The northern and midland county officials customarily sent their prisoners to Kilmainham Gaol in Dublin with many proceeding directly to the Essex hulk until passages were secured on convict transports when they were transhipped to Cove, in Cork harbour. Those from the southern regions went directly to Cork, usually to the Surprize hulk until assigned to their ships.

THE ESSEX

Essex became a convict hulk at Kingstown in January 1823. She was sold for breaking up in July 1837.

Essex. 1830. Kingston/Dublin.. was set on fire 1830
“On Monday last, some of the convicts on board the Essex hulk, stationed at Kingston, near Dublin, set fire to that vessel in three places, close to the water. The flames were fortunately suppressed, and all on board,being upwards of three hundred prisoners, were transmitted to the Hercules convict ship which had only arrived in the harbour the preceeding Saturday to take to their destination.” [LA151130]

Thos Bell - Surgeon on Edward 2

In his jounrnal for the voyage to Australia for the Edward 2 in 1821, Surgeon Thos. Bell wrote the following of the fire:

“some of the most evil disposed attempted to burn the Essex Hulk in consequence of which those who remained (after the full number of prisoners were sent on board the Hercules) for New S. Wales. What remained were sent to the Surprise Hulk from which 121 came on board the Edward and although the burning did not succeed in Dublin they again ventured three times to commit the same horried act in Cove.” and “… I also conceive that the circumstance of the attempt at burning the Hulk in Ireland produced so great a dread of detection or punishment on the minds of the greater number of those on board as made them very discontented and unhappy.”

Cork. 1836. To be done away with
“The hulk at Cork, for the reception of transported convicts, was to be done away with, and the stores constructed for the navy to be used instead. ”
[src:SMH220836]

aka John Dellas (1827-1916)

A FRENCH CHILDHOOD

Jean Aristides Dellas(Dallas) was born in Bordeaux, France in 1827 to Jane Deval and John Dellas. John was a captain in the French army. Jean was the last male representative of the French Dallas’s of Scottish origin, who were people of importance in the court of Catherine de Madici. His father was a descendant of the “noble and romantic” de Bragelonnes, a name immortalised by Dumas in “The Compte de Bragelonnes”.

[more…]

Many years ago, about twenty residents of Quirindi and Castlemountain decided to have a picnic party on the mountain called “Castle”, about four miles from Quirindi.This was to be on a Sunday and there was to be kangaroo and wallaby shooting. Ammunition was plentiful. It was before the Germans started the 1914 war.

Some of the party were Dan O’SHEA and his son of the Terminus Hotel, who supplied the lemonade; Bob KELSO; Jack KELSO, Geo WORBOYS; Bert MILLER, a school teacher named MULHERON from Jacob and Joseph Creek; Bill POLLOCK; the goods clerk from the railway station (I forget his name) - no, not Charlie, it was long before his time; the head grocer from Tebbutt’s store, and a number of others.

Hearing that Sergeant WOODS had got wind of the party and intended to raid it, two of the party recanted. They decided to interview the sergeant and offered to do the raiding, if they could get the loan of a uniform. But Sergeant WOODS decided that it was too risky for him. However he advised them to see Don ALBERT of the railway station and borrow two of his coats with the brass buttons, and caps which were similar to the mounted police caps.
This done the two new police officers made for Castlemountain post office, where they were put through police drill by the postmaster, John FOOT. The main thing, John said, was to walk perfectly erect, with long steps and keep in step.

The newly trained officers arrived on the scene, and what a scatter!

Dan O’SHEA, as soon as he spotted the “police”, handed his gun to his son, telling him to never mind about the fine, but he did not want to lose his hotel license. Dan then dropped behind a big log and when the “police” passed he made off in the opposite direction, but was too big a target and too slow on the run to get away.

George, who had shot a wild duck, thinking of the double penalty of duck shooting out of season and carrying firearms on Sunday,, pushed the duck and the gun up a hollow log and made for the mountain, and was not caught.

MULHERON crawled up a hollow log until after dark. Jack KELSO made a bee-line for Castlemountain church, taking all the fences in his stride and hoped to prove an alibi by going to church, although the service was nearly over when he got there.

Bob KELSO came up to the police with a bunch of flowers , and said “Constable, I was only picking flowers.” He had no gun.

