| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | Runnymede |
| Launched | 1854 |
| Fate | Wrecked 2 February 1866 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tons burthen | 720 (bm) |
| Length | 156 ft (48 m) (passenger deck) |
| Beam | 29 ft 6 in (9.0 m) |
| Draught | 13 ft 3 in (4.0 m) |
| Depth | 19 ft 6 in (5.9 m) (between decks) |
| Sail plan | Ship-rigged |
| Notes | Three masts |
Runnymede was built in 1854 at Sunderland, England. In 1856 she made her first voyage from London to Australia, transporting convicts to Western Australia. [1] She was wrecked in 1866.
Runnymede first appeared in Lloyd's Register (LR) in 1854. [2]
| Year | Master | Owner | Trade | Homeport | Source & notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1855 | Burrows | Brass & Co. | Sunderland–East Indies | Bristol | LR |
| 1856 | Burrows | Brass & Co. | London–Australia | London | LR |
Convict voyage (1856):Runnymede, William Burrows, master, sailed from Plymouth on 15 June 1856 and arrived at Fremantle, Swan River Colony, on 7 September. [3] she was the 17th convict ship to arrive there. [4] She carried 248 male convicts, 30 guards with their 19 wives, 18 sons and 22 daughters. [5] There were no deaths among the convicts on the voyage. [4]
| Year | Master | Owner | Trade | Homeport | Source & notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1858 | Burrows | Brass & Co. | London | London | LR |
| 1861 | T.Rickeby | Brass & Co. | London | London | LR |
| 1864 | T.Rickeby J.Little | Brass & Co. T.Lewis | London–Australia | London | LR; small repairs 1864 |
In 1866, Runnymede was carrying wool and copper ore between Wallaroo, South Australia and Tasmania to Swansea, Wales. She sprang a leak off Cape Leeuwin, continued on towards Mauritius, and eventually sank near Klippen Point off Eastern Cape, South Africa. The entry for her in LR for 1865 carries the annotation "Wrecked". [6]
Charlotte was an English merchant ship built on the River Thames in 1784 and chartered in 1786 to carry convicts as part of the First Fleet to New South Wales. She returned to Britain from Botany Bay via China, where she picked up a cargo for the British East India Company. Charlotte then spent much of the rest of her career as a West Indiaman in the London-Jamaica trade. She may have been lost off Newfoundland in 1818; in any case, she disappeared from the lists by 1821. Charlotte made an appearance in the movie National Treasure.
Scindian is widely considered the first convict ship to transport convicts to Western Australia. She was launched in 1844 and sank in 1880.
Archduke Charles was built in Newcastle, England in 1809. She was sheathed in copper in 1810 and partially resheathed with copper in 1812. She made one voyage transporting convicts from Ireland to New South Wales, and on her return voyage to Britain she carried a cargo from China for the British East India Company (EIC). She was wrecked in 1816 while carrying troops from Quebec to Nova Scotia.
Rolla was a sailing ship built in 1800 at South Shields, England. She made one voyage transporting convicts to New South Wales. She then made a voyage for the British East India Company from China back to Britain. She leaves Lloyd's Register in 1858.
Experiment was built in 1802 in Georgia, United States of America. She came into British ownership circa 1806. She made one voyage to New South Wales in 1809-1810 transporting female convicts. She was last listed in 1818.
Minstrel was launched at Hull in 1811. She transported convicts to Australia in 1812 and again in 1825. Between these voyages she traded east of the Cape of Good Hope under a license from the British East India Company (EIC). In 1829 she brought immigrants from England to the Swan River Colony. She then traded widely, including across the Atlantic. Minstrel foundered in March 1851.
Camden was a merchant ship built upon the River Thames in 1799 as a West Indiaman. Between 1832 and 1833 she made two voyages transporting convicts from England to Australia. She was wrecked in 1836.
