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  1. #1
    fortuna
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    Default Convict hospital ship the Briton Gosport 1841

    I am trying to find out about this ship, the Briton, which according to the 1841 census was at Alverstoke, Gosport. A person I am researching appears to be on board as a convict patient. I am fairly certain he was not transported. Does anyone know what sort of crime he may have commited and was it a hospital ship purely for convicts. I have searched on the internet with little success.
    Thank you,
    fortuna

  2. #2
    Jan1954
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    Hello Fortuna,

    I have had a bit of a google but the only information that I came up with said that it was a convict ship in 1841 and used as a target in 1860

    Have a look here.

    I am thinking that it was probably used as a "hulk" - a prison ship that stayed moored in port.

  3. #3
    fortuna
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    Yes, I agree it looks as though it was one of the 'hulk' ships. I am trying to find out about 'my' prisoner Geoge Hallett born 1819 in Southwick Hampshire and in 1841 he is a 'convict prisoner' on the Briton. He marries in 1844 from the ship 'Ellen' in Portsmouth Harbour. By 1851 he is a master mariner I would like to find out his 'crime' but that is probably impossible and to confirm that I have the right man!
    fortuna

  4. #4
    Penny Gallo
    Guest

    Default Convict Hulks at Gosport

    https://www.hrionline.ac.uk/ccc/brows...hulk#highlight is from an actual Old Bailey trial mentioning a prison hulk at Gosport - although the ship is the York. It states that the prisoner was "employed on public works ashore" although he had been sentenced to transportation. The date is 1848.

  5. #5
    fortuna
    Guest

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    Thank you both for your help. Does anyone know if all prisoners on Hulks were for transportation? Just going to have a look at the Old Bailey link,
    fortuna

  6. #6
    Geoffers
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    Quote Originally Posted by fortuna
    I am trying to find out about this ship, the Briton, which according to the 1841 census was at Alverstoke, Gosport. A person I am researching appears to be on board as a convict patient.
    You may have to carry out research at The National Archives (TNA) at Kew to answer the questions you pose.

    The registers of Convict Prison Hulks are held at TNA in document class HO9. The registers record name, age, offence, when and where convicted and what happened to him/her.

    Convict Hulk quarterly returns of prisoners are in HO8.

    If your chap was in the Convict Hosptial Ship 'Briton' at Gosport in the 1841 census, then I would think it possible that he had been moved there from the 'York' which was the actual Convict hulk at Gosport. The convict hulk quarterly returns for the York are in HO8/68 for June 1841 and HO8/67 for March 1841.

    The register of prisoners for the 'York' is in HO9/9.

    Not all prisoners on hulks were transported.

    TNA has a research guide - Sources for Convicts and Prisoners (Note the difference between the two terms).

  7. #7
    fortuna
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    I entered his name on the Old Bailey site and it came up found guilty of stealing a roll of carpet and sentenced to transportation for 7 years. So I don't think 'my' George was on board the Briton as the crime was in London and he married in 1844 so could not have been transported.
    Thanks again,
    fortuna

  8. #8

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    Fortuna I am also interested in George Hallet b 3/06/1819 d14/06/1902

  9. #9
    Brick wall demolition expert!
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    I don't believe that the George Hallett on board the hulk York or in the hospital was either person's ancestor as he died in 19 October 1842.


    HO26 Home Office: Criminal Registers, Middlesex, 1791-1849
    Hallett age 21 Larceny – Central Criminal Court (Old Bailey) 12 Aug 1838 – sentence 7 years transportation

    HO8 Home Office: Convict Hulks, Convict Prisons and Criminal Lunatic Asylums: Quarterly Returns Of Prisoners:
    Hallett age 21 prisoner no: 8700 York Convict Hulk moored at Gosport
    During quarters ending 30 June 1841, 30 September 1841, 31 December 1841 he was in the hospital
    Hallett age 21 prisoner no: 168 York Convict Hulk moored at Gosport
    During quarters ending 30 June 1842 and 30 September 1842 he was in the hospital
    Died 19 October 1842


    Note: all the criminal records always maintain the age of convict as that when they were originally arrested. Also some convicts who were sentenced to be transported actually served their sentence on a hulk in the UK, or in somewhere like Gibraltar or Bermuda.

  10. #10

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    Oh Thanks! My George Hallet was born 1819 (apparently in New Passage, Devonport), but seems to have not joined the Royal Navy (as quartermaster) until he was 39, and I am looking for his earlier life. How/ where did he learn to be a mariner and I am wondering if he was possibly the master mariner with a wife and family in Fareham on the 1851 census. I can't find any record of the wife Frances (Pince) m1844 dying. After 15 years or so in the Navy my George married a Susan McIntyre from Donegal and settled with her in Ireland.

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