer, aged 72 at Launceston. Note that stated age at death was notoriously inaccurate in the colonial era.