Unlocking the Treasures: The Horrors of Transportation by a Hull Man

In March of 1828 a young Hull man, George Benson, was convicted of robbery. His sentence was 14 years transportation. George served his time and returned to his native Kingston upon Hull to tell of his life as a convict. Here is George Benson’s story on the horrors of transportation.

Front page of  'The Horrors of Transportation' [L.920 BEN]

George was born around 1811. He had a virtuous upbringing and at around aged 14 he was apprenticed to a shopkeeper in Lowgate, of which he served three years. Unfortunately, George fell into bad company, which in his own words ‘commenced his ruin’. He became acquainted with lewd women and stayed out all night. His downfall came when George chose to help himself to his master’s till. George was possibly looked on favourably by his master, who decided not to prosecute. However, he was dismissed from his employment.

From this point George’s behaviour became more immoral and he was eventually reduced to poverty. Destitute, George along with four others resorted to housebreaking. All five were caught and committed to the Assizes. In the March of 1828 George and his accomplices were sentenced to 14 years transportation. For George, the initial impression was that transportation was not a severe form of punishment. In his own words, George believed transportation was 'not full of misery'. However, George was to be sadly mistaken.

The only insight to his voyage is the military type rule aboard the transportation ships, which George alludes too. However, like many of the convict ships, there is little reason to believe the voyage was not also one of misery. For example, in 1789 the Second Fleet was notorious for its poor conditions. Those onboard were said to have been riddled with lice upon their arrival, while many became ill due to the conditions. Time on deck would have been limited and most convicts would have been kept below deck. A quarter of those transported with the second fleet died during the voyage, and nearly half died within six months of their arrival. For George, such conditions would not have been too dissimilar and wrought with all the dangers of previous voyages, which may have taken up to six months. For more information about the voyage to Australia in the 19th century why not read the History Centre's blog about the Tranby and the settlement of the Swan River.

George arrived in New South Wales that same year. The four young men who were transported with George (quite possibly his accomplices in the robbery), were sent to Norfolk Island. Some 900 miles east of Australia, Norfolk Island had a reputation among convicts for its harsh and brutal conditions. Convicts were sent to work in the mercury mines for 18 hours a day on their knees and up to their waists in water. They saw day light only once a week. Such conditions brought much illness. It was here that George’s four accomplices met their end, said to have been massacred by the islands natives trying to escape.

Those sentenced to transportation were property of their masters. They worked from sunrise to sunset. Convicts earned no wages. Those in chain gangs were locked up in square boxes of 18 in a space less than two-feet each. George describes how convicts were regularly punished with lashes to the back. Some were placed in chains with heavy irons attached to their heels and made to work in the hot dust until flesh was burnt to a copper and hair scorched yellow in colour.

For others the Penal Settlement was a sentence worse than that of death. In 1836 one third of convicts sent to Botany Bay were undergoing one or more punishments. Many were transported for the duration of their life. Between 1836 and 1842, 402 criminals were executed, with many preferring this fate than that of Norfolk Island, declaring it [their execution] the happiest day since they left their native shore.

Women too were transported to Australia. However, for many it was not long until they went to the factory or house of correction and punished with hard labour or solitary confinement on bread and water.

The plight of convicts did not go unnoticed. One Norfolk Island convict was said to have brought the eyes of a judge to tears, when exclaiming 'let a man be what he will when he comes here, he is soon made bad as any, a man's heart is taken from him, and a beast's given him, in lieu of it'. In reality, a great many were at the mercy of their masters. According to George many were sent to the Penal Colonies simply because of tyranny and ignorance of bullies, who were afraid that anyone who has ability is likely to be promoted through good conduct. While those accused of offences during their transportation had no witnesses to speak in their favour.

George returned to Hull after 14 years. Transportation had such a profound effect on George that he wrote of its horrors. We do not know what happened to George after his return. From his account, however, he was determined to prevent others from suffering a fate he endured for 14 years.

A poem from 'The Horrors of Transportation' [L.920 BEN]

You can read the account of the Horrors of Transportation contained in the life and sufferings of George Benson at the Hull History Centre. The account can be found within the Local Studies reference collections at L.920 BEN.

Neil Chadwick, Project Officer, Unlocking the Treasures