Chesterfield Mar 1793 Passenger List from Norfolk Island to Sydney
The Whaler, Chesterfield departed England on 21 Jul 1792, with Captain Matthew Bowles Alt at the helm for the purpose of sealing, arriving at the settlement at Sydney Cove on 18 Nov 1792. This was not Alt’s first voyage to NSW, he had previously been a midshipman of HMS Sirius, who was shipwrecked on Norfolk Island from the late HMS Sirius Mar 1790, returning to Port Jackson per HMAT Supply Mar 1790 and joined the Neptune at his request on 1 Aug 1790 for a return voyage to England. After some repairs to the ship, the Chesterfield was chartered on 6 Mar 1793 at a cost of £120 to deliver a freight of provisions including hospital necessaries and wheat to Norfolk Island. In addition to return to Port Jackson with passengers as directed by Norfolk Island’s Commandant Philip Gidley King, with numbers limited as to not endanger the safety of the ship. On 10 Mar 1793 Chesterfield made its first voyage to Norfolk Island arriving from Port Jackson with provisions on 24 Mar 1793, which were landed at Cascade Bay, where the ship stayed on anchor in great safety.[1]
King received instructions from Judge Advocate David Collins, that Lieutenant Governor Grose wishes that convict Kerr, who was formerly Master of a Regiment Band of Music was to be brought back to Port Jackson via Chesterfield so he could be emancipated and enlist into the NSW Corps for employment in the Regiment Band, with no persons wishing to leave Norfolk Island were to delay to the ship return voyage. Due to bad weather the ship eventually departed for Port Jackson on 30 Mar 1793. King noted that he sent to Port Jackson four incorrigible offenders who could not be received on board the Kitty, also a very idle marine settler, fourteen convicts whose sentence of transportation is expired, ten women and four children King fails to mention the departure of Deputy Commissary Thomas Freeman.[2]
The 1792 -1796 Norfolk Island Victualling Book with its many known errors and omissions does dispute with the number of passengers per Chesterfield Mar 1793:
- NIVB only records two children departing Norfolk Island who were on the stores at the time, with William Frost/Peck born 1792 nor Mary Ann Roberts both who was on the Chesterfield are not listed in the 1792 – 1796 NIVB.
- Mary Frost, wife of Joshua Peck, is noted as D (departed) with no shipping details.
- Hannah Jackson’s departure is recorded as per Chesterfield on 9 Mar 1793 (sic) which this date aligns with the Kitty; however, she was on stores for 89 days in 1793 which matches the departure of the Chesterfield on 30 Mar 1793.
- Sarah Jones, convict, Lady Juliana 1790 is recorded with a departure per Chesterfield, but research show she clearly remained on Norfolk Island.
- Cornelius Henning recorded as departing 30 Mar 1793 to Port Jackson, with no ship name recorded.
Chesterfield 1793 Passengers List Norfolk Island to Port Jackson
Men: George Carr: Convict to enlist into NSW Corps, arrived on Norfolk Island pre Queen 1791
William Childs: Expired Convict. HM Supply Norfolk Island December 1789 and January 1790 ebook
John Coffin: Expired Convict, Settler, arrived on Norfolk Island per Surprize Aug 1790
Thomas Dukes: Marine Settler. Culprits on Norfolk Island: Golden Grove October 1788 Ebook
John Fenlow: Expired Convict, Settler. HM Supply Norfolk Island December 1789 and January 1790 ebook
Thomas Freeman: Deputy Commissary, arrived on Norfolk Island per Surprize Aug 1790.
John Gatehouse: Convict, arrived on Norfolk Island per Atlantic Aug 1792
Jonas Hart: Convict, arrived on Norfolk Island per Atlantic Nov 1791
Cornelius Henning: Convict, incorrigible offender, arrived on Norfolk Island per Salamander Sep 1791
William Mariner: Expired Convict Culprits on Norfolk Island: Golden Grove October 1788 Ebook
Thomas Mitchell: Convict, incorrigible offender, arrived on Norfolk Island per Atlantic Aug 1792
William Morgan: Expired Convict, arrived Norfolk Island per HMS Sirius March 1790
Joshua Peck: Expired Convict, Settler. Culprits on Norfolk Island: Golden Grove October 1788 Ebook
Jeremiah Ponter/Ponten: Convict, arrived on Norfolk Island per Surprize Aug 1790
John Price: Expired Convict. Culprits on Norfolk Island: Golden Grove October 1788 Ebook
Simon Solomon: Convict, arrived on Norfolk Island per Salamander Sep 1791
John Spence/Spencer: Expired Convict, Settler. HM Supply Norfolk Island December 1789 and January 1790 ebook
Richard Widdicombe: Expired Convict, arrived on Norfolk Island per HMAT Supply 6 Mar 1788.
George Shadrack, Convict, arrived on Norfolk Island per Salamander Sep 1791
Women: Mary Beachcroft (Mitchcraft) arrived Norfolk Island per HMS Sirius March 1790
Martha Cutler (with John Fenlow), arrived on Norfolk Island per Surprize Aug 1790
Ann Dutton. Culprits on Norfolk Island: Golden Grove October 1788 Ebook
Mary Flanagan, arrived on Norfolk Island per Pitt Apr 1792
Mary Frost/Peck (with husband Joshua Peck and child). Culprits on Norfolk Island: Golden Grove October 1788 Ebook
Elizabeth Holligan (with child), arrived Norfolk Island per HMS Sirius March 1790
Hannah Jackson, arrived Norfolk Island per HMS Sirius March 1790
Elizabeth Lee, arrived on Norfolk Island per HMAT Supply 6 Mar 1788.
Esther Roberts, (with child). Esther arrived Norfolk Island per HMS Sirius March 1790
Ann Bone Smith, arrived on Norfolk Island per Surprize Aug 1790.
Children: William Frost/Peck (with parents) born Norfolk Island but not listed in the 1792 -1796 Norfolk Island Victualling Book. Culprits on Norfolk Island: Golden Grove October 1788 Ebook
Ann Holligan (with Mother), arrived Norfolk Island per HMS Sirius March 1790
Edward Parkinson, Orphan convict child, Lady Penrhyn 1788. HM Supply to Norfolk Island March 1789 ebook
Mary Ann Roberts (with Mother) born Norfolk Island not listed in the 1792 -1796 Norfolk Island Victualling Book
Chesterfield March 1793 Passenger list © Cathy Dunn: Australian History Research
People, Soldiers and Victualling Book of the Kitty Transport era Norfolk Island 1793
[1] David Collins, An Account of the English Colony in New South Wales; Journal of Philip Gidley King 1791 – 1796: 62; Philip Gidley King letter book Norfolk Island, ML C187: 141 – 144; CO201/8: 14 – 15.
[2] King letter book Norfolk Island, ML C187: 141 – 142; Journal of Philip Gidley King 1791 – 1796: 62.