When all that were caught were rounded up none recognised the two “police”; in fact, they were all too scared to look the “police” straight in the face. The goods clerk wanted his real name kept out because the Chief Commissioner FRAZER would sack him. The head grocer also said he’d get the sack, because … (and here the newspaper clipping is torn off…)

[Note 1: The date of this newspaper article is unknown. It is possibly from the Quirindi Advocate and might be part of a series by Alfred Austin. If you can help us identify its origin and/or complete the article, please contact us or leave a comment.. We’d love to hear from you.]

[Note 2: Jack (b. 1880) and Bob (b. 1876) Kelso were brothers and both were born in the Castlemountain area near Quirindi where their father, Hugh owned land. In 1911, Bob owned Gaspard, at Joseph and Jacob Creek and Jack (Hugh John) ran Castlemount. Bill Pollock was related to them.]

1832:
Alexander was born in Dundee, Forfarshire SCOTLAND to Alexander Low (a blacksmith) and Elizabeth Clark. The date was possibly 19th August.

1855:
He commenced his working life at sea.

1859:
On 18th February, he married Sarah Borah COOPER in Dundee.

1864:
Their son, David Brown LOW was born on March 26. The family lived in Carnoustie at the time.

1866:
He spent 5 months at sea on the Hydaspes (Feb 14 - July 22). The voyage was to and from London and Alexander acted as the Second Engineer on board.

1867:
On May 3, he gained his Second Class Engineer’s Certificate (no.8035).
In this year he was living with his family at 69 Hawk Hill, Dundee, SCOTLAND.

1870:
He became a Master Mason in the Grand Lodge of Scotland.

1872:
His voyages at sea continued. He spent 7 months whaling in the Davis Straits on the SS Polynia. The ship sailed from Dundee on May 4. The Polynia returned to Dundee on November 11.

1873:
He sailed on 3 voyages on the Despatch.

1. 1 month in the Baltic area. The ship sailed from Dundee on Sept. 8 and returned Oct.7.
2. 1.5 months in the Baltic area. Left Dundee Oct 8, returning Nov. 28.
3. 1 month to Copenhagen and Kangsbery. Left Dundee 28th Nov. and returned 31st December to Newcastle.

1874:
He had 4 voyages on the Despatch.

1. 14 days to the Baltic. This time Alexander was acting as the First Engineer even though he only had a Second engineer’s certificate. Left Dundee March 24 and returned to Granton April 11.
2. 1 month to Swinemunde. Left Granton April 13 and returned (probably to South Shields) on May 19.
3. 1.5 months at sea from South Shields on May 20 to Dundee on July 2. In all he had been away from his home port for 3 months. This voyage was described to “Archangel”. This was to the northern Russian seaport of Arkhangel’sk, about 630 miles north of Moscow, on the White Sea, which opens out into the Arctic Ocean. It is a summer port, and they try to keep it open by ice-braker in the winter. Once, while icebound in the Arctic, Alexander fashioned a brass box while spending many hours as engineer in the engine room of one of the whalers.
4. 1 month at sea also with the “Archangel” description. Left Dundee July 6 and returned to Dundee August 13.

1874-5:
Between August 1874 and October 1975 the family emigrated to New Zealand and settled in the Otago area of the South Island.

1875:
He commenced overseeing work on the NZ steamer, SS. Matau. By this time he had had “21 years experience”.

1876:
The next year when the work was completed he became the chief engineer on the Matau.
Also in 1876 he became part owner of the steamer, Iron Age. It was a new vessel of 36 tons and 30hp. It was propelled by paddle and was certified for extended river use.

1877:
He spent 4 months on the Gazelle.
He was again engineer and sailed from Lyttleton in New Zealand on January 9. The voyage was simply described as “foreign”. The Gazelle returned to the port at Bluff Harbour on May 16.
The Gazelle was a barque and it made frequent trips to Sydney. Most of these voyages were from the Solomon Islands and passengers included Solomon Island natives. It was listed as a Sydney ship and although the records list the crews, no engineer appeared on any of these lists.

1879:
Alexander was foreman for the building of the dredge at Greymouth.

1884:
Alexander died at sea on 19th August at the age of 53.

Alexander Low married Sarah Boorah Cooper in Dundee on February 18, 1859.

They had:

1. Alexander Low
2. Maryanne Low
3. David Brown Low
4. Annie Low
5. Isabella Brown Low
6. Catherine Low