Summary
Personal Information
Crime
Voyage
Transportation
Edward Sharpe was transported on the Claudine, departing 20th May 1821 and arriving 15th Dec 1821 with 160 passengers.
The 'Claudine' was an East Indiaman built in Calcutta in 1811 from teak wood with a tonnage of 452 tons. In 1820 she ran from London to Hobart Town, Sydney, Batavia and back to England. After leaving Sydney on 10 May 1820 under the command of John Welsh, she discovered the Claudine Reef in the Coral Sea, before making her way past Murray Island in Torres Strait on her way to Batavia. The Claudine made two voyages to Australia as a convict transport. Departing Woolwich 24 August 1821 mastered by John Crabtree with Henry Ryan as ship's surgeon. She arrived in Port Dalrymple, van Diemen's Land after a passage of 113 days via Teneriffe, on 15 December, landing 40 convicts. She then sailed on to Hobart Town and landed the remaining 119 male convicts, one prisoner having died en route . On 24 August 1829 the Claudine departed London, arriving in Sydney on 6 December 1829 after a voyage of 104 days; her Master was William Heathorne, the surgeon William H Trotman. On this voyage she sailed with 180 prisoners and their guard; two prisoners died en route. she then sailed on to Madras on 30 December. The Claudine returned to merchant service and on Monday 21-22 November 1840 under the command of captain Brewer was deliberately beached with another East Indiaman 'Westminster' during a storm off the Kent coast near Margate. This stranding was the subject of a famous engraving by William Henry Bartlett and a pencil and chalk sketch by J.M.W. Turner. The 'Westminster' successfully unloaded 6000 chests of tea into two steamers which delivered it to the East India Docks and was refloated on 7 December. 'Claudine' which was beached onshore unloaded into 200 carts the following day 23rd November and was then refloated on a spring tide after 7 December. Both ships having been dismasted in the storm, were repaired and put back into the trade. The Claudine appears to have been sent to the wreckers in 1849.
Claudine (generic)References
| Primary Source | Australian Joint Copying Project. Microfilm Roll 88, Class and Piece Number HO11/4, Page Number 86 |
| 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
"matrilineal descendant of Edward Sharpe, he is my 3x great grandfather"
"Edward is my 3 x Great Grandfather. Jeff"
Photos
No photos have been added for Edward Sharpe.
Convict Notes
Full article of the 1831 attack: LAUNCESTON ADVERTISER. MONDAY, MARCH 14th, 1831. Page 85 Two sawyers named John Taylor and Edward Sharpe, in the employ of Mr. Massey were at work in the Stringy Bark Gully, about 6 miles from Mr. Masseys; and 3 miles from Mr. Boney's run. With them was a black girl who had been brought up from her infancy among the white People. On the day stated in our 1st three natives came down to their hut, which they robbed of two guns, some tea and sugar, a blanket and a rug; and before the men were apprised of their approach, they were attacked by them at the pit. Finding that their fire arms, which had been incautiously left at the hut were taken from them, they faced the natives; and fought them for a quarter of an hour with stones, when becoming so faint from the effect of their wounds they were obliged to take to flight. SHARPE the man supposed to have been— killed, was speared through the arm and through the shoulder, besides being very much bruised with waddies and stones which the savages threw. The other man Taylor received a spear through his finger; which also grazed his shoulder, and a violent blow on the back of the head with a waddie, which cut him severely, he was also much bruised with stones. The statement of this man is that on sending to Mr. Batman's party which were stationed in the vicinity , Mr, B. was not there; and that the party refused to go out having only two rounds of ammunition!!! This if true is a subject of great complaint; and we trust enquiries will be made in the proper quarter. The long and unwearying exertions of Mr Batman in this harrassing warfare, seems not at all to coincide with this statement but as he was not present the conduct of his men cannot attach any blame to him. However on this head we shall refrain from making any comment until we hear the other side of the question. When the news of the assault reached M r . Massey's, although that gentleman was in town, a party of 8 men (Mr. Massey's own servants) were dispatched in pursuit; and when Mr. M. reached home he went out for two days himself; These researches however were fruitless; and no tidings of the Blacks could be obtained. Although on the Wednesday 3 were seen near Mr. Batman's, one of whom had one of the guns taken from the sawyers. The poor black girl was captured by the savages; and not having been seen by the stock-keeper with the three seen on the Wednesday, it is much to be feared that she has been murdered by her barbarous countrymen. After what we said last week it is unnecessary for us to make any further allusions to the friendly missions but we must iterate and reiterate to the authorities, the one simple but expressive word BEWARE!!! Since writing the above, we have received the lamentable intelligence, that a Mrs. Cunningham and Child, have been so dreadfully wounded by the natives that their lives are despaired of. —Particulars in our next. John Batman's letter June 6th 1831 to James Simpson, police magistrate at Hobart Town: “I beg to state for his Excellency’s information that there are now in this neighbourhood two tribes; one is the tribe that speared a few days back a man of Mr. Cox’es and two or three days after left for dead one of Mr. Massey’s splitters and speared a second – they at the same time took away the black woman who was married some months back to ‘Black Bill,’ an aborigine of this island” (presumably the ‘Black Bill’ mentioned as having received a grant of land in a previous letter). “She has not since been heard of – this woman was brought up from infancy among white people, and is not acquainted with one word of their language.” . . . “The second tribe I speak of,” he continued, “I think they have no wish to commit murder.” He speaks of encounters which settlers had had with members of this tribe, who were armed with spears. One party said ” . . . the natives could have murdered the whole of them if they wished,” and the other party, he wrote, “also states they could have murdered them if they wished – they cut open some bags of wheat and then made off.” “This tribe, if falling in with, I think might readily be induced to become friendly, but it cannot be accomplished without the assistance of one or two of their own people who understand a little English and can speak to them in their own language,” said Batman.
