Convict Ships to Australia – Medical Journals 1816 to 1867

Convict Ships to Australia

Medical Journals – Miscellaneous

A group of medical journals relating to convict transportation formerly held in the Royal Naval Hospital, Haslar, England, were transferred to The National Archives some years ago . They have been incorporated into Admiralty Class 101.

The following are the convict ships for which a medical journal is available for research, as they have been copied as part of the Australian Joint Copying Project, Miscellaneous series. If you wish to access a copy of the journal please read my introduction by clicking on the link below.

Australian Joint Copying Project

Following the copying on microfilm records held at The National Archives, of various administrative agencies of government, relating to the Pacific, including Australia, the project team decided to copy records in the United Kingdom held by other organisations and individuals that related to the history of the Pacific.

This series of microfilms have been called Miscellaneous and include some additional records held by the National Archives. AJCP Handbook Part 8 sets out summarised details of the microfilm reels included in this Miscellaneous series. For more information about AJCP click on link below.

AJCP Handbook Part 8 – Entry 24 – microfilm reel M 385

This relates to the records of surgeon John Campbell, held by the Campbell family in Northumberland, England when copied, probably in the 1950s.

John Campbell maintained a diary of his voyage on the William Jardine, noting daily routine, health of convicts, some incidents involving convicts on board, land sightings and the weather. Also included is a list on convicts compiled by convict John Byron.

William Jardine 14 November 1850 Hobart

AJCP Handbook Part 8 – Entry 75 – microfilm reel M 711

On this reel are 31 medical journals kept by surgeons, including 24 journals relating to convict ships to Van Diemen’s Land and Western Australia. The list below is in the sequence on the film.

The AJCP staff also copied some journals for ships that sailed to other destinations. These ships have been included so as to assist researchers to appreciate the sequence on the microfilm.

In relation to the 24 convict ships the following list gives the date of arrival as stated by Charles Bateson in his book The Convict Ships, a one word comment on the condition of the journal, whether there are lists included with the journal.

Also the particular reference number for the National Archives is given, although this reference does not apply to the naval records.

AJCP Reel M 711

HMS Salamander 1867 naval voyage

Adm 101, Piece 251
Lord Dalhousie 14 August 1852 Hobart good, list

Adm 101, Piece 254
Adelaide 18 July 1855 Western Australia fair, list,
Castle Eden 1856 convict voyage to Bermuda
Duchess of Northumberland 21 April 1853 Hobart good, list
Hyderabad 13 December 1850 Hobart fair, list
Horatio 1852 convicts at Sheerness
John William Dare 22 May 1852 Hobart fair, list
Lady Kennaway 28 May 1851 Hobart good, list
Lady Montague 9 December 1852 Hobart good, list

Adm 101, Piece 253
Phoebe Dunbar 30 August 1853 Western Australia good, lists
Ramilles 7 August 1854 Western Australia fair, list
Robert Small 19 August 1853 Western Australia fair, list
Scindian 1855 convicts to Gibraltar
Sea Park 5 April 1854 Western Australia good, list
Sibella 1853 convicts to Gibraltar

Adm 101, Piece 252
Martin Luther 1 September 1852 Hobart good, list
Mermaid 1836 convicts to Gibraltar
Mermaid 13 May 1851 Western Australia good, list
Midlothian 24 February 1853 Hobart fair, list
Minden 14 October 1851 Western Australia good, list
Nile 3 October 1850 Hobart good, list
Oriental Queen 19 February 1853 Hobart good, list

Adm 101, Piece 255
Merchantman 14 February 1863 Western Australia good, list
Merchantman 12 September 1864 Western Australia good, list
London 19 March 1851 Hobart good, list
Lord Auckland 20 January 1849 Hobart fair, list
Lord Auckland 29 January 1853 Hobart fair, list
Maria Somes 9 August 1850 Hobart good, list
Marion 30 January 1852 Western Australia fair list

HMS Megara 1871 naval voyage, Australian Station
HMS Topaz 1853 naval voyage in the Pacific