Details about the ship of the First Fleet
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The Alexander.
Weighing in at 452 tons, 114 ft long and 31 ft at the beam, the Alexander was skippered by Master Duncan Sinclair. She carried 195 male convicts and was the largest ship in the fleet. Being built in Hull, England in 1783, little is known of her after her return journey and then disappeared from records in 1808.
The Borrowdale
Very little is known about this ship and it disappeared from records after the return voyage to England. Skippered by Master Readthorn Hobson, this ship weighed 375 tons, was 75 ft long and had a beam of 22ft. She was built at Sunderland in England in 1785, only two years before the trip to Australia.
The Charlotte
Being 335 tons, 105 ft long and 28 ft at the beam, The Charlotte held 88 male and 20 female convicts. Built in 1784 and Skippered by Master Thomas Gilbert, her return to England saw her doing the London - Jamacia run until she was sold to a Quebec merchant in 1818 and was then lost off the coast of Newfoundland that very same year.
The Fishburn
The Fishburn, like the other storeships, disappeared from all records after returning to england from her epic voyage. She was skippered by Master Robert Brown and weighed 378 tons. Built at Whitby in 1780.
The Friendship
This convict ship, being 274 tons and 75 feet long was one of the light weight ships in the fllet and was skippered by Master Francis Walton. Built in Scarborough in 1784, she carried 76 male and 21 female convicts. During her return voyage to England her crew came down with scurvy and with insufficient crew to man her, she was scuttled in the straights of Macassar. The survivors were transferred to the Alexander.
The Golden Grove
This ship of 375 tons had the distinction of carrying the Reverend Richard Johnson - the first chaplain to the colony - and his wife. After returning to England to work the London Jamacia run, she disappeared from records after 1804. She was built in 1780 at Whitby and was skippered by Master Sharp for the first fleet voyage.
The Lady Penrhyn
This convict transport of 333 tons was skippered by Master William Sever. Built at the Thames in 1786, she carried 101 female convicts. After returning to England , she was put on the London - Jamaica run and was captured in 1811 in the West Indies.
The Prince Of Wales
This ship carried only one male convict and 49 female convicts. She was of 350 tons and skippered by Master John Mason. Built at the Thames in 1786. She operated in England until 1797 when her registration was transferred to FortRoyal, Martinique, after which, little is known.
The Scarborough
Being a large 430 tons, the Scarborough carried 208 male convicts. She was built at Scarborough in1782. The Scarborough sailed back to England and returned to Port Jackson in the Second fleet. Apart from the 'Sirius' and 'Supply', she was the only other ship from the first fleet to return. She was skippered by Master Kohn Marshall.
H.M.S. Sirius.
Built in 1780 as the 'Berwick' for the East India trade. She was badly burnt in a fire and was bought and rebuilt by the navy in1786 and renamed 'Sirius'. After her arrioval in Port Jackson, she remained as a supply ship and sailed to the cape of good hope in october 1788 to obtain food suppies for the starving colony. After returning she was wrecked off Norfolk Island on the 14th of April, 1790. Being 540 tons and skippered by Captain John Hunter.
H.M.S. Supply.
The Supply was the smallest of the fleet being only 170 tons and 70 feet long. Carrying 50 people and skippered by Captian Henry Bull, she led the fleet most of the may primarily because of her speed. Little is known of this brig's early history, but it seems she was built in America in 1759 and was commissioned by the Admiralty in October 1786. The Supply returned to Emgland where she was renamed the 'Thomas & Nancy'. The ship seems to have carried coal on the Thames until around 1806.
Convicts and Convict Ships Sent toPort Jackson NSW 1787-1800 / Click on "NSW Convict Women" above for
lists of Convict Women 1788-1828.
N.B. Some ships are linked to information on one or more of the convicts who arrived on that voyage.
The First Fleet (1787-1788)Go to List of Convicts on the First Fleet
Vessel Year Built Tons Arrived Port Sailed From Days Embarked Deaths Escaped New Cons Arrivals Master Surgeon
M F M F M F M F M F
Alexander (T) 1783 Hull 452? 21 01 1788 NSW 13 05 1787 Portsmouth 251 195 ...... Duncan Sinclair William Balmain
Charlotte (T) 1784 Thames 335? 22 01 1788 NSW 13 05 1787 Portsmouth 252 88 20 ...... Thomas Gilbert John White
Friendship (T) 1784 Scarborough 274? 21 01 1788 NSW 13 05 1787 Portsmouth 251 76 21 ...... Francis Walton Thomas Arndell
Lady Penrhyn (T) 1786 Thames 333? 22 01 1788 NSW 13 05 1787 Portsmouth 252 ... 101 ...... Wm Cropton Sever John Turnpenny Altree/Arthur Bowes
Prince of Wales (T) 1786 Thames 350? 22 01 1788 NSW 13 05 1787 Portsmouth 252 1 49 ...... John Mason ...
Scarborough (T) 1782 Scarborough 430? 21 01 1788 NSW 13 05 1787 Portsmouth 251 208 ...... John Marshall Denis Considen
Borrowdale (S-S) 1785 Sunderland 272? 22 01 1788 NSW 13 05 1787 Portsmouth 252 ......
Fishburn (S-S) 1780 Whitby 378? 22 01 1788 NSW 13 05 1787 Portsmouth 252 ......
Golden Grove (S-S) 1780 Whitby 375? 22 01 1788 NSW 13 05 1787 Portsmouth 252 ......
Sirius (W) ...... 612? 22 01 1788 NSW 13 05 1787 Portsmouth 252 ......
Supply (W) ...... 170? 20 01 1788 NSW 13 05 1787 Portsmouth 250 ......
(T)=transport; (S-S)=store-ship; (W)=warship
Lady Juliana ...... 401 03 06 1790 NSW 29 07 1789 Plymouth 309 ... 226 ... 5 ...... 221 Capt Aitken Richard Alley
Guardian * ...... 21 02 1790 CAPE 12 09 1789 Spithead ... 25 ... 5 ...... 20* ... Lt Edward Riou (RN) ...
* The Guardian struck an iceburg and limped back to Africa * 20 convicts survived and joined the Second Fleet