Does anyone have any information about Port Esperance (Dover) Probation Station. My convict, James O'Neill was there in 1845 Best wishes Valerie in Auckland

Hi Valerie, the following is a summary of info from Ian Brand's book, "The Convict Probation System 1839-1854". It is from Charles La Trobe's report sent to UK about 1847. Would be worthwhile to buy own copy as it gives description of all stations as when visited by La Trobe as well as telling about the convict system in VDL between 1839 and 1854. Dover - Probation Station few miles from entrance of Port Esperance, about 7 miles below mouth of Huon River. Buildings are of temporary and indifferent description. Sleeping huts intended to sleep 32 men each - much too crowded if filled to that extent. Officers quarters good. Two mess rooms tolerable, are of wood, third under repair - first class room used as chapel and school. Good cook house and bakehouse with 2 ovens. Good store for meat, one for flour and general stores, third for bedding and potatoes. Three yards separated by good paling - areas are sanded - one belonging to First class prisoners is too close to Superintendents quarters. 100 separate apartments have commenced - few nearly finished, not many men at station so work nearly at standstill. Solitary cells old and built of wood, small and low, 6 additional being erected. Hospital detached brick building not ceiled, no cooking place attached so food prepared in room used by the sick. 28 acres of land at station and 40 acres at Hope Island near entrance of Port, all under cultivation and good land. Potatoes good, large ample for men's rations, 78 tons sent to other stations. Suggested 200 acres good land mile and half from Dover should be cleared and cultivated, even though heavily timbered, instead of using poorer land near station. Timber is good and variety, shell for lime, good clay for bricks - but no good stone. Water is good from springs and creek. Medical Officer from Southport attends station - no road by land so visit by sea. If station to continue need to appoint a Resident Surgeon. Prisoners when station visited were only 89 in number, divided into 3 classes, 18 men on Hope Island under Assistant Superintendent charge. Similar advantages to Southport - absence of settlers in area. Retain for present, found to be tolerable and many books. Considerable number of passholders, probation having expired waiting to proceed to Hiring Depots and complained of hardship of detention. Direct line of land communications with Hobart Town is broken by heavy timbered country and Huon River across which no regular means of transport. Must forward prisoners by sea when opportunity arises. Hope this is what you wanted Valerie. Sue Wyatt [email protected] Great chat room for genealogy only www.justgen.com Please feel free to come and join us. -----Original Message----- From: jandvmartin [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Monday, 9 December 2002 6:56 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [TAS-CONVICTS] Port Esperance Does anyone have any information about Port Esperance (Dover) Probation Station. My convict, James O'Neill was there in 1845 Best wishes Valerie in Auckland ==== AUS-TAS-CONVICTS Mailing List ==== Please link your webpages to the Australian Families Webring and Tasmanian Convicts - let's unite!!! The navigation bar is located at: Http://hometown.aol.com/romniroser/myhomepage/newsletter.html ============================== To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237

Ian Brand's book "The Convict Probation System VDL 1839-1854 " has information on the Dover Probation station. Irene Schaffer Hobart > Does anyone have any information about Port Esperance (Dover) Probation > Station. My convict, James O'Neill was there in 1845 > > Best wishes Valerie in Auckland > > > ==== AUS-TAS-CONVICTS Mailing List ==== > Please link your webpages to the Australian Families Webring and Tasmanian Convicts - let's unite!!! The navigation bar is located at: > Http://hometown.aol.com/romniroser/myhomepage/newsletter.html > > ============================== > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 >