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The voyage to Australia
Henry Gentle and William Saunderson were transferred from Bedford gaol to the transportation hulks at Woolwich on 14th April 1831. Some time later they were put on board the ship Isabella which lay at Plymouth. She was 579 tons, had been built in London in 1818 and had on board 224 prisoners, all male and 38 troops. She set sail for Australia on 27th Nov .1831.
It was an eventful journey. Ten weeks out from England, a sailor refused to obey an order and was clapped into irons by the master W1lliam Wiseman and his mates. More than 20 men then refused to obey orders. Eventually eight of the seamen resumed duty but fourteen were still in chains when the ship arrived at Port Jackson (Sydney Cove). They were tried for mutiny and imprisoned. Fortunately there was no trouble with the convicts. The ship was brought to port by the officers, the carpenter, boatswain, joiner, eight seamen and the apprentices, assisted by members of the military guard and occasionally by the convicts.
The ship arrived at Sydney on the 15th March 1832, Having sailed via the Cape, taking 109 days. There were no deaths on the voyage. (1)
I. Charles Bateson, "The Convict Ships, 1787-1868", 1959, p.198.
Page last updated: 4th February 2014