John Rodmell

26 July 1821 - 28 January 1822

July 26th Joined the Mary at Deptford as Surgeon and Superintendent of Convicts. …by end (?) to be embarked on the ships arrival at Portsmouth. Carpenters from the Dockyard at Deptford were employed fixing the prisons until the 11th of August at which time they were completed. August 12th the ship dropped down to Gravesend - on 16th weighed anchor and came too again at the Nore. 17th got underway, but was obliged to anchor again in consequence of very light winds and ebb tide off the Buoy of the Girdle. 18th got underway with light airs and at 7pm came to in the Queens Channel. 19th weighed and made sail for the Downs, came to in 6 fathoms water at 3pm. Rec. fresh beef and vegetables, at 6pm got underway and made all sail for Portsmouth. 21st came to anchor at the Mother Bank. 22nd got underway for Spithead, at noon came to anchor in 7 fathoms. A sloop with 176 convicts, a guard, two women & 3 children came alongside as soon as the ship was anchored. There was a guard of 37.

Mary II Journal

Portsmouth August 22, 1821

Embarked on board the Mary 176 convicts from the Leviathan and York hulks
all apparently in good health. One man was reported to be subject to
epileptic fits but that did not seem a sufficient reason for rejecting him.
Also guard of the 46th Reg with L't Sutherland.

ALL the convicts came from either the "Leviathan" or the "York".

7 November

All the prisoners on deck, cleaned and aired below. Issued wine to the
convicts. At 11 am made the land about Cape Leda (?) on the Brazil Coast. A
bed was issued to George Fisher one of the convicts. Opened a cask of pork,
contents 80 pieces.

Thermometer in hospital 830, in the cabin 800.

8 on the sick list.

8 November

At sea. James Fletcher, Lee, Thorpe, Rae, Kelly, Lovett and Bolten are doing
well. Continued the bitter infusion. Prisoners on deck. Cleaned and aired
below. Issued lemonade as usual.

Number on sick list 8.

Opened a cask of beef.

9 November

At sea.

Henry Winchester one of the convicts rec'd a severe contusion of the
testicles with some laceration of the scrotum by a fall down the main
hatchway - much swelling & inflammation immediately succeeded the accident
accompanied with much pain. Linen wet in Lotio Plumb Supticet was applied to
the part frequently and had a suspensory over all. An opiate in combination
with Antimony was taken at bedtime. In the course of the night a very
considerable distension of the scrotum took place apparently from an
effusion of blood, forming the part into an immense elastic tumour.
Discontinued the cote application and sub'd the part with the linen Ammon
C - three times a day.

Took a purgative of the submunate (?) of mercury and Islop (?)

Fletcher, Lee, Thorpe, Rae, Kelly, Lovett, Irwin and Bolten are doing well.

Prisoners on deck. Scrubbed and washed bottom boards of their sleeping
places. Served out lemonade as usual. Shook and aired the bedding.

Number convalescent 8, sick 1.

10 November

Henry Winchester had a tolerable night etc (blood letting from scrotum)

Cleaned and aired below. Lemonade. Casks - beef and sugar

11 November

Cleaned and aired below.

Rev. Mr. Hassell performed Divine Service in presence of the guard, convicts
and ship's company. Issued lemonade in the forenoon and half a pint of wine
each man after dinner. Cask of flour opened.

12 November

Cleaned and aired below. Corporal Andrews of the Guard complains of some
pain in the head and irritability of stomach and bowels. Purgative of the
Submunate of Quicksilver and Islop was given. Edward Kenny of the Guard
affected in the same manner. Temperature in the prisons 82½½0, Cabins 800.

Similar entries the next two days.

15 November

"All the convict boys and many of the men devote a part of the day to
instruction under the immediate superintendence of the Rev. Mr. Hassell."

Temperature in the prisons 81½½0, Cabins 78½½0.

Casks: Flour, Pease, Beef

Similar entries the next few days. Details of Winchesters treatment were
included.

