Summary
Personal Information
Crime
Voyage
Transportation
William Scarrh was transported on the Hougoumont, departing 10th Oct 1867 and arriving 9th Jan 1868 with 281 passengers.
875 ton ship was built at Moulmein in 1852. http://www.australiangeographic.com.au/journal/on-this-day-in-history-australias-last-convict-ship-docks.htm ---------------------------- Incorrect Image ....This is a four masted steel hulled Barque in the drawing , im surprised Australian Geo didn't do a bit more research on this .......The Hougoumont was a works ship on the Forth Bridge Project in 1885 ....the one potrayed as a drawing in Aust Geo is the later version of this ship.....the photograph i have attached is the correct and original convict vessel. --00-- 1867 "The hired convict ship Hougoumont, which has been taken up by the Government for the conveyance of a numerous party of convicts to Freemantle, Western Australia, left the Nore on October 1, and proceeded down Channel, after receiving on board 150 convicts from the establishments at Chatham and Millbank. The convicts from the Chatham establishment, at St. Mary's, embarked from the dockyard on board the paddle-wheel steamer Adder, Mr. W. J. Blakely, and were in charge of a numerous party of convict guards and wardens, all heavily armed. Among the convicts shipped were a party of fifteen Fenians, who were engaged in the late conspiracy in Ireland, together with the officers and crew convicted of scuttling the ship Severn, and some others who have achieved notoriety from their crimes. The Fenian convicts, like the remainder of the prisoners, were chained together in gangs, but it was observed that they were kept apart from the other convicts in a portion of the vessel by themselves. The steamer Petrel also took down a number of convicts from the establishment at Millbank for shipment on board the Hougoumont, in charge of a strong escort and convict guard. On Tuesday, October 8th, the Hougoumont arrived in Portland roads. Shortly before midday ninety convicts were marched down to the Government pier at Portland under a strong escort of the 12th Light Infantry. The party included twenty-three Fenian convicts, among whom it was said, was Moriarty. The Government steamer employed in the breakwater service was used for conveying the convicts on board the Hougoumont transport ship. The convicts were chained together on embarking, and on board the steamer a strong guard of marines from her Majesty's ship St. George was formed, and saw the convicts safely placed on board the Hougoumont. The Governor of the penal settlement at Freemantle, Captain Young, is on board the Hougoumont, and returns in that ship to his sphere of duty after paying a visit to his native land." Source: Sydney Morning Herald, Thu 19 Dec 1867, p4, English Shipping, available on Trove at https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/28608271?searchTerm=hougoumont.
HougoumontReferences
| Primary Source | Australian Joint Copying Project. Microfilm Roll 93, Class and Piece Number HO11/19, p254 --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. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26783779 --0-- https://fremantleprison.com.au/history-heritage/research/convict-database/ |
| 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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Convict Notes
NOTE: Year of Birth is taken from official records but day and month are not known. The latter dates have been entered as 01/01 because the site does not allow those fields to be left empty.
DEATH: 1905, 6 June: William Scarrh, 79; father Patrick Scarrh o/wise known as Sculley; mother Mary Hagans, died at Perth. Reg. No. 2095, reg. year 1905 (WA BDM at www.wa.gov.au). Note: The age given here and below in his burial record does not match his UK jail and WA convict records. Year of birth in the latter case varies from 1836 (UK jail) to 1832 (WA). --00-- BURIAL: William Scarrh BIRTH: 1827 DEATH: 6 June, 1905 (aged 77–78) BURIAL: Karrakatta Cemetery and Crematorium, Karrakatta, Nedlands City, Western Australia PLOT: Roman Catholic-Fc-0028 MEMORIAL ID: 213593258 (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/213593258) --0-- NEWSPAPER REPORT OF HIS DEATH: From the Truth, Sat 17 June, 1905, p1: “His last wet! Last Sunday morning the body of one William Scarrh was fished out of the river. Old Bill was a periodical Performer at the Police Court and always had a tale of woe to relate. He was a perfect nuisance about Perth. All the same he will be missed by the police. Bill's police record (if published) would fill every inch of our reading space.” (https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/207391003) --000--
A LONG HISTORY OF COURT APPEARANCES: From the Truth, 22 April, 1905, p1: “Some of the greatest pests in Perth are the drunks from the Depot. Alms-beggars, lug-biters and cadgers they mostly are, but when drunk they become intolerable nuisances. Roe, P.M., on Monday last sent one William Scarrh up for a week. This made his 76th conviction. The ‘beak’ observed that Scarrh was a real pest to the city.” (https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/207390365) --00--
NEWSPAPER REPORTS OF HIS COMMITTAL & TRIAL: From the Daily News, 2 November, 1885, p3: “CITY POLICE COURT. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2nd. (Before the Police Magistrate.) William Scarrh was charged upon the information of Mr. W. Camm, of Roe-street, with burglary. From the information it appeared that during the absence from home on Saturday night of Mr. Camm and his family, who attended the Town Hall that evening in order to witness the last performance of the Opera Bouffe Company, the prisoner took the opportunity of performing on his own account in Mr. Camm's residence. Unfortunately, however, for the performer, p.c. Bonner appeared upon the scene before the professional Scarrh had made his exit. Bonner found the man in unlawful occupation of the house, the contents of which he had turned completely topsy-turvey. However, the only property that had disappeared consisted of half a pound of butter, some bread, and a few chops, all of which the prisoner confessed he had appropriated as his supper. At the request of the police the accused was remanded until the following Wednesday.” (https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/77283821) -- From