Life on board the Euryalus, 1835
The following Report gives an insight into what life was like for the boys on the Euryalus hulk in 1835.
Report of the Select Committee of the House of Lords Appointed to Inquire into the Present State of Gaols and Houses of Correction in England and Wales.
(Appendix to Evidence before Select Committee on Gaol and House of Correction; Parliamentary Papers 1835 Vol. XI pp258-266)
The punctuation, spelling, and capital letters are as they appear in the original.
Mr Steadman is examined, and John Henry Capper Esq. is further examined, as follows:
What are the Boys on board this Ship? - They are all Transports. When a Return is made from a Gaol of the Number of Transports for Removal, the Boys under a certain Age are selected (I select them) to send to this Ship, in preference to mixing them with the Adults, and they remain here ‘till the Period of Transportation, that is, ‘till they arrive at the age of Fifteen Years. It was thought at one period very inconvenient transporting Boys at a very early Age.
At Fifteen Years of Age they are transported? - Yes, they are, with very few Exceptions.
How many are there on board at present? – 250.
How many of those are in the Hospital? – Seven.
(To Mr Steadman.) Are you in charge of the Ship? – I am. The average number of sick is about Six.
That includes a Boy who had an Accident in this Ship Two Years ago? – Yes.
Will that Boy ever recover? – I doubt it.
Will he ever be fit for Transportation? – Certainly not.
What is the age of the youngest Boy you have now in your Custody? – I think about Ten Years of Age.
When you receive a Boy, what do you do with him? – In the first instance we read the Rules and Regulations of the Ship, and afterwards send him to the Wash-house to be washed and thoroughly cleansed; then he is sent to his Ward, - to the Ward appropriated for any Person.
How long does he remain in the probationary Ward? – Perhaps a Fortnight; not much longer.
How do you class them? – Agreeably to their Character from the Gaols.
Do you put all the worst Characters together? – Yes; The Upper Deck has those on first Convictions, the Second has the next, and the Lower the worst Characters from Gaols.
What Employment do you give them? – Making their Clothing, and for the Establishment, such as Shirts, Jackets, Waistcoats, and Breeches.
Are they taught tailoring, and who teaches them? – Yes. The eldest Boy who is the best Workman teaches them.
Is he a Prisoner? – Yes, he is. The Persons who are Tailors in the Cutting-out Place occasionally visit them, - Two of the Guards who are Cutters-out; and they superintend.
Do you find that making their Clothes is sufficient Employment for them? – They make them for the whole Convict Establishment.
Mr Capper.- There is a Return, filled up every Week, made to me, which states what Work they have done; and it is the same with respect to the other Parts of the Service, and every other material Occurrence.
What time is allotted to enable the Boys to have Air and Exercise? – An Hour a Day, the Dinner Hour, and an Hour after that.
How long are they at their Dinner? – About Half an Hour; that gives the Guards Time for their own Dinner, for the Guards of the Ship have to superintend.
Are they permitted to make a Noise, or simply to walk the Deck? – They are not allowed to make any Noise. A man may walk to the Quarter Deck and scarcely know there is a Boy on Deck. I have made out a Statement of a Day’s Proceedings, which I beg to present to your Lordships.
The same is delivered in and read, and is as follows:
“May 1, 1835.- A Report of the Proceedings for One Day on board the Euryalus Hulk, Chatham.
