Alexander — First Fleet convict transport ship

Construction and dimensions

Built in Hull in 1783, Alexander was a merchantman of roughly 452 tons burden. Contemporary descriptions give her length at about 114 ft and a beam of about 31 ft (approximately 35 m by 9 m respectively). She was typical of late 18th‑century commercial vessels adapted for long voyages and the carriage of human cargo, with holds fitted to accommodate caged or confined spaces for transported convicts and additional berths for crew and officers. Her place of construction in Hull links her to a regional shipbuilding tradition (Hull shipbuilding).

Ownership, contract and command

Alexander sailed under the command of Duncan Sinclair. The owners contracted with the British government to carry convicts on fixed terms: payment was calculated by tonnage (historically recorded at ten shillings per ton per month) until the ship returned to Deptford. Under the contract the owners were obliged to keep prisoners secure and provide for their basic maintenance for the duration of the voyage. Such arrangements were common: private merchantmen were hired to undertake imperial transport tasks while the government retained responsibility for provisioning and oversight.

Voyage, route and stops

The Alexander left with the First Fleet in 1787, joining a convoy bound for the southern hemisphere. The fleet made a sequence of scheduled stopovers for reprovisioning and health reasons, calling at ports such as Tenerife, Rio de Janeiro and Cape Town before proceeding to the east coast of Australia. These ports provided opportunities to take on fresh food and water, effect repairs and attempt to reduce the spread of disease among convicts, crew and escorts. The fleet arrived off the Australian coast in January 1788; the arrival and landing at Port Jackson established the new settlement.

Convicts, conditions and health

Alexander embarked 195 male convicts. Conditions on convict transports were cramped and austere: convicts were confined, kept under guard and given regulated rations. Disease, poor ventilation and malnutrition were ongoing hazards on long sea voyages of the era. In Alexander’s case eleven sick men who had been assigned to the ship died before the fleet sailed. During the voyage ship surgeons and officers took measures—ventilation, stricter cleaning routines and dietary adjustments—to limit mortality, and overall First Fleet deaths remained lower than on many earlier long–distance convict voyages.

Landing, discharge and immediate aftermath

On arrival the Alexander, along with other transports, disembarked convicts and stores to support the new settlement. Initial landings were made after a period of exploration of candidate anchorages; the fleet eventually moved to the harbour that became the colony’s principal site. Following discharge of convicts and supplies, transports assisted with resupply and some continued to be employed locally before returning to Britain or taking on other commercial work. The Alexander’s voyage illustrates how private merchant vessels were employed to execute imperial penal policy.

Historical records and legacy

Primary records for the Alexander’s voyage include muster lists, ship logs and surgeons’ journals preserved in national and regional archives; these documents are used by researchers to reconstruct passenger lists, health records and day‑to‑day shipboard life (transport records). For broader context see collections on the First Fleet (First Fleet) and studies of the early Australian penal settlement (penal colony, Australia). Regional resources on British maritime commerce and shipbuilding provide additional background (Hull shipbuilding, European settlement studies).

Further reading and research directions

Researchers and interested readers can consult archival catalogues and specialist collections for original documents: muster rolls, surgeon’s journals and contract papers often shed light on individual convicts’ origins, the ship’s crew and daily life aboard. Scholarly and popular histories of the First Fleet place Alexander’s voyage within the larger narrative of transportation, colonial policy and maritime practice. For summaries and linked resources see transport inventories and institutional guides (soldier and marine records, transport records, metric conversions).

• Key facts: built 1783 at Hull; ~452 tons; master Duncan Sinclair; 195 male convicts embarked; eleven sick men died before the fleet sailed.
• Context links: First Fleet, Australia, penal colony, Hull shipbuilding.