Thomas Allen (–1885) was a sea captain based in

Port Adelaide Port Adelaide is a port-side region of Adelaide, approximately northwest of the Adelaide city centre, Adelaide CBD. It is also the namesake of the City of Port Adelaide Enfield council, a suburb, a federal and state electoral division and is t ...

. Allen was known for having been the captain of the last ship to carry convicts from

South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a States and territories of Australia, state in the southern central part of Australia. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories by area, which in ...

to the prison colony in

Van Diemen's Land Van Diemen's Land was the colonial name of the island of Tasmania during the European exploration of Australia, European exploration and colonisation of Australia in the 19th century. The Aboriginal Tasmanians, Aboriginal-inhabited island wa ...

. A previous ship carrying convicts, the '' Lady Denison'' had not arrived at its destination. Allen took extra precautions to ensure the safety of his ship, the

brig A brig is a type of sailing vessel defined by its rig: two masts which are both square rig, square-rigged. Brigs originated in the second half of the 18th century and were a common type of smaller merchant vessel or warship from then until the l ...

''Punch'', carrying prisoners, police and paying passengers. One of the paying passengers was the wife of one of the prisoners. The ship departed Port Adelaide on 13 June 1850, and arrived in good order at

Hobart Town Hobart ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the island state of Tasmania, Australia. Located in Tasmania's south-east on the estuary of the River Derwent, it is the southernmost capital city in Australia. Despite containing nearly half ...

on 25 June. It had on board nine male and three female prisoners, escorted by four Adelaide police, and eleven passengers (including five children). Descriptions of exactly what happened on the voyage vary in details. By either account, the convicts had planned an escape and mutiny, using tools and equipment shipped on board in a locked chest. Allen was a

Cork "Cork" or "CORK" may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Stopper (plug), or "cork", a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container *** Wine cork an item to seal or reseal wine Places Ireland * ...

Irishman who had arrived in South Australia as ship's mate on the brig ''Elizabeth Buckham'' in 1843. At age 32, he married 21-year-old Sarah Ann Galway of Port Adelaide in 1850 at

Holy Trinity Church, Adelaide Trinity Church Adelaide, formerly known as Holy Trinity Church and later Trinity City, is an Australian evangelical Anglican church located at 88 North Terrace in the city of Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1836 and rebuilt in 1 ...

. She accompanied him on voyages around Australia and South East Asia on the brigs ''Punch'' and ''Empress'' and schooner ''Swallow'' until he retired from sailing in 1875. He was also later part-owner of the ''Schah Jehan''. Their children were born on board, or at ports where they called, and travelled with them. * Patrick (died 6 June 1855, aged 4, buried

West Terrace Cemetery The West Terrace Cemetery, formerly Adelaide Public Cemetery is a cemetery in Adelaide, South Australia. It is the state's oldest cemetery, first appearing on Colonel William Light's 1837 plan of the Adelaide city centre, to the south-west of ...

Catholic section, Adelaide) * (son buried Singapore) * Sarah Ann, aged 5 days, buried at Alberton Cemetery, Adelaide on 14 March 1855 *Marmion Allen (1857–1860, buried in Melbourne) *Thomas Maurice (Tom) Allen (18 December 1859 – March 1912), died when the ship he skippered, the was caught in a cyclone and lost with all hands. *Seaborn C. R. Allen (29 April 1862 – 22 June 1931) born on the ''Sehah Jehan'' off Cape Northumberland) Allen died at his home in Queenstown near Port Adelaide in 1885 and was buried at the Woodville Cemetery.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Allen, Thomas Colony of South Australia people 1810s births 1885 deaths