"Seppings", Bark, 344 tons, S. Aust. Co. (Diary of a journey HT Rawlings from London via C Horn + Journal by Dr Geo E Stranger, Gloucester RO +D543)
The "Seppings" left Calcutta in 1839 for Sydney, where she arrived in 1840, on the 21st of April, having been via southern Australia (Port Phillip - modern Melbourne) and possibly Van Diemen's Land.. On board was my 3x Great-grandfather, Domingo Garcia [Gressier], a Portuguese speaking native of Bombay, transported for stealing jewellery. His story is covered in The Story of Domingo Gressier should you wish to learn more about him.
The "Seppings" carried a cargo of sugar from Calcutta to Port Phillip (Melbourne) and Port Jackson (Sydney) together with passengers, convicts and soldiers. The information available on this voyage comes from a number of different sources. The first source is the Tide Report of Thomas Jeffrey, Tide Surveyor - NSW State Records ref COD39 no 151. Use the "Find" feature of your browser to search all the documents for the name you are interested in.
| HEADING | DETAIL | REMARKS |
| Vessel's Name | Seppings | |
| Master's Name | Rawlings | |
| From whence | Calcutta | via Port Phillip |
| When sailed | 1 Dec | 10th Inst. |
| Lading | Sugar | Ditto |
Eight prisoners of the Crown from Port Phillip
Fifteen ditto from Calcutta in charge of four soldiers
Thomas Jeffrey
Tide Surveyor
There were 18 convicts shipped from Calcutta, and four soldiers on board guarding the convicts. Of the 18 convicts, two died of tuberculosis (consumption) on the journey, and Manoel Garcia, my ancestors brother, was said by the ship's surgeon to have gone overboard and drowned while suffereing from temporary insanity. The register of convicts for the vessel is listed below - it only covers the convicts destined for NSW, and misses out benjamin Castle. For the full list, see the letter of receipt below the register. If you need the original records or are after individual passenger's records, they are kept by NSW State Records, microfilm reels 2135 and 2459. Fax them on 61-2-9833 4518 for copies and quotes.
The table below extends well beyond the right boundary of your screen - scroll right to read all the comments. Note how meticulous the descriptions of the convicts are - these descriptions were the equivalent of today's mugshots, and essential for identifying escaped convicts.
| Surname | Name | Age | R&W? | Religion | Married? | Children | Native Place | Trade or Occupation | Offence / For what tried | Trial | Sentence | Former Conviction and Sentence | Description | |||||
| M | F | Where Tried ? | When Tried ? | Height | Hair | Eyes | Particular marks and distinguishing features | |||||||||||
| Antonio | Jose | Bombay Supreme Court | 08-Jul-1839 | 7 Years | Jumped overboard on the passage and was drowned | |||||||||||||
| Cribbs | Lewis | 25 | Both | Catholic | Single | Madras | Indoor servant & coachman | Obtaining money under false pretences | Bombay Supreme Court | 11-Jul-1839 | 7 Years | 22Months for desertion from the Company's ship | 5' 7½" | Black | Brown | Cast outward in left eye, pearl on same, scar over left eyebrow, breast hairy, scar on heel of right hand | ||
| Feehan | Michael | 25 | Neither | Catholic | Single | Ennis, Co Clare | Labourer & Soldier, 41st Regt. | Quitting post and making away with his arms | Poonah Court Martial | 10-Jul-1839 | 14 Years | 150 lashes, 100 lashes | 5'8" | Brown | Bluish | Small scar outside right eye, a few pockmarks on left cheek, small scar back of right hand, another on right jaw, scar on right shin | ||
| Flynn | John | 25 | R | Catholic | Single | Co Kerry | Butcher & Soldier, 6th Regt. | Striking sergeant | Poonah Court Martial | 01-Jul-1839 | 7 Years | None | 5' 7¼" | Sandy Brown | Hazel | Scar on right eyebrow, large and small scar on left side of head, scar under left eye, scar over left elbow, JF inside lower left arm, large scar under right wrist, scar below the left elbow, nail of forefinger of left hand split, scar on each knee, and top of head. | ||
| Garcia | Manoel | Bombay Supreme Court | 08-Jul-1839 | 14 Years | Died on the passage | |||||||||||||