“At Five o’clock in the Morning ‘All Hands’ are called. Ports opened, Hammocks lowered and lashed up, the Boys washed and examined. At Half past Five a Signal is given to prepare for Chapel, when the Boys stand round in their respective Wards, after which they go in, headed by the older Boys of the Ward, who place them in their respective Seats with profound Silence: the Morning Hymn is sung, and Prayers read by the Schoolmaster; the Officers and a Portion of the Guards being present. After Prayers they return to their respective Wards and still in Ranks ‘till the Breakfast is served down at Six o’clock, equally divided and examined by the Steward and others; he then desires the Boys on One Side of the Deck at a Time to go to their Table, hold up their Bread, give Thanks, and sit down. At half past Six the Boys commence coming on Deck, each elder Boy heading his Division, and his Deputy bringing up the Rear. Hammocks stowed, Boys filed up into their respective Divisions by the elder Boy of their Ward, after which the Officer orders all elder Boys on the Quarter Deck for the Purpose of making known anything that might have occurred since their last Report, when each of their Complaints are noted down in order that they may be inquired into. The Boys return below, in a single File, to clean their respective Wards, with the exception of those who are appointed to wash the Main and Quarter Deck. At Eight o’clock the Boys are set to their respective Work, when Silence is observed. At Nine the elder Boys, accompanied by those of whom they complain, state their complaints to the Commander, when each correction is awarded as the Nature of their Offence deserves, i.e. by stopping their Dinners, or correcting them moderately with the Cane, or by Solitary Confinement on Bread and Water, not exceeding Seven Days; but should anything of Consequence occur during the Day it is immediately inquired into. At Twelve the Dinners are served down, under the inspection of the Steward; all Quarter-masters and Guard are in Attendance, for the Purpose of seeing that each Boy eats his proper Allowance. At Half past Twelve Boys sent on Deck for Air and Exercise, but not permitted to make the least Noise. At Half past One Boys filed up as in the Morning, and sent below to their respective Work. At Two a Division consisting of One Third of the Boys sent into the Chapel for the Afternoon, when they are taught reading and writing. At Five the Boys leave off Work, clean their Wards, and wash themselves. At Half past Five Supper is served down, after which the Boys come on Deck for Air and Exercise. At Half past Six the Boys file up as usual, and take their Hammocks down. At Seven the Signal is given to prepare for Chapel, when they proceed in, as in the Morning; after which a Portion of the Boys are catechised, the Evening Hymn sung, and Prayers read by the Schoolmaster. The Boys return to their respective Wards. At Eight the Signal is given to prepare for Muster, when each Boy stands with his Hammock placed before him, till the whole of them are mustered; the Signal is then given for them to hang up their Hammocks. At Nine profound Silence throughout the Ship; Boats secured, Fires extinguished, Locks examined by the Officer, and the Keys delivered up for the Night. The Watch, consisting of Two Guards, one of which is placed below, and the other on Deck, relieved every Three Hours and a Half, the Bell struck, and ‘All’s well’ called every Half Hour through the Night. On Saturday the Boys are washed all over in tepid Water and Soap.
“Attendance of the Chaplain and Surgeon.- The Rev. H.J. Dawes performs Devine Service twice a Week, and examines the Boys Progress in Schools, and visits the Sick in the Hospital Three Times, or oftener if necessary. Mr. Hope, Surgeon, attends daily.”
Do you find that the Boys prefer remaining on board this Hulk or being sent out of the Country? - I must say that the Majority wish to leave the Country.
Do you think they look forward to the Time when they will be sent out with Pleasure? – Yes, I think so; for with the close Confinement and Application to Duty, and their being constantly watched, they are glad to be removed from the Ship. There is no resident Surgeon in this Ship?
Mr Capper.- No; there was a Hospital Ship, the Canada, which is broken up. There was one Deck appropriated for the Men, and another for the Boys.
What mode of punishing the Boys is resorted to besides solitary Confinement?
Mr Steadman.- It is not often that we have recourse to other Punishments, but we sometimes flog them on the Breech with a Cat, not more than a Dozen, or in One or Two Cases a Dozen and a Half.
Is that at your Discretion? – Yes.
It is always reported in your Journal? – Yes, always.
Do you ever punish them by stopping their Food?
Mr Capper.- Yes; I believe that is more resorted to than any other Mode. Stopping their Meat or lowering their Diet has a great Effect.
Mr Steadman.- That is the first Recourse.
There is no mention in the Book of working in the Garden? – There is a Garden on shore; the Boys go on shore to assist in digging; there is a man to superintend it.
Is that the same Garden that belongs to the other Hulk? – Yes, Part of the same; it is divided. There is a Burying Ground and a Garden for each Ship.
You think depriving them of their Supper is a good Punishment? – I think it is a very good Step for the first Offence.
Are they ever punished by being prevented from seeing their Friends? – Yes, if they deserve it.
Have they any Means of communicating with Boats passing up and down the River? – They are never allowed to speak to any Person.
Are the Cooks Convicts?
Mr Capper.- Yes.
Have you any Shoemakers?
Mr Steadman.- A few, not above Half a Dozen. We found, after transporting the elder Boys, the smaller Boys could not make a Shoe, and we were obliged to abandon it. Had the Boys continued in this Country we could have gone n with the Manufactory.
