Obscure, Eccentric and Missing Lists from the Colony of New South Wales 1783~1823

Deaths, Discharges and Desertions recorded in the Paylists of NSW Corps prior to departure of the Third Fleet late March 1791

NSW Corps regained from desertion prior to departure of the Third Fleet March 1791

Transfers from other Regiments to The NSW Corps or previous service in England prior to departure of Third Fleet 1791

The Third Fleet

Returns indicate that initially two Captains, two Lieutenants, two Ensigns, six Serjeants, six Corporals, four Drummers and 134 Privates (150 Total Rank & File) accompanied by 20 Wives and six servants, along with 30 tons of regimental baggage were intended for loading aboard the Third Fleet (not including Gorgon). It’s calculated that the number of Rank & File aboard the Fleet had increased to 175 by the time of sailing. There were three known deaths and a desertion enroute. Following are the arrivals as best can be determined

Active Transport departed 27 Mar 1791 from Portsmouth and arrived at Port Jackson 13 Oct 1791.
1 Serjeant, 13 Ptes and one wife reported 17 Jan 1791. In addition, a Drummer was recorded in the return of 29 Oct 1791

Admiral Barrington departed 27 Mar 1791 from Portsmouth and was the last ship of the Fleet to arrive in Sydney – 16 Oct 1791. A Captain, a Serjeant, a Drummer, 25 Ptes, an officers Wife, four Wives, three children. One child died and one born enroute – reported 17 Jan and 29 Oct 1791

Albemarle Transport departed 27 Mar 1791 from Portsmouth and arrived 13 Oct 1791 off the coast of NSW. 23 Rank & File and one wife – Reported 24 Oct 1791, Note: Thomas Rowley, NSW Corps adjutant was initially embarked aboard Albemarle, but disembarked, and boarded Pitt to the Colony.

Atlantic Transport departed 24 Mar 1791 from Plymouth, arrived Port Jackson 20 Aug 1791. One Serj, 18 Ptes (17 per Hunter), undetailed wives and children – Recorded 17 Jan 1791. One soldier lost overboard in a gale of wind.

Britannia Whaler departed 27 Mar 1791 from Portsmouth and arrived 14 Oct 1791 at Port Jackson. One Serjeant, 12 Ptes, one wife and two children (one extra born enroute). One soldier deserted at St Jago and one soldier died enroute – Reported 24 Oct 1791

HMS Gorgon departed 18 Mar 1791 from Portsmouth. On 12 March 1791 orders were received by Captain Parker of Gorgon to disembark Major Grose and all the soldiers, with their women and children, excepting Rev. Bain and his servant, the quartermaster and his wife, family and servant. Arrived at Port Jackson 21 Sep 1791 was a Chaplain, a Quartermaster, a Drummer, two Ptes and one Wife with three children

Mary Ann Transport departed 16 Feb 1791 from Gravesend, arriving at Sydney Cove on 9 July 1791 with No NSW Corps aboard. David Collins reported 141 female convicts, a Free woman and six children arrived aboard.

• Sarah Nelson, free, wife of convict, d.Dec 1817 Liverpool NSW
• Charlotte Chatterton (Adams/Emery), b.1789 Lancashire, child of convict, d.1878 Morven TAS
• Jane Gittens (Dorrington), born at Sea, child of convict, d.1873 Portland Head NSW
• William Letherby, child of convict, d.Dec 1791 Sydney
• Harriet Nelson, child of convict, d.Dec 1793 Sydney
• Matthew Richards, child of convict, d.Mar 1792 Sydney
• Mary Ann Stubbings, child of convict, d.Jun 1792 Sydney

Matilda Transport departed 27 Mar 1791 from Portsmouth, arrived at Sydney Cove 1st Aug 1791. 1 Ensign, 1 Drummer, 20 Rank & File, two Wives, two children. 1 soldier and one child died enroute, reported 24 Oct 1791

Queen Transport departed 10 April 1790 from Cork, arrived in Sydney Cove on 26 Sep 1791. 1 Ensign, 1 Drummer, 25 Rank & File, three Wives, two children – reported 21 Feb 1791

Salamander Transport departed 24 Mar 1791 from Plymouth, arrived in Sydney Cove on 21 Aug 1791. 1 Serj (likely John Lea, deserted prior to sailing) and 13 Ptes recorded 17 Jan 1790

William and Ann Transport departed 24 Mar 1791 from Plymouth, arrived at Sydney Cove 28 Aug 1791
1 Serj, 13 Ptes, at least three wives & two children, one child born aboard ship in Sydney Cove

