Summary
Personal Information
Voyage
Transportation
George Reading was transported on the Tortoise, departing 28th Sep 1841 and arriving 19th Feb 1842 with 401 passengers.
Rig: HMS 1000 tons Voyage 1841/1842 from Plymouth, England to Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania) Australia. Capt J. Hood. Surgeon: Thomas Brownrigg. 394 - 400 male convicts listed.
Tortoise (generic)References
| Primary Source | Australian Joint Copying Project. Microfilm Roll 91, Class and Piece Number HO11/12, Page Number 392 |
| 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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Photos
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Convict Notes
On Monday 14 February George Reading appeared before the magistrates. His crimes, as reported in the Coventry Standard 19th of February, were that as a letter carrier he had the previous November "stolen from a letter addressed to Miss Masters, dressmaker, High Street, Coventry, two yards of black satin" and also stolen "from a letter sent by Mr Wm Baker, silversmith, of Shrewsbury, to Mr Powell, watchmaker, St John Street ... a five pound Bank of England note". The Coventry Herald and Observer of the same date reported that the black satin "was found by Mr Prosser, Chief Constable, on the 6th of the present month, in a box in Reading's bedroom", and that the £5 note "from being paid into the Coventry & Warwickshire Bank ... was traced back in the clearest possible manner to the possession of Reading, who obtained change or cash for it from Mr Russel, of the Cranes Inn". Since in both cases the articles were traced as having been in the possession of the prisoner, he was committed for trial at the Assizes. At the Coventry City Assizes on 24 March George Reading was found guilty of "Stealing letters being a servant of the Post Office", and sentenced to transportation for 10 years. His age was recorded as being 44, and his Degree of Instruction as imperfect (Criminal Register, England and Wales 1841, HO 27/65). He lived on the prison hulk Warrior, which held up to 800 prisoners, and was entered as a "Convict labourer" in the 1841 census. The Quarterly return of Prisoners for 1 April to 30 June 1841 (HO 8/68) listed 757 prisoners, including George Reading who was number 962 on the ship's book. The surgeon's report showed him to be "Healthy", and his behaviour during the quarter was reported as being "Good"; the report was signed by Richard Armstrong, Overseer of the Warrior, on 8 July 1841. The Letter Book for the prison hulks Ganymede and Warrior for the period 1837 to 1844 (HO 9/12) reported that George Reading's character was "Bad" George Reading was taken from Woolwich on Saturday 21 August to Chatham, and put on board the Tortoise and transported to Van Diemen's Land. The ship's surgeon reported in his log that three prisoners died during the voyage.