Are there any Boys here under Sentence of Transportation for Seven Years? – Yes
Will that Boy of Ten Years of Age, whom their Lordships have seen, be sent Abroad? – Yes.
Though he will have but Two or Three Years to serve there? – Yes.
Samuel Ogilsby is examined as follows:
How long have you been in this Hulk? - Twenty months.
How old are you? - Ten years.
Are you younger than your brother? - Yes.
How old is he? - He is two years older than me.
Where were you sent from? - Newgate.
When you were in Newgate did you attend the school there? - Yes.
Which do you like best, this Hulk or Newgate? - Newgate.
Why do you prefer Newgate? - Because I could see my friends there, and it is so far to come here.
Is your Father alive? - No, I have a Father-in-Law.
Is your Mother alive? - Yes.
Have you seen them since you came here? - No.
Did you see your Father-in-Law and your Mother in Newgate? - They used to come twice a week.
Did they bring you anything to eat and drink when they came? - Only something to eat, and some tea.
What offence were you convicted of? - It was brought in House-breaking.
Did you get in at a window? - My brother got in at a window, and then he opened the door and let me in.
You stole some hinges? - Yes, and a jacket and waistcoat.
Whose house did you break into? I do not know; it was next door to a Playhouse; it was not finished.
Was this the first time you ever got into trouble? - No.
What was the first time? - For some wood.
Stealing some wood? - Yes, out of some buildings.
Where was it you did that? - In the New Road.
What did they do with you when they caught you? - They took me before a Magistrate; then I did not get committed; I got clear.
Were you committed for re-examination? - I got off when I was took up then.
You were taken before a Magistrate, and he discharged you? - He sent to tell my friends to come and take me.
Your friends took you? - Yes.
What was the next offence you committed? - About two Trowels.
Where did you get them from? - Out of a building.
Did you get off that time? - Yes.
You were not sent to Gaol then? - No.
Was Newgate the first prison you were in? - Yes.
These offences were committed before you were eight years of age? - Yes.
What was your sentence? - Seven years.
Did your friends punish you when you stole the wood? - Yes.
What did they do to you? - Beat me, and locked me up in a room.
In a dark room? - No.
What did they do the second time? - They took my clothes away the second time.
How long did they keep your clothes away from you? - About two days.
Then they gave them back to you? - Yes.
You then committed the offence for which you are now suffering? - Yes.
Did you go to a Day School or a Sunday School? - A Day School and a Sunday School both.
Could you read and write before you came here? - No.
Can you now? - No; I can read a little bit.
(To Mr Steadman.)
Do you teach the boys to write? - Yes.
(To Ogilsby)
What was the trade of your Father? - My Father was a tailor, and Mother was a Dressmaker.
Were you allowed to go out just as much as you pleased? - My Father used to keep me in; sometimes he would let me go out, and then I got out; he gave me leave for so long a while.
Shall you like to be sent to Botany Bay? - Yes.
Would you rather go out than stay here? - Yes.
Why? - I do not like this place.
You do not know that you may like the other Country? - I might like it or I might not.
You would never see your friends again, though if kept here you will? - I would sooner go to my friends again.
What sort of treatment do you expect to meet with on the other side of the water? - I have heard that they used to work in chains.
You would not like that? - No; but that those who had good characters were sold to Masters.
The Witness is directed to withdraw.
The Reverend Henry John Dawes is called in, and examined as follows:
What is you duty as Chaplain on board this Ship? – The One Service on the Sunday, and One in the Week, and Evening Service; full Duty on the Sunday Morning; and on the Friday Evening Service and Lecture.
Do you read Prayers every Morning in the Ship? – No, I do not.
Who does read them?
Mr Steadman. - The Schoolmaster.
He is not a Prisoner? – No, he is the Son of a Clergyman.
Does he also read Prayers every Evening? – Yes.
(To Mr. Dawes)
You read then once on Sunday? – Yes.
Do you attend the sick in the Boys Hospital? – Yes.
You have nothing to do with the other Ship or the Hospital for the Men? – No.
Do you devote the whole of you Time to this Hulk, or have you any other Preferment? – I have no other Preferment.
What is your Salary? - £200 a Year.
Do you visit the sick every Day? – Not every Day; Four times a Week.