Caroline was built at Cochin, British India, in 1825. She sailed to the United Kingdom and took up British registry. She then sailed between England and India under a license from the British East India Company (EIC). She made one voyage transporting convicts from Ireland to Australia. Later, she carried immigrants to Australia. She was wrecked in March 1850.
Gilmore, was a merchant ship built at Sulkea, opposite Calcutta, British India, in 1824. In 1829-30 she made a voyage delivering settlers to the Swan River Colony in Western Australia. She then made two voyages transporting convicts from England to Tasmania. She was wrecked in 1866.
Hooghly was a full-rigged merchant ship built on the Thames, England, and launched in 1819. She made two voyages under charter to the British East India Company (EIC), four voyages transporting convicts from England and Ireland to Australia, as well as voyages transporting emigrants to South Australia between 1839 and 1856. Around 1858 she was re-rigged as a barque. She sank off Algiers in 1863.
Lotus was a ship launched at Whitby, England in 1826. She made several voyages to Australia carrying emigrants. She made one voyage transporting convicts to Van Diemen's Land. On that voyage, in 1833, she rescued 61 survivors from Hibernia, which a fire had destroyed in the South Atlantic as Hibenia was carrying immigrants to Van Diemen's Land. Lotus herself was lost in May 1844 while sailing between Bristol and Quebec.
Woodford was launched at Bristol in 1819. She made one voyage as an "extra ship" for the British East India Company (EIC). She also made two voyages transporting convicts from England to Van Diemen's Land. She sank in February 1829 off Madagascar.
Diana was a merchant ship built at Whitby, England, in 1824. She made a number of voyages between England, India and Quebec with cargo and undertook one voyage transporting convicts to New South Wales. She was last listed in 1856.
Barrosa was launched in 1811 at Cossipore. She sailed to England and then made six voyages for the British East India Company (EIC); during this period she also made one voyage carrying immigrants to South Africa. After the EIC gave up its maritime activities in 1833-1834, Barossa became a transport. She made three voyages transporting convicts to Australia. She was lost in 1847, without loss of life, while transporting contract labourers from Madras to Jamaica.
Hashemy, was a teak-built vessel launched at Calcutta in 1817. She was originally a country ship, trading east of the Cape of Good Hope. In 1829 she made one voyage as a whaler in the Southern Whale Fishery. From 1846 on she made several voyages transporting people, notably coolies from India to British Guiana, and convicts to Australia. She was probably hulked in Bengal c.1867.
Thames was launched in 1818 as an East Indiaman, trading with India and Ceylon under a license from the British East India Company (EIC). She made one voyage transporting convicts to Van Diemen's Land. She became leaky and was condemned at Swan River in 1830 as she was sailing to Île de France from having delivered her convicts at Hobart.
Medina was launched in 1811 and quickly became a West Indiaman. Ten years later she started sailing to the East Indies under a license from the British East India Company (EIC). She made two voyages transporting convicts to Australia, first to Sydney and then to Hobart. She also brought immigrants to the Swan River Colony. On that voyage she sustained damage that caused her to be condemned in July 1831.
Coromandel was launched on the Thames in 1820. Notable voyages include two for the British East India Company, and one transporting convicts to Tasmania. For the first 15 years of her career she primarily sailed to India. Thereafter, she primarily sailed to Australia and New Zealand. She was broken up in 1857.
Runnymede was a barque–rigged sailing ship built in London in 1825. She traded between Britain and India, sailing under a license from he British East India Company (EIC). She made one voyage to Tasmania in 1839–1840 transporting convicts. She also carried immigrants to New South Wales. She was wrecked in 1844.
Egyptian was launched in 1825 at Shields. She began trading to India in 1827 under a licence from the British East India Company (EIC). In 1830 and 1831 she brought immigrants to the Swan River Colony. In 1839 and 1840 she transported convicts from England or Ireland to Tasmania. She was wrecked on 20 October 1843 while sailing from England to Sierra Leone.