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Justinian and Surprize standing into Sydney Bay, Norfolk Island 23 August 1790

By
William Bradley
From the collections of the
State Library of New South Wales
[a3461023 / Safe 1/14]
(Mitchell Library)

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Justinian Second Fleet Surprize
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Justinian Second Fleet Surprize

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Bradley, William

First lieutenant on HMS Sirius, who kept a detailed journal during the early years of settlement.

State Library of New South Wales

Justinian

With no convicts on board, the second fleet store ship Justinian completed the voyage to Australia in just five months, entering Port Jackson on 20 June 1790. Justinian brought much needed provisions to the colony where the threat of starvation was great following the demise of the HMS Guardian. However, supplies were soon strained with the arrival of the three transport ships of sick and dying convicts.

Surprize

The second fleet vessel Surprize brought 126 sick and malnourished convicts to Sydney, along with the news of 37 deaths en route. It soon became apparent the ordeals suffered on Surprize were common on Neptune and the Scarborough, earning the three ships the moniker of 'the death fleet'.

Second Fleet

The Second Fleet was a term later applied to the second wave of British convict transports and storeships sent to New South Wales in 1789-90. While one of its number failed to reach Sydney's shores, another earned the nickname 'floating brothel' and three other ships were tagged the 'Death Fleet'.

Ships

Surprize

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Merchant ship of 400 tons which was converted to convict transport. It first sailed into Sydney Harbour as part of the infamous Second Fleet and then made a trip to Norfolk Island with 150 convict women from Lady Juliana in August 1790. It did a further journey in 1794 and was later employed as a slave ship and was captured in 1799 in India during the French Revolutionary War.

Second Fleet

Fleet of four transport ships, a supply vessel and a Royal Navy escort carrying over 1500 convicts. Arranged by private contractors the convicts were mistreated and starved and placed a huge strain on the infant colony as over half required hospitalisation on arrival.

full record »

Justinian

full record »

Three decked storeship of 389 ton that travelled via Madiera and Saint Jago to arrive just slightly ahead of the Second Fleet. Its cargo of flour, salted pork, oil, cloth and blankets and a portable military hospital were sorely needed in the colony which was on the verge of starvation.