What is the average of your Attendances in the Week? – Four; every Day if Occasion should require it, when they are sick.
Do you examine the Boys separately, or by Classes? – Sometimes separately, sometimes by Classes.
Which, in your Opinion, is the preferable Mode, by Classes or separately? – I think examining them separately.
Would you begin by examining them separately, to prepare them for the Class Examination? – Yes, I should prefer that.
Do you think the Boys are reformed by remaining here? – Yes, I think they are.
Have you any Means of knowing what becomes of them afterwards? – In very few Instances. I can only judge from the Improvement I have perceived in them while they remain here.
Do you think the keeping of Boys Ten or Twenty in a Ward together is so likely to reform them as if they were kept in separate Cells? – I have had no Experience enabling me to answer that Question.
Do you think they become more depraved from remaining in this Ship, and associating with each other? – I think lately there has not been that Inconvenience, - these Two or Three Years, - in their being associated together, which there was Five or Six Years ago. I think there is not any very great Inconvenience, there is such a constant Supervision.
How long have you been Chaplain? – Eight Years.
How many Hours a Day, on the Days you come, do you generally remain on board? – An Hour or Two generally.
Is the Schoolmaster under your Directions? – Yes.
What is the Salary of the Schoolmaster?
Mr Steadman. - £60 a Year.
Does he live on board? – Yes.
Has he his Board besides his £60 a Year?
Mr Capper.- No, he has a Cabin to himself, and lives on board; he keeps a Watch.
Mr Steadman.- And is occasionally on Duty, because we are short of Hands.
Does the School go on every Day? – Yes.
(To Mr Dawes)
Have you any Boys who object to attending the Church Service? – None.
Do you find them on Admission generally very ignorant on Religious Subjects? – Yes.
Are the Boys from London more depraved than those from the Country?
Mr Steadman.- I think the more depraved come from London.
There is no Afternoon Service on the Sunday?
Mr Dawes.-We have not; but the Boys read their Books in their Wards.
At what Time do they go on Deck on Sunday?
Mr Steadman.- Soon after Dinner they are allowed to walk the Deck quietly for Two Hours; then we get them all into the Chapel, and the Schoolmaster reads the Afternoon Service.
Without a Sermon? – Yes.
Is there more than One Sermon in the Week?
Mr Dawes.- One on the Sunday and One on the Friday. I am at liberty on the Sunday Afternoon, and should be happy to attend if I thought it would be beneficial.
On Good Friday and Easter, and so on, there is Service; and every Friday Evening there is full Service and a Sermon.
Have you any other Religious Duty? – No other.
The Duty is reading Prayers and preaching a Sermon on Sunday, and the same on Friday Evening? – Yes.
There is no other regular Duty? – No; and the Hospital every Day, if there should be Occasion.
Have you ever found any Boys with no Notion at all of Religion? – Yes I have.
(To Mr Capper)
What is the Salary of the Surgeon of the Euryalus? - £100 per Annum.
Is he a Surgeon in the Royal Navy? - No.
How often does he visit the Ship? – Daily, and whenever his Services are required.
What is the Salary of the Surgeon of the Fortitude? - £200 per Annum.
Is he a Surgeon of the Royal Navy? – Yes.
Does he receive his Half Pay? – Yes.
He does not reside on board the Hospital Ship; how often does he visit the Fortitude and the Hospital Ship? – He does not reside on board the Hospital. He visits the Fortitude and Hospital daily, and whenever his Services are required.
What is the Salary of the Assistant Surgeon? - £70 per Annum.
Has he been in the Royal Navy? – No.
Does he reside on board the Hospital Ship? – Yes.
Do the Surgeons keep a Journal of the Treatment of the sick? – Yes.
Do the Surgeons or the Assistant Surgeons receive any Rations or Allowances other than their Salaries or Half Pay? - None.
Are the Surgeons or Assistant permitted to have private Practice? – Only the Surgeons.
Are you of opinion that it would be desirable that the Boys now kept on board the Euryalus should be confines on Shore in a proper Place, instead of on board Ship? – I certainly should prefer their Confinement on Shore.
Would it not be easier on Shore to prevent the better disposed Boys from being contaminated by the more depraved? – Certainly.
