Summary
Personal Information
Voyage
Transportation
Matthew Sutton was transported on the Friendship, departing 24th Aug 1799 and arriving 16th Feb 1800 with 161 passengers.
This convict ship, being 274 tons and 75 feet long was one of the light weight ships in the fllet and was skippered by Master Francis Walton. Built in Scarborough in 1784, she carried 76 male and 21 female convicts. During her return voyage to England her crew came down with scurvy and with insufficient crew to man her, she was scuttled in the straights of Macassar. The survivors were transferred to the Alexander.
FriendshipReferences
| Primary Source | http://members.pcug.org.au/~ppmay/cgi-bin/irish/irish.cgi |
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Convict Notes
Early Convict Indent. ...of Men embarked from New Geneva … on board the Friendship transport .. for Botany Bay with their several crimes & sentences. Matthew Sutton, Crime, United Irishman, Sentence, To serve for life.
From her Journal about the voyage on the Friendship, kept by Captain Hugh Reed’s wife and published in the Asiatic Journal and Monthly Register for British India. Whilst at St Helena, at the end of October 1799: “While we remained here a ship arrived from Madras with dispatches, announcing the capture of Seringapatam, in charge of the Hon. Mr. Wellesley, brother to Lord Mornington, then Governor general of India. Mr. W. on seeing Capt. R expressed a great desire to go on board the Friendship and see some of the unfortunate men who had been in the rebellion; he of course was invited on board, and went over the ship, vising the prison, etc., In walking round the deck where some of the prisoners were sitting, he stopt suddenly before one of them and called out, 'that cannot be S.....', who directly looked up and replied 'yes, it is S....., 'Good God,' said Mr. W, did I ever expect to see you in this situation? pray now how was it?' S....still kept his sitting posture, desiring that no question might be put to him, as he should not answer any. Mr. W. turned from him, and taking the captain aside, said that this unfortunate young man had at one time a prospect of being eminent in the law, and had been a school fellow of his; and if any pecuniary aid was wanting for his comfort on the voyage he should be happy to furnish it. The captain informed him, that there were eleven of the prisoners, including S...., who had a little stock of wine, and other comforts remaining, which had been laid in for them by their friends previous to leaving Ireland; also, that he had some money of theirs in his hands, which would be advanced as it was required on coming into port. Shortly after this Mr. W., and several gentlemen who had accompanied him, left the ship; next day there was a quantity of vegetables, potatoes, etc, sent on board for the use of these poor men. The supply came by the government boat but it was not known who was the donor; at all events it was most acceptable to the prisoners.” (The Hon Mr Wellesley was also a brother of the future Duke of Wellington.)
Matthew Sutton had trained as a barrister and had been an officer under Father Philip Roche in the rebel army of Wexford. In autumn of 1798, he was sentenced to transportation along with his brother Patrick. His family was well connected and strenuous attempts were made to get the two released. Patrick was freed in the autumn of 1798 but Lord Cornwallis was unwilling to release Matthew who then entertained hopes of being drafted into the army. In May 1799, his hopes were dashed when he was brought on board the Friendship which had recently arrived at New Geneva from London. He wrote a letter to his father from the ship, dated 25 May 1799, describing the terrible conditions. He said the prisoners were put in irons, bolted together in pairs, and for the first three days fed only on bread and water once a day. The guards were Moors, and fever and diseases were already taking their toll on the prisoners and the Moorish guards. (Doc SPP 846.) Source: Remembering All the Orrs, by R. H. Foy.
Matthew Sutton, barrister, was charged on Oct 1798 with taking part in Rebellion in Wexford as one of Fr Philip Roche’s officers; returned to Ireland 1809 (described in M. Reid’s Journal of Friendship voyage.) Matthew Sutton was a lawyer for the United Irish movement - from time to time employed as a clerk to the magistrates in Sydney. Matthew was from Enniscorthy, for his part in the uprising in 1798 he was transported. (Have not found out where he was convicted). Matthew found himself in conflict with the authorities in Sydney, first in 1801 when he had attempted to set up a school and then in 1806 he was found engaged in illicit distilling. 18/1/1802: CP 20/10/1808: Received an Absolute Pardon and returned to Ireland in 1809 per Admiral Gambier, along with Fr. James Dixon the William Gough of Kilbride. Matthew Sutton died in Ireland.