There were eleven ships which made up the First Fleet. These ships were commanded by Captain Arthur Phillip who was born in England in 1738.
Captain Arthur Phillip became the first Governor of New South Wales where his official title became "Captain Arthur Phillip and Governor-In-Chief". He was said to hold the powers of Chief Justice where he combined executive and legislative functions and could remit sentences imposed by the Civil and Criminal Courts within the new colony. Captain Arthur Phillip and Governor-In-Chief named and helped design Sydney and established Parramatta in 1788 for agricultural purposes. Parramatta soon became the main economic centre of the colony. Each of the eleven ships also had their own Master and each ship had a different purpose. The Alexander: Commanded by Master Duncan Sinclair. This ship weighed a total of 452 tons, carried 192 male convicts and was the largest ship in the fleet. Borrowdale: Commanded by Master Hobson Reed. This ship weighed a total of 375 tons and was a storage ship in the fleet. Charlotte: Commanded by Master Thomas Gilbert. This ship weighed 345 tons and carried 88 male convicts and 20 female convicts. Fishburn: Commanded by Master Robert Brown. This ship was estimated to have carried 30 crew members and was a storage ship in the fleet. Friendship: Commanded by Master Francis Walton. This ship was one of the light-weight ships in the fleet weighing at 276 tons. The Friendship carried 76 male convicts and 21 female convicts. Golden Grove: Commanded by Master William Sharp. This ship weighed 331 tons, carried Reverend Richard Johnson (the first chaplain to the colony) and his wife Mary. Lady Penrhyn: Commanded by Master William Copton Sever. This ship weighed 333 tons and carried 101 female convicts. Prince of Wales: Commanded by Master John Mason. This ship weight 350 tons, carried 1 male convict, and 49 female convicts. Scarborough: Commanded by Master John Marshall. This ship weighed 430 tons and carried 208 male convicts. HMS Sirius: Commanded by Captain John Hunter. This ship weighed 612 tons and was a supply ship that carried food and supplies for the colony. HMS Supply: Commanded by Captain Henry Ball. This ship weighed 168 tons and carried 50 people. |
Captain Arthur Phillip - Captain of the First Fleet
Picture: Museum of Sydney Collection Source: Article |