Crew of the Friends convict ship


There is no surviving crew list for the Friends. From the Sydney shipping records, it is known only that there were 24 men on board.

It is possible, however, that the following seaman was on board.

1814 – Lives with Hannah Taylor, Sydney (Fowler not listed as convict) M

1814 – Luke Fowler, seaman on Speedwell (a colonial brig) CS

1817 – Lucas Fowler seeks residency CS

1824 – 14 August, convicted of murder at Launceston Supreme Court, VDL

1824 – 21 October, The Australian, Port Dalrymple, Thomas Taylor, Luke Fowler and John Clayton/ murder of John Street. All Guilty – Death. Fowler and Taylor executed

Mentions in the Sydney Gazette from 1813 to 1817 indicate that Fowler was a seaman who left Sydney on voyages in the Trial (1813), Campbell Macquarie (1815) and the Elizabeth and Mary (1817).

The Tasmanian State Archives state that Luke Fowler arrived in the colony on the Friends. A date of 1 January 1824 is provided but this may have been the date that he arrived in Van Diemen’s Land. Records also show he arrived free. Hannah Taylor, with whom he had been living, died in 1823. See Hannah Taylor

Sources:
CS: 15 April 1814, NRS 897 4/1729 p. 378; 20 September 1817, NRS 897 (index only, misfiled)
Tasmanian State Archives CON 22/1/1; Burial record RGD34 905/1834

See here for abbreviations used for references.