List of NSW Corps who embarked an undetermined vessel of the Third Fleet

Based on the Third Fleet NSW Corps arrival figures 171 Rank & File arrived aboard 10 ships which aligns very closely with the above lists

Relief of the Marines on Norfolk Island

First detachment of 2nd Fleet NSW Corps under Captain Hill was despatched to Norfolk Island per HMAT Supply to relieve the NSW Marines, arrived 15 April 1791. “…Captain Hill of the NSW Corps who is come here with Lieut Abbott and Ensign Prentice, one Serjit, one Copl, one Drumer, 18 Private to Relieve G Johnstone, Cresswell and the Same number of men. Capt Hill being here so that Majr Ross, little John, Faddy and poor I are to Remain in this place a little longer….” Ralph Clarke journal, 15 Apr 1791

All of these men aside from Edward Abbott, John Prentice and Thomas Lloyd rotated back to Port Jackson aboard Queen in Nov 1791, however some did return to the island for further duty in subsequent years

Second detachment of NSW Corps was sent to Norfolk Island per Mary Ann in August 1791. Governor Phillip had intended to send Matilda to Norfolk Island with the stores and convicts she had brought out as soon as the sick were landed, but she was determined too leaky, and her cargo was put aboard the Mary Ann with 133 male, & one female convict, and the vessel sailed on the 8th of August. An NCO and 11 Ptes with three Wives and nine children of the NSW Corps were sent for the security of the ship, and were to remain on the island and join the detachment. There was no listing made of these men and most of them returned to Port Jackson aboard Queen in Nov 1791, however one or two are recorded in the 1792-96 Victualling book with the incorrect arrival vessel.

Third detachment of NSW Corps was sent to Norfolk Island aboard the newly arrived 3rd Fleet ship Salamander. She arrived Friday 16th September 1791 with convict stores, provisions and 12 men of the NSW Corps. It’s possible that this was the same group of men who had just arrrived aboard ship from England. There was no listing made of these men and most of them rotated back to Port Jackson aboard Queen in Nov 1791, however one or two are recorded in the 1792-96 Victualling book with the incorrect arrival vessel. Thomas Clyde, who was tried for theft from stores on the Island in Aug 1792 likely arrived on the island aboard Salamander in Sep 1791 as he had also arrived aboard her in NSW. William Ellis who died on Norfolk Island 27 Dec 1792 would also likely have been on this list.

Fourth detachment of 3rd Fleet NSW Corps sent to Nolfolk Island to complete the relief of the Marines in Nov 1791. According to Settlement Returns travelling aboard Atlantic was one officer, two NCO’s, two Drummers, 11 Ptes, six Wives and 10 children. Aboard Queen was an Officer, four NCO’s, 41 Ptes, four Wives and two children. Atlantic proceeded to Calcutta 12 Nov and Queen returned to Sydney 22 Nov with Capt Hill and 31 men of his original detachments rotating back to the mainland.

Following is the listing from the 1792-96 Victualling book, which includes three men from the previous detachments, with incorrect arrival vessel copied across from the pre 1792 (non surviving) Victualling Book (here marked 2F). Pte William Webster (1) should have been in this list, having arrived in one of the previous two detachments but was missed in copying across from the pre 1792 VB.

Women of the NSW Corps recorded as arrived on Norfolk Island Nov 1791. Records of children have not survived

By the Settlement Return of 16 Dec 1791 there were recorded four NSW Corps Officers, six NCO’s, two Drummers and 64 Ptes, with 8 Wives and nine children on Norfolk Island. This indicates that the names recorded in the 1792-96 Victualling book (above) include three additional 2nd Fleeters who arrived in the first three detachments, with incorrect arrival vessel noted. This also confirms that Capt Hill and 31 Corps, along with Wives and children rotated back to Port Jackson aboard Queen on 22 Nov 1791. Unfortunately the Victualling book did not record Corps or family who were no longer on the island when it commenced in late 1792, and the list of children of Military for the early years has not survived at all

All of the above persons detached to Norfolk Island were returned to Port Jackson by Kitty in March 1793, except for five who stayed on until 1794 and one until Nov 1795. Two exceptions are Martin Timms who was discharged to the Civil list in Apr 1793 to become a Superintendant on the island and John McIntosh who was Drummed out of the Corps by Court-martial on the island 27 Jan 1792 and allowed to depart the colony per Philadelphia Jan 1793

A Return of people whose times being expired, have left the Settlement or those whose times are not expired but who have absconded, many of whom are supposed to have been secreted on board the Transports, – Sydney, 15th December 1791

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* denotes arrival vessel obtained from a 2nd source yet to be confimed by a primary source