Life aboard the prison hulks was subject to a daily routine, similar to that with which one of her sailors in her active service career would have been familiar. The routine aboard the Leviathan Hulk on August 16th 1838 was: By this time, the war against France was over. After suffering a number of catastrophic defeats, Napoleon had abdicated on 6th April 1814 and had been exiled to the Isle of Elba. The Allies of the Sixth Coalition (comprised of many nations, but mostly various German, and Italian kingdoms, plus Britain, Sweden, Russia and others) had re-installed the French Monarchy under King Louis XVIII. The war was formally ended by the Treaty of Fontainebleu, signed on 11th April 1814. The ending of the war in Europe meant that the British were able to divert resources to defend Canada against invasion by the Americans, because despite the coming of peace in Europe, the war between Britain and the Americans was rumbling on. But with the advent of transportation, hulks became a method of housing prisoners before they were sent on the grueling voyage across the world to Britain’s new colony of New South Wales.

On 18th September 1827, an inquest was held aboard the Leviathan Hulk. John Whitehouse, a prisoner, had been killed by falling timber. The inquest returned a verdict of accidental death. the forerunners of a long succession of vessels which, for more than half a century, sailed regularly from Portsmouth, Sheerness, Cork, Dublin, and, of course, from London River with their freight of human vice and human misery. During that time, nearly a hundred and forty thousand men and women were transported to New South Wales, Van Dieman’s Land, Norfolk Island, and, finally, to the Swan River settlement in Western Australia.Jacob Capell, Pte, 27, Queen Charlton, Som, HMS Victory, 1803-6, at Trafalgar, paid off Chatham, 1806, (TR “Victory”) Meanwhile, ‘strictest discipline is maintained on board the hulks,’ with ‘extreme cleanliness enforced.’ Rations onboard the hulks were as follows: that they would not weigh anchor unless either the French were directly threatening the UK or until their demands were met.

The Success was not the only prison hulk at anchor in Hobson’s Bay; she was joined by the President, Lysander, Sacramento and Deborah , to cope with Australia’s overflowing prison population. The Success , however, was notable for the ‘brutalities’ enacted on board, with prisoners subject to punishment by the dreaded cat-of-nine tails, with some receiving ‘as many as 100 lashes…with this hellish device.’ Success was a 32-gun Fifth-rate launched in 1781 at Liverpool. She became a prison hulk in 1814 and was broken up in 1820. Meanwhile, in 1868 the system of transportation to Australia finally ceased, but years of abominable cruelty, especially on the hulks, had left their mark on many. ‘Floating Chamber of Horrors’And although she was scuttled in 1891 with the venture being unsuccessful, she was soon after refloated and sent to tour the world, arriving in England in 1894. She was still touring in 1912, when crowds gathered at Cobh, Ireland, ‘to give a parting cheer to the venturous old ship,’ as reports the Suffolk and Essex Free Press. The Success was setting off to cross the Atlantic, where she was exhibited at the Great Lakes and San Francisco, before being sunk in 1918 or 1919, and then again refloated. The Success appeared at the Chicago World Fair in 1933. HMS Rosario (10), Booty Harvey,and HMS Griffon (16), George Trollope, destroyed 5 French brigs off Dieppe.

Warrior was a 74-gun Third-rate ship of the line launched in 1781. She became a receiving ship after 1818, a prison hulk after 1840, and was broken up in 1857. Thomas Braine, 21, Ord Seaman. (history: 1800-4, Renown, boy; 1804-5, OS; Thunderer, 1805-8, OS; Sirius, 1808-10, OS; Diomede, 1810-11; Queen, 1811, “Captain of Mast.)

HMS Prince of Wales today returned to sea following an extended period alongside conducting maintenance and installing new, cutting-edge capabilities. Pégase was a 74-gun ship of the line of the French Navy, captured in 1782. She served as a prison ship from 1794, a prison hospital ship from 1801, returned to being a prison ship in 1803 and was lent to the Transport Board in 1810. On 26th February, the fleet was joined by HMS Ambuscade, a frigate of 32 guns. She had been carrying two passengers, one of whom was Rear-Admiral Thomas Louis, who was to take command of one of Nelson's squadrons. He moved his command flag to HMS Canopus. Also carried aboard HMS Ambuscade was Captain William Francis Austen, brother of the famous author Jane Austen. He was to take command of HMS Canopus in place of Captain John Conn, who was recalled to England. Phoenix was a merchant sailing vessel damaged upon the Sow and Pigs Reef within Sydney Harbour and converted to a prison hulk.

Surprise was a 38-gun frigate, previously named HMS Jacobs and launched in 1812. She became a prison hulk in 1822 and was sold in 1837.

Moses Llewellyn, Pte, Mangotsfield, Glos, HMS Achille, 1805-1812, at Trafalgar, discharged Portsmouth, 1813 At 11:40 am, HMS Leviathan's senior Midshipman, in charge of signals, reported to Captain Bayntun the now celebrated signal flying from the flagship - " England expects that every man will do his duty" The first Leviathan was a 70-gun third-rate ship of the line launched in 1750 as Northumberland, renamed in 1777 and sunk in 1780 in the Atlantic. Henry Merchant, 42, Ord Seaman, discharged from HMS Bellerephon to HMS Bedford 1807 and wages paid to wife Ann.