Alexander (ship)

The Alexander was a First Fleet transport of 452 tons, barque-built with quarterdeck, built at Hull in 1783. She was the largest transport ship in the First Fleet. Before leaving England, fever broke out on board, and sixteen men died. She left Portsmouth on 13 May 1787, carrying 195 male convicts. 15 more convicts died on the journey, the most for any ship in the fleet. She arrived at Port Jackson, Sydney, Australia, on 26 January 1788. She left Port Jackson on 14 July 1788 in company with the Friendship, whose crew she picked up when that ship was scuttled. She reached England on 3 June 1789. Her master was Duncan Sinclair, and her surgeon was William Balmain. Little is known about her return journey but in 1808 she disappeared from records.

Further reading

• Gillen, Mollie, The Founders of Australia: A Biographical Dictionary of the First Fleet, Sydney: Library of Australian History, 1989.
• Bateson, Charles, The Convict Ships, 1787–1868, Sydney, 1974.