Early 19th Century Records

[Megan Roberts]

I was researching convict records to Australia, and came across something that may be of interest to people research early 19th military ancestors.

Ships taking convicts to Australia, and other places, would by necessity have a military guard on the,although it would not have particularly extensive as the convicts would have been in irons. So for instance in 1823 when the "Countess of Harcourt" sailed with a cargo of 174 convicts, the miliitary guard consisted of 1 officer, I sergeant, 2 corporals & 33 privates, all from the 40th Regiment.

Much of this information has been gleaned from various web sites included a 'Google Book' - “Historical Records of the 40th (2nd Somersetshire) Regiment” By Raymond Henry Raymond Smythies, published 1894:

https://books.google.com.au/books?id...giment&f=false

An extract from this reads as follows:

Early in March 1823, the commanding officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Thornton received an intimation that it was intended to send the regiment to New South Wales. In the meantime it was ordered to proceed to Dublin, thence by sea to Liverpool, and after that by road to Chatham, in order to form guards for convict ships when required.
The head quarters reached Dublin on 15th March and occupied the Royal Barracks. On the 30th the whole regiment embarked at Pigeon House, in eight small vessels, and reached Liverpool the following day.

A twenty eight days' march, including three Sundays, brought the regiment to Chatham. The Regiment marched in three divisions; the first arrived at Chatham on 21st April; the second, consisting of two companies, halted, and remained at Deptford; and the 3rd reached Chatham on 23rd April.

During the next year the 40th was sent out, in small detachments, as guards on board convict ships to Australia. This was after several years' rough service in Ireland, and but a short period of rest in England........

He then goes on to list the ships that took the regiment to NSW between April 1823 and June 1824



So if you haven't thought about looking on Google Books for particular regiments memoirs, it might be worth a try.

[Lesley Robertson]

Thanks, Megan definitely worth knowing!