18 Nov: Only 4 on the sick list

19 Nov: Cask of Raisins

20 Nov: Temperature in the prisons 780, Cabins 740.

21 Nov: Casks - Pease, oatmeal, flour

22 Nov: Cask of Suet.

24 November

The hoses of the prison water closets were not (or 'put'?) in order.

25 November

"A blanket was issued to Stephen Reynolds one of the convicts having lost
his first one overboard".

26 Nov: 3 on sick list

28 Nov: Temperature in the prisons 76½½0, Cabins 680.

1 December

Thomas Smith one of the convicts so nearly detached the third finger of the
right foot (sic), in the act of cutting wood, that I deemed it advisable to
remove it altogether, a tolerable flap of inlegunits(?) was preserved to
cover the bone

2 December

The Rev. Mr. Hassell performed Divine Service in the prisons, the weather
being too wet to admit of it on deck.

3 December

Issued pair of Flannel Trowsers and a flannel waistcoat to Lovett & to
Richard Dixon.

Temperature in the prisons 700, Cabins 650.

4 December

Prisoners on deck for a short time this morning but did not remain in
consequence of the weather being moist and disagreeable.

Issued blanket, pair flannel trowsers & flannel waistcoat to John Tomlinson
also 1 bed & 1 blanket to Daniel Holland. Issued a bed to John Richardson.

5 December

The weather has been much colder the last 48 hours attended with
considerable humidity of the atmosphere. Several of the convicts are
complaining of catarrhal affections which in my opinion are attributable to
a deficiency of warm clothing more particularly in the article of woollen
trowsers or woollen breaches and worsted stockings. The duck trowsers and
other clothing are beyond a doubt very proper on most occasions in making of
this passage yet as often happens before we enter the tropics and after we
emerge from them that the weather is cold comparatively speaking and other
susceptibility to its impressions is much increased. Some of the convicts on
their embarkation had warm breaches and stockings but it was by no means
uniform.

Issued lemonade in the forenoon and win e in the afternoon.

Inspected the clothing and bedding of the prisoners.

Temperature in the prisons 660, Cabins 600.

6 December

Prisoners on deck, Cleaned and aired below.

Issued a blanket each to William Barnett, William Solomons & Andrew
Gallagher. A shirt each was issued to Thomas Catron, John Hughes, Peter
Wilberham, George Ashcroft, Henry Stevens, Daniel Douglas, William Lawley,
Christopher Densons, James Weaver, George Mills, George Hills, John Simon,
Robert Anderson, James Newton & Henry Coton.

8 December

Issued flannel waistcoat to Stephen Reynolds, flannel shirt to John Lovett.

Temperature in the prisons 650, Cabins 600.

9 December

Majority of prisoners on deck, those labouring under catarrhal affections
remained below. Weather bad so prayers were held below.

10 December

Carpenter employed stopping a leak in the prison.

23 Dec: Issued wine and sherbet to the convicts.

25 December

Issued ½½ pint of wine to each convict in commemoration of the day.

Sick - none, convalescent 4.

26 Dec: Issued a blanket to Thomas Lewis convict.

24 January

Sydney Cove

All prisoners on deck. Cleaned and aired below.

Reported myself to the Lt. Governor & also waited on the Colonial Secretary.
None sick.

Fresh Beef and vegetables issued to the convicts.

Temperature in the prisons 760, Cabins 740.

25 January

Sydney Cove

All the prisoners on deck. Cleaned and aired the prisons. Prisoners are all
healthy.

People and boats are employed returning the remains of the Public Stores &
Provisions.

Issued vegetables to the convicts. The guard was relieved yesterday by a
detachment of the 48th regiment.

Temperature in the prisons 770, Cabins740.

26 January

All convicts healthy. All prisoners on deck. Cleaned and aired below.

At 10.30 the Colonial Secretary came on board and mustered the convicts
after which clothing was issued to them. Boats are employed (as of
yesterday)

Served fresh beef and vegetables to the convicts.

27 January

All healthy.

Rec'd orders for the prisoners to have themselves in readiness for
disembarkation tomorrow morning.

28 January

At 6 am all the prisoners were disembarked and at 10 o'clock were inspected
by His Excellency the Governor who was pleased to express himself highly
satisfied with their appearance.