| Garcia | Domingos | 27 | Neither | Catholic | Single | Bombay | Shoemaker | Stealing jewellery | Bombay Supreme Court | 08-Jul-1839 | 7 Years | None | 5' 7¼" | Black | Chestnut | Eyebrows partially meeting, two scars on left side of head, another over right ear, scar on left side of chin, scar top of forefinger of right hand, large scar on inside of lower left arm, scar on back of little finger of left hand, two scars on right knee, another on cap of left knee | ||
| Harston | Thomas | 34 | R | Protestant | Single | Lancaster | Labourer & Soldier, 41st Regt. | Throwing a stone at the adjutant | Poonah Court Martial | 20-Apr-1839 | Life | 50 lashes | 5' 9¼" | Brown | Brown | Lost canine teeth on right side of upper and left side of lower jaws, small scar outer corner of left eyebrow, small scar inside lower right arm, two scars between fore and middle fingers of right hand, scar back of forefinger of left hand | ||
| McDougal | Robert | 33 | R & W | Protestant | Single | Belfast | Labourer & Soldier, 41st Regt. | Striking sergeant | Poonah Court Martial | 24-Apr-1839 | 14 Years | 300 lashes, 150 lashes | 5' 9½" | Sandy Brown | Hazel | Lost a front tooth right side of upper jaw, small scar centre of upper lip, large scar outside right eye, scar on right side of chin, RMDD inside lower right arm, Nail of forefinger of right hand disfigured, right thumb crooked from a fracture, left thumb dislocated, scar on ball of left thumb, another inside lower left arm, scar on cap of left knee. | ||
| McGrath | Daniel | 31 | Neither | Catholic | Single | Clonmell | Labourer & Soldier, 6th Regt. | Sleeping on post | Poonah Court Martial | 16-Aug-1839 | 7 Years | 800 lashes, 100 lashes | 5' 4¼" | Dark Brown | Dark Hazel | Eyebrows partially meeting, WMAM on upper right arm, finger nails very short and disfigured, D, Mc, AMWMC and anchor inside lower left arm, nose short and thick, mark of a boil inside left knee | ||
| Roberts | William | 27 | Neither | Protestant | Single | Cork | Labourer & Soldier, 6th Regt. | Striking sergeant | Poonah Court Martial | 21-May-1839 | 14 Years | 6 Months cells, 800 lashes, 6 months treadmill, 100 lashes | 5' 11¾" | Dark Brown | Chestnut | Scar on tip of chin, scar over right eyebrow, another on left eyebrow, raised mole on left cheek, scar on top of head, scar back of right wrist, scar on knuckle of third finger on right hand, another back of middle finger of left hand, several marks from leeches inside left knee, scar under left heel. | ||
| White | Edward | 35 | Neither | Catholic | Widower | 1 | Co Galway | Labourer & Soldier, 6th Regt. | Striking sergeant | Poonah Court Martial | 24-Aug-1839 | 7 Years | 300 lashes, 100 lashes | 5' 7½" | Brown | Blue | Lost canine tooth left side of lower jaw, diagonal scar under left cheek bone, scar on right side of under lip, six blue spots from powder on left temple, small scar on left side of forehead, breast hairy, sickly looking. | |
Sydney 22nd April 1840
Received from the ship "Seppings" Rawlins Master, the undermentioned Prisoners from Calcutta
Roger Coussell Hugh Nethercut Edward Goodens under transportation Robert Etherington to Van Diemens Land Stephen Jones
Thos. Harston Robert Mcdougal William Roberts Benjamin Castle John Flynn Under transportation Michael Feehan to New South Wales Lewis Cribbs Domingo Garcia Edward White Daniel McGrath Reported 3 Prisoners as having died on the passage from Calcutta, viz.
John Kennedy - died
Manoel Garcia - died
Jose Antonio - drownedIllegible Signature
Alex Rogers notes - The 5 prisoners shipped to VDL are very unclear on this receipt - the handwriting is almost illegible and these surnames are my best guess at deciphering them. If anyone would like a photocopy of this document to decide for themselves I will happily provide it.
This is to certify that the undermentioned prisoners embarked from Calcutta in the ship "Seppings" under Captain Rawlins, died on the voyage.
Viz.
Manoel Garcia died on the 19th February at sea - consumption.
John Kennedy died at sea on the 5th of March - consumption.
Jose Antonio drowned on the 13th of March. A Coroners Inquest was
[done] on the body & a verdict of Temporary Insanity given.
--Signed
Robt. M Rathilly
Surgeon
Bark Seppings
April 30th 1840
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