Hobart Town Courier - Sat 9th May 1829 page 2 - Certificate of Freedom - Edward Sharpe per Claudine Possibly Edward Sharpe per Claudine: From Hobart Town Courier of Saturday 19th March 1831 - Article telling of attack by Blacks on two men while at work, one of whom was an Edward Sharpe, both Sawyers, in the employ of a Mr Massey of Launceston. Edward Sharpe was wounded severely and his life was 'despaired of''. Same article appeared in Van Dieman's Land News (From the Hobart Town courier) Tuesday 19th April 1831 Page 3
should read 1st May 1829
1828 May 1st, Hobart Town Courier, GOVERNMENT NOTICE. 95. Certificates of freedom - Charles Grant, 321, Morley 4, William Collis, 452. Arab, EDWARD SHARPE, 379, Claudine, John Golder, 285, Phoenix I, James Butterworth, 39, ditto. 2, John Clayton, 521, Globe, Robert Bainbridge, 813, Lady East, John Furlow, 218, Commodore Hayes, Elizabeth Sherwin, 63, Lord Sidmouth 3, George Adams, 160, Competitor.
Edward Sharp(e) remarries in the colony of Victoria to 27 year old Hellen Hogg (Ellen Hogg). Born in 1831, she arrived in Victoria in 1848 one of the Irish Famine Orphans on the Lady Kennaway. She had been a House Servant prior to leaving her native place of County Donegal Ireland; her religion was listed as Episcopalian and could neither read nor write. Both her parents were dead. (Nominal Passenger List - VPRS 14/P0000/0004) Ellen left the Immigration Depot on 15th December 1848 and was engaged by David Mathews of Melbourne, for 6 months at £9 per annum. 1862 Mary Ann Sharpe, daughter of Edward & Ellen is born and dies in March the same year. 1869 John Thomas Sharpe son of Edward & Ellen is born, birth name recorded as Sharp, graveside surname spelled as Sharpe (he died in 1924). 1869 28th March, Edward Sharpe aged 70 dies at Fyansford, Victoria and is buried alongside his last born child John Thomas Sharpe at Geelong West cemetery
Death of first born, Edward John Sharpe, b. 5/1/1839, d. 26/4/1839
August 7th 1824 returned to Govt. C.G. (Chain Gang) October 1st 1839 F.S Drunk & Fined 5/- December 13th 1839 F.S Abusive Language & Fined 5/- and costs D.M.
Edward Sharpe the son of John and Hannah Sharpe christened 1799 Wrawby/Brigg, Lincolnshire. He was convicted at Leicester Assize on 26 March 1821. Edward was described as 5' 3 1/2", hickory eyes and brown hair, aged 18(It is possible he lowered his age hoping for leniency), Body marks: Man on left arm, Scar high up on forehead, native of Brigg, Lincolnshire and his trade was Gunsmiths boy. Family: M at Church Gate Leicester - name Lowry - F in Law {Keeps} a Gun Shop Trade: Gunsmiths boy Hulk report: orderly 10th April 1837 married Jessie Patterson (native of Edinburgh, Scotland b. 1814) in Launceston 1st May 1829 gained his freedom certificate Jessie Patterson d. 1859
twice in prison first time 10 weeks acquitted, second time found guilty Grand Larceny, sent to Hulk Justitia at Woolwich transferred with 159 others to Claudine
born in Brigg Lincolnshire, transported to van Diemens land assigned to Thomas Archer at Woolmer's in Longford, punishment records: 05/07/1824 Location/Situation Lieutenant Ritchie Offence Detail Disobedience of the order of Thomas Archer Esquire and absenting himself from his master's Service Sentence 50 Lashes. /P.A.M. And T.C.S./. 2. 07/08/1824 Location/Situation Offence Detail Neglect of duty and stealing 8lbs of pork. Sentence 100 Lashes. /B.M./. 3. 02/10/1827 Location/Situation C. Campbell Offence Detail Assaulting George Pyle on the 30th ult: (ultimo) Sentence Reprimanded. /P.A.M./. died in Fyansford Victoria