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General => The Common Room => Topic started by: MelC23 on Friday 17 March 17 14:01 GMT (UK)
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Hi Everyone, this is the first time I have posted on RootsChat :-) I am currently researching an ancestor, Henry Cookman b 1817 who was transported to Bermuda in around 1842-1843. Does anyone know if convicts were transported on the actual hulk and in which case my ancestor would have been on Prison Hulk Tenedos? Or could they have been possibly transported on other vessels and ended up on one of the several hulks stationed at Bermuda?
Thanks for the help.
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Welcome to Rootschat,
While I don't know anything specifically about transportation to Bermuda, by definition a hulk is no longer a sea-going vessel. They were frequently obsolete warships which had the masts cut down to about one-third of their proper height; the rigging was removed and often extra buildings were constructed on the decks.
See the attached photo of prison hulks at Woolwich.
Your man would most likely have reached Bermuda on a convict transport (also often an old warship but still in sea-going state).
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Hi Mel
My ancestor was transported to Bermuda 10 years after yours.
He was sent to the Convict Ship 'Edward' 29/12/1852
Left England on the 'Edward' 23/01/1853
Arrived Bermuda 25/02/1853
Kept on the 'Medway' Convict Hulk from 30/06/1853 until April 1861
Left Bermuda 10/04/1861 on the 'Sir George Seymour'
Arrived Falmouth, Cornwall 11/06/1861
He had been transported for life, but once the new Naval Dockyard was completed there was no other work on Bermuda for the prisoners to do.
Another prisoner convicted of the same crime also went to Bermuda on the 'Edward' and was on 'Medway'. In October 1853 he was on the 'Tenedos' which was a Hospital Ship. He died on 14/10/1853 after contracting Yellow Fever.
A third one suffered the same fate and died 07/10/1853 on the Tenedos.
This information came from a book by Averil Kear called 'Bermuda Dick'.
He was my ancestor, Richard Kear.
Giggsy
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My wife lived and worked in Bermuda at The Royal Naval Dockyard and has some books about the history of The Royal Naval Dockyard.
Selected Items from ‘The Andrew and the Onions – The Story of The Royal Navy in Bermuda – 1795 to 1975 by Lt Commander Ian Stranack
Page 134 Annex 1b; a chronological synopsis of the development of Bermuda Naval Base
1823, October Antelope hulk brought first 300 convicts plus 20 RN Officers and 393 other ranks.
1824, More convicts arrived
1825, Royal Oak hulk arrived for use as victualling hulk
1826, Dromedary hulk arrived
1827, Convict hulk, Coromandel, (ex-Malabar II) arrived in Bermuda
1828, Weymouth hulk arrived
1843, Tenedos hulk arrived
1843 – worst yellow fever outbreak 1047 ill, 114 died
1844, Thames hulk arrived
1848, Medway hulk arrived
1851, convicts moved into new quarters on Boaz Island (600)
1861, all convicts accommodated on Boaz Island
1863, all remaining 136 convicts shipped to UK in April
In “The Story of Bermuda and her People” by W.S. Zuill, it says “of the convicts who came to Bermuda, all who survived returned, except one, a Mr Facy, who went into the livery stable business.
I understand, from my wife, that prisoners who died of yellow fever were buried in a particular section of The Royal Naval Dockyard. She thinks their names are noted
Suds
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Picture
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Thanks for the information. Henry did contract Yellow Fever in 1843 but was only affected mildly and recovered. I would love to find out more about how he was transported and indeed what became of him after his sentence had ended (although I know that this may be impossible!).
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Hi there Mel,
Welcome to RootsChat.
Some time ago now, I posted the following live links on a thread on one of the other boards. I hope you find some interesting things in the background info they link to.
We need to remember that Britain also sent convicts to Bermuda. :)
http://convictvoyages.org/expert-essays/convicts-in-Bermuda
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=531876.0
http://sydneylivingmuseums.com.au/stories/convict-hulks
JM (in NSW, Australia)
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The 1839 convict registers of the Leviathan hulk at Portsmouth list a Henry Cookman, aged 21, convicted at Salisbury of stealing cheese. Is that him ? Transported to Bermuda, Aug 22 1839.
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The ship that transported convicts from the Portsmouth hulks to Bermuda in late August 1839 was the Boadicea.
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The voyage of the Boadicea from Portsmouth to Bermuda took 9 weeks.