the Daily News, 17 December, 1885, p3: “Burglary. William Scarrh, a very unprepossessing looking individual, was charged with having, on the 31st October, burglariously entered the private residence of one Michael Camm, and stealing therefrom some pork chops and fresh butter. The prisoner, who was undefended by counsel, pleaded not guilty... Upon returning home at about half-past ten [from the Opera] they [Mr and Mrs Camm] found that the bottom sash of the window had been thrown up, and the back door opened. In the bedroom they found the prisoner lying on the floor; the drawers had been opened and their contents disturbed, and upon the bedding were marks of dirty greasy fingers. On the following morning it was discovered that some partly cooked pork chops, some fresh butter, and a small quantity of bread had been taken. The prisoner said ... he had entered the house through the open window under the idea it was his lodging-house, he being partly drunk at the time. His Honour directed the Jury that if they believed the prisoner had entered the place through the opening at the top of the window, they must acquit him on the charge of burglary; but if they found that he had thrown up the lower sash to effect an entrance, they must find him guilty. After a short retirement the jury returned a verdict of guilty of burglary, and the prisoner (who bore a very bad character) was sentenced to five years' penal servitude.” (https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/76478167) --0--
COLONIAL SENTENCE: FREMANTLE JAIL RECORD: SCARRH, William; inmate #10367 Colonial Other No: 9865 Date of Birth: 1832 Marital Status: Unmarried Occupation: Baker Sentence Place: Western Australia Sentence Period: 5 years Previous Convictions: Yes (https://fremantleprison.com.au/) --0--
FREMANTLE JAIL RECORD: SCARRH, William; inmate #9865, arrived 10 Jan 1868 per Hougoumont Date of Birth: 1832 Marital Status: Unmarried Occupation: Barber Literacy: Literate Sentence Place: Leeds Crime: Larceny Sentence Period: 10 years Previous Convictions: Yes Ticket Leave Date: 16 Feb 1872 Certificate of Freedom Date: 5 Sep 1885 Comments: Barber, general servant, labourer, cook. Reconvicted in Western Australia (https://fremantleprison.com.au). --00--
IN WA: 1868: On arrival, WILLIAM SCARRH, 34 [when convicted], was listed as convict #9865; sentenced to 10 years, at Leeds, 15 October, 1866, for “larceny and previous conviction”; barber; single; literate; Roman Catholic; family – father Patrick Scully, Cross Street, Loughrea, Co Galway, Ireland; behaviour “indifferent”. Described as 5’5½” tall, black hair, grey eyes, oval visage, dark complexion, strong; lost several upper front teeth, cut on breast. Several previous convictions between 1852 and 1863, including one for robbery from the person (Liverpool, March Assizes 1856) – sentenced to 6 years’ penal servitude. Ticket of Leave 16.2.72; Certificate of Freedom 5.9.85 (https://www.perthdps.com/convicts/con-wa42.html; and Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930; Convict Department, Registers; General Register for Nos 9599-10128 cont. (R16)). --0--
EMBARKATION: 1867, 5 October: He was sent from Portsmouth to board the Hougoumont for WA (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951 for William Scarrh; Portsmouth Prison; Registers of Prisoners; 1866-1868; image 98). “The hired convict ship Hougoumont, which has been taken up, by the Government for the conveyance of a numerous party of convicts to Freemantle, Western Australia, left the Nore on October 1, and proceeded down Channel, after receiving on board 150 convicts from the establishments at Chatham and Millbank. The convicts from the Chatham establishment, at St. Mary's, embarked from the dockyard on board the paddle-wheel steamer Adder, Mr. W. J. Blakely, and were in charge of a numerous party of convict guards and wardens, all heavily armed. Among the convicts shipped were a party of fifteen Fenians, who were engaged in the late conspiracy in Ireland, together with the officers and crew convicted of scuttling the ship Severn [only two were on the Hougoumont – Thomas Berwick and Lionel Holdsworth, each sentenced to 20 years for fraud], and some others who have achieved notoriety from their crimes. The Fenian convicts, like the remainder of the prisoners, were chained together in gangs, but it was observed that they were kept apart from the other convicts in a portion of the vessel by themselves. The steamer Petrel also took down a number of convicts from the establishment at Millbank, for shipment on board the Hougoumont, in charge of a strong escort and convict guard. On Tuesday, October 8th, the Hougoumont arrived in Portland roads. Shortly before midday ninety convicts were marched down to the Government pier at Portland under a strong escort of the 12th Light Infantry. The party included twenty-three Fenian convicts, among whom it was said, was Moriarty [not the senior Fenian, Captain Moriarty; rather, this was Bartholomew Moriarty, aged 17]. The Government steamer employed in the breakwater service was used for conveying the convicts on board the Hougoumont transport ship. The convicts were chained together on embarking, and on board the steamer a strong guard of marines from her Majesty's ship St. George was formed, and saw the convicts safely placed on board the Hougoumont. The Governor of the penal settlement at Freemantle, Captain Young, is on board the Hougoumont, and returns in that ship to his sphere of duty after paying a visit to his native land.” (Sydney Morning Herald, 19 Dec 1867, p4, at https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/28608271). --00--
1867, 12 July: Admitted to Portsmouth Gaol, inmate #1047 (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951 for William Scarrh; Portsmouth Prison; Registers of Prisoners; 1866-1868; image 98). Portsmouth, Portland, 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) --00--
1867, 15 January: Admitted to Millbank Gaol, London – William Scarrh alias Scully, inmate #2778, 30 years old, barber, single, Roman Catholic; no family details given; convicted Leeds Sessions 15 Oct 1866, larceny prev conviction, 10 years PS; thrice reviously convicted (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951 for Wm Scarrh; Millbank Prison; Register of Prisoners; 1866-1867; image 153). --0--