John Donovan and the vessel Southworth

The 1822 muster roll for the convict ship Southworth includes John Donovan, convict number 81.
There is a Warant of the Lord lieutenant of Ireland for:

 Name:     John Donovan
Date of Conviction:     Mar 1821
Place of Conviction:     Wexford
Vessel:     Southworth
Date of Arrival:     10 Nov 1821

Southworth (voyage 1)               
arrived: 09 03 1822  NSW  
Sailed: 18 11 1821  Cork       
Days: 111
Master:  David Sampson
Surgeon:  Joseph Cook
The Southworth was built in Chester in 1821. She transported convicts to New South Wales in 1822 and 1832 and to Van Diemen's Land in 1830.  According to correspondence dated 27 November 1821, David Sampson applied to have his wife accompany him on this voyage.... Chief Secretary's Office Registered Papers, National Archives

Joseph Cook kept a Medical Journal from 18 September 1821 to 13 March 1822...... One hundred and one convicts to be embarked on the Southworth arrived at the vessel from Cork at 3pm on the 24th October 1821.

According to Joseph Cook, a number of them had been supplied with ardent spirits by their friends on the passage down and were in a state of intoxication. George Shine aged 22, had indulged to excess and died an hour after coming on board that day. The convicts were boarded on the 24th October. Because of inclement weather and change from prison to sea air several of the older prisoners became ill with rheumatism and were re-landed and others sent in lieu.

The Southworth departed on 18th November 1821. They anchored at Santa Cruz, Teneriffe on 30th November where they procured water and fresh beef and vegetables, departing from there on 1st December 1821. On entering the tropics a number of the convicts became affected with a disposition to plethora indicated by bleeding at the nose, dyspnoea and expectoration of blood.

On the 20th December they spoke the Arno on her voyage from from Buenos Aires to England. They generally suffered sea sickness but in other respects there were few illnesses of consequence. They were quiet orderly men and were allowed on deck as the weather permitted. A number of them immediately had the irons removed and they were exercised by making them walk up at one hatch way and down the other. Illnesses suffered on the voyage included apoplexy, scrofula, venereal disease, enteritis, colica, dysentery, diarrhoea, bronchitis, herpes.

Both the Southworth and the Isabella arrived in Port Jackson on 9th March 1822.  The Southworth brought 100 male prisoners and the voyage had taken 111 days. The Isabella brought 200 men. The youngest prisoner on board was sixteen year old Patrick Michael Sullivan.

This was Joseph Cook's first voyage as Surgeon Superintendent of a convict ship. He was employed as Surgeon Superintendent on the convict ships Phoenix in 1826,  Southworth in 1822, Sir Charles Forbes in 1825 (VDL), Louisa  in 1827, Mellish  in 1829, Forth (11) in 1830 and the Portland in 1832.

The Guard consisted of a detachment of 3rd regiment, Sergeant Henry Foster, and Commanded by Lieut. Woods. Other ships bringing detachments of the 3rd regiment included the Guildford, Shipley, Asia, Surry, Mangles, Asia, Countess of Harcourt, Henry, Princess Royal, Eliza and Brampton

In April 1822 the Southworth departed Port Jackson in company with the Governor Philip and the Fanny intending to sail north via Torres Straight to Batavia. She arrived there by 31st May 1822.

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