See report of arrival in the Bermuda Royal Gazette (http://cdm15212.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/compoundobject/collection/BermudaNP02/id/19572/rec/10) (column 1)
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Hi there, thanks for taking the time to post this info on here - it's very useful. Yes, he faced this severe punishment for stealing three cheeses! That's great info regarding the Boadicea - thanks!
I have been going through the Quarterly Returns of Prisoners on FindMyPast and have compiled the dates for Henry Cookman.
He was convicted at the Wiltshire Lent Assizes on 6th Mar 1839 and was admitted onto the Leviathan Prison Hulk at Portsmouth on 28 Mar 1839.
He was then transported to Bermuda on 22 August 1839.
He was in hospital whilst there between 31 Oct - 11 Nov 1843 with Yellow Fever.
His sentence expired on 6 Mar 1846 and he was transported back to England on 15 Apr 1846.
Now to find out what next in his life!
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I wonder if he might be this chap in 1851:
HO107; Piece: 1685; Folio: 164; Page: 8;
Married in 1849 as Coo(c)kburn.
No sight of him in 1841.
Interesting occupation.
There's a birth in 1818 Salisbury Wilts. to a John & Martha Cookman which happens to be the names of 2 of Henry's children.
All circumstantial of course.
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Ooh could be! His occupation appears on the UK Prison Hulk Register in 1839 as carpenter so that would fit. He was married before his transportation on 10 December 1838 to Elizabeth Young though I can't find any records for her after a possible entry on 1841 census. Thanks very much I will follow the lead.
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2 YO Henry from the 1851 census is living next door to a John Cookman a carpenter. I believe him to be his Grandfather.
HO107; Piece: 1190; Book: 4; Folio: 9; Page: 9
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This is so brilliant! Thought the Matthews' names rang a bell when I saw them. Elizabeth Cookman (nee Young, Henry's first wife) is listed on the same census return living with George and Mary Bell. Henry's father is called John Cookman but this is not the same man. Henry's father was a Agricultural labourer and appears on this 1841 census - Piece 1169 Book 5 Folio 9 Page number 11. I'm just trying to hunt down who this John may be - there may be a link which I'm onto now. I'll post again when I have further info. Thanks for all your help!
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The John Cookman aged 80 on the 1841 census had a son John in 1783 which is probably John the ag. lab.
The problem I'm having is that Henry b.1818 had parents John & Martha whereas John the ag. lab. was married to an Ann.
The answer must be somewhere.
I noticed Elizabeth living next door to Henry which makes sense if she was in service & needed him minded.
John b. C. 1760 married Martha Young in 1780.
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Jim1 you have been so helpful. Thanks for all your input.
I have records for Henry b1817 to John and Sophia baptised 9th Jan 1817.
John Cookman b1780 to William and Jane was married to Sophia Galpen on 14 September 1806 in Downton Wiltshire.
He then married Ann England on 14 October 1832 in Fisherton Anger Wiltshire. Hence the Ann on the census.
Currently I am working on the theory that John b 1760 is the uncle of John b1780.
There are 4 baptism records for the children of John and Patty - George, Harriet, Isaac and Sarah. There is a John Cookman baptised 13 Dec 1861 to John and Mary at Britford.
He had a brother called William who was baptised 29 May 1765.
Their father John was a blacksmith.
I would love it if you could let me know your thoughts and any other info you can add.
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John & Sophia makes a lot more sense than John & Martha.
The 80 YO John in 1841 is married to Patty (nee Gray m. 1793).
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deleted, wrong thread ::) JM
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thanks for this my ancestor travelled on the Tenedos to bermuda and then was sent to Australia despite being promised they would return to Britain. He spent time in hospital suffering from yellow fever. There are some interesting articles in Trove about the arrival of the Bangalore carrying the bermuda men.
Home Newspapers & Gazettes Browse Hobarton Guardian, or, True Friend of Tasmania (Hobart, Tas. : 1847 - 1854) View title info Sat 5 Aug 1848
Page 3
TO THE EDITOR OF THE QUARDIN.
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FindMyPast Sorry no current sub...... (I searched: 1839/ Cookman/ Cheese)
Doc True
THE WILTS AND GLOUCESTERSHIRE STANDARD
transportation; and for stealing a miantity of carpenter's tools, a further period of 7 years transportation. Henry Cookman, for stealing 3 cheeses at Milford? years transportation. Joseph Franci,, fur stealing a quantity of cast iron, the property of William
16 March 1839 - Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard - Cirencester, Gloucestershire, England