Wellington
In 1823, George Bolts and John Guard were among the crew of the sealer Wellington when she sailed from Sydney to the sealing grounds in Foveaux Strait. Just under two years later, Wellington was reported to be at the Auckland Islands, another lucrative destination for sealing ships.
In 1827, Wellington arrived at the Bay of Islands and immediately drew attention from missionary Henry Williams and visiting ship captains Duke, of Sisters, and Clarke, of Harriet. Captain Clarke boarded the ship on suspicion that not all was as it seemed on the vessel. While onboard he learned from Wellington’s Captain Harwood that they had been seized by convicts while transporting them to Norfolk Island. On learning this, the missionary and captains with help from the whalers crews, Sisters’ guns, and local resident John Lidiard, retook the ship and recaptured the convicts as they tried to escape by fleeing ashore.
On January 28, with her rightful captain back at the helm, Wellington sailed back to Sydney in company with Sisters.
In 1827, Wellington arrived at the Bay of Islands and immediately drew attention from missionary Henry Williams and visiting ship captains Duke, of Sisters, and Clarke, of Harriet. Captain Clarke boarded the ship on suspicion that not all was as it seemed on the vessel. While onboard he learned from Wellington’s Captain Harwood that they had been seized by convicts while transporting them to Norfolk Island. On learning this, the missionary and captains with help from the whalers crews, Sisters’ guns, and local resident John Lidiard, retook the ship and recaptured the convicts as they tried to escape by fleeing ashore.
On January 28, with her rightful captain back at the helm, Wellington sailed back to Sydney in company with Sisters.