Do you think it would be expedient to send them Abroad at an earlier Age than is now the Practice? – I am of the opinion that Boys of Fourteen Years of Age and upwards should be sent Abroad.
Does the Chaplain prepare the Boys for Confirmation, and are they confirmed when fit? – No.
What is the Salary of the Chaplain of the Fortitude? - £200 per Annum.
Does he reside on board the Hospital Ship? – Yes.
Does he receive Rations? – No.
Are the Boys vaccinated on Admission? – No.
Would it not be desirable to do so, and could it not be done by the Surgeon without Inconvenience? – Yes.
Is it the Practice to pardon any Boy for good Conduct on board the Euryalus? – Yes, but very limited.
At what age are they generally transported? – Formerly when they arrived at Fifteen Years of Age, but latterly at Fourteen Years.
Have you any means of knowing whether the Boys sent from the Euryalus behave well in Australia? – I have not.
Do the Boys often make their Escape? – No; they sometimes make Attempts, but an Escape is of rare Occurrence.
Do you see any reason why the Chaplain of the Euryalus should not give Two full Services to the Boys on every Sunday? – None.
Do you think that it would be desirable that he should devote not less than Four Hours on the Average per Day to the Duty of the Ship, including Prayers? – I should propose Four Days in each Week for not less than Three Hours on each Day.
Should you recommend that he should explain the Scriptures to the Boys separately or in Classes? – In Classes.
Can you furnish the Committee with a Return of the Number of Boys now on board the Euryalus, with their Ages when admitted, and how long they have been on board, specifying those who could not read and write when admitted, and those who can do either one or the other? – I can; which I herewith deliver.
The Return follows, giving the names and ages of 258 Boys. Samuel Ogilsby, at 8, appears to have been the youngest boys at the time of his admission, along with Samuel Dearn. There are four boys who were nine when they were admitted, with the majority being 10 and over. Henry Richard Ogilsby, Samuel's brother, is 10. The oldest is William George Smith who was 17 when he was admitted on the 10th July 1834.
The Report continues after the Return.
Are they frequently punished? – Not often.
When the Friends or Parents of the Boys are admitted on board, are they permitted to see them alone? – No, an Officer or Guard being always present.
Is an Inquiry instituted as to the Character of the Visitors? – None but Relatives are allowed to visit them.
Do the Boys receive any portion of their Earnings? – None.
Are any of the Boys permitted to land at the Dockyard or to go into the Town? – No.
Can they communicate with the Men Convicts? – No.
In your Opinion does the system pursued on board the Euryalus reform many of the Boys? – It is very doubtful.
Do you think that when an Order is sent to a Convict Hulk for a certain Number of Men to be sent Abroad that the present System of Selection is the best that could be adopted? – The Practice now pursued will obviate any Irregularity, as all Prisoners will be sent Abroad in regular Succession, unless ordered to be detained by special Authority from the Home Department.
What was the Expense of fitting up the Fortitude as a Convict Ship? - £12,500 was the Amount paid to the Navy Board for the Ship and Fitting.
What was the Expense of fitting up the Eurylaus as a Convict Ship? - £8,100.
What was the Expense of fitting up the Wye Hospital Ship? - £900. It should be observed that this Ship was fitted up by the Prisoners, and no charge was made by the Navy Board for the Hull.
Please to deliver your Reports dated the 10th of July 1834 and 29th January 1835.
The Witness delivers them in; they are read etc
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Although the House of Lords Committee recommended a reduction of the number of boys on the Euryalus and the eventual deactivation of the hulk it was a long time in coming. By July 1836 the number on board was down to 160, as priority had been given for a shipment of the older boys to Australia. By the July of 1839 the number had risen again, up to 190 and John Capper again asked for a vessel to be chartered for the transportation of the older boys. His request was granted. Over the next three years between six and eight hundred boys left the Euryalus for Australia and around the same number were transferred to Parkhurst Prison, on the Isle of Wight. The last Quarterly Return for the Euryalus was for the Quarter ending 31 December 1843, during which time only 42 boys remained on the hulk. Most of the boys were transferred to the Fortitude Hulk during October, the last seven boys being transferred on the 7 November. Three boys John Edwards, George Long and Frederick Dell were sent to Millbank on the 29th October, and four boys, David Field, William Martin, William A Grantham and George Eade, were Pardoned between the 26 and the 31 October.
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