Summary
Personal Information
Crime
Transportation
John Sullivan was transported on the Nile, departing 18th Sep 1857 and arriving 1st Jan 1858 with 271 passengers.
Nile (generic)References
| Primary Source | Australian Joint Copying Project. Microfilm Roll 93, Class and Piece Number HO11/18, Page Number 239 (121). --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. |
| 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
IN WA: From his Fremantle jail record: SULLIVAN, John; inmate #4751, arrived 1 Jan 1858 per Nile Date of Birth: 1835 Marital Status: Unmarried Occupation: Labourer Literacy: Literate Sentence Place: Westminster, Middlesex, England Crime: Larceny Sentence Period: 7 years Previous Convictions: Yes Ticket of Leave Date: 10 Jul 1858 Conditional Pardon Date: 10 Dec 1859 Comments: Self-employed, 1859 (https://fremantleprison.com.au/). --00--
10 September, 1857: He was sent from Portland to board the Nile for transportation to WA. Although he does not appear on the manifest from Portland, his individual jail record (cited above) and his WA Convict record confirm he was sent from there. His behaviour on the voyage was "good", although he also spent "20 hours in the cell" (Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930; Convict Department, Registers; Character Book for Nos 4508-5585 (R8)). --00--
6 March, 1857: His Ticket of Leave was revoked and he was sent back to prison. --0-- 27 March, 1857: Readmitted to Portland prison -- inmate #6911. Listed as 17 when convicted; single, labourer, able to read and write. Next of kin -- Mrs Hollands, 23 Fullwood Rents, Holborn. A notation concerning his religion says: "Catholic. Protestant at Dorchester Barracks, Director's order, 25 Oct 1854". State of health "good" (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951 for John Sullivan; Portland Prison; Prison Records; labelled 1870-1875). --0--
31 July, 1856: He was granted a Licence for Parole/Ticket of Leave #6160, as below: Reference: PCOM 3/57/6160 Description: Licence number 6160: John Sullivan. Caption order and prison record from when he was convicted of Larceny at the Quarter Sessions at Clerkenwell Green, Middlesex 22 August 1853. Then aged [not given] and by trade a [not given]. Sentence: 7 years Transportation. Licence granted 31 July 1856, for early release from Portland prison. Licence revoked 6 March 1857, caption returned 28 March 1857. Revocation order only. Date: 1856 July 31 Held by: The National Archives, Kew (https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C10346389). --0--
27 October, 1854: Admitted to Portland prison, Grove Road, Dorset -- inmate #4499. Served 21 months 9 days in public works; behaviour "exemplary" (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951; Portland Prison; Prison Records; labelled 1870-1875). Portland, Portsmouth, Chatham and Spike Island in Ireland were listed public works stations and the second stage in the penal process. After separate confinement, prisoners were “placed on work parties at various locations, most commonly naval stations, where maintenance of facilities was vital for the effective protection of Britain’s far flung commercial and military influences around the world. While there, attitude and behaviour were monitored closely. In theory, only after consistently positive reports was a prisoner moved on to the third stage of his incarceration—transportation.” (Edgar, p40) --0--
18 August, 1854: Admitted to Dorchester Barracks jail (Dorchester County Gaol and House of Correction?) -- served 2 months 9 days; behaviour "good". --0--
20 December, 1853: Admitted to Millbank prison, Westminster, London -- served 7 months 28 days in separate confinement; behaviour "good". “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). Millbank, Pentonville, Wakefield and Mountjoy in Ireland were the “Probation” or “Separate” prisons, as were some local jails. --0--
JAILS: 15 August, 1853: Held at Clerkenwell, in association with other prisoners, for 121 days; behaviour "good" (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951; Portland Prison; Prison Records; labelled 1870-1875). --0--
TRIAL: 22 August, 1853: John Sullivan was convicted of larceny at the Adjourned General Sessions at Westminster. With a previous conviction taken into account, he was sentenced to transportation for 7 years (England & Wales, Criminal Registers, 1791-1892 for John Sullivan; England; Middlesex; 1853). --0--