The Ship that Never Was: The Greatest Escape Story Of Australian Colonial History

by Adam Courtenay

The greatest escape story of Australian colonial history by the son of Australia’s best-loved storyteller In 1828, James Porter, sailor, chancer, illywhacker, found himself on a ship bound for Van Diemen's Land, having been convicted of stealing a stack of beaver furs. After several escape attempts from the notorious penal colony, Porter, who told authorities he was a 'beer-machine maker', was sent to Sarah Island, known in Van Diemen's Land as 'hell on earth'. Many tried to escape the island; few succeeded. But when Governor George Arthur announced that Sarah Island would closed down and the prisoners moved to the new penal station of Port Arthur, Porter, along with a motley crew of other prisoners, pulled off an audacious escape. Commandeering the ship they'd been building to transport them to Port Arthur, the escapees sailed all the way to Chile. What happened next is stranger than fiction, a fitting outcome for this true-life picaresque tale.The Ship That Never Was is an entertaining and rollicking story from our past by an exciting new voice in popular history. James Porter, whose memoirs were the inspiration for Marcus Clarke's For the Term of his Natural Life, is an original Australian larrikin whose ingenuity, ability to talk himself out of a tight corner and refusal to buckle under authority makes him an irresistible anti-hero in the tradition of Ned Kelly.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Australia, Historical, Crime, Audiobook, Biography

332 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 21, 2018

About the author

Adam Courtenay is a Sydney-based writer and journalist. He has had a long career in the UK and Australia, writing for papers such as the Financial Times, the Sydney Morning Herald, the Australian Financial Review and the UK Sunday Times. He is the son of Australia's best-loved storyteller Bryce Courtenay and the author of several Australian histories, including The Ship that Never Was, Three Sheets to the Wind and Mr Todd's Marvel.

Reviews

[Sue Gerhardt Griffiths · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another amazing, interesting and educational story from Adam Courtenay and one I devoured with glee. If you’re a history enthusiast you will undoubtedly enjoy being transported back to the
1800s. Journey along with James Porter and other convicts on the high seas crossing thousands of miles of water to Chile. Adam Courtenay sure does have a knack for storytelling it wasn’t hard to be sucked right into this captivating and rollicking tale.

[Shae · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fascinating read.

My first thought upon completion was, 'truth really can be stranger than fiction!'

This extraordinary account of larrikin, convict James Porter and what could possibly be the nicest mutiny in history, is one that all Aussies (and anyone with an interest in the land down under) should read.

I would absolutely love to see this book added to the Australian National Curriculum for high school students.

I have painful memories of slogging through 'Crime and Punishment' (by Dostoyevsky - or 'dusty esky' as my irreverent English class mates and I used to say) and can't help but feel that study of 'The Ship That Never Was' would have been a much more meaningful and relevant experience. Apologies to all the die hard Dostoyevsky fans :-)

Do give this a go if you'd like to learn more about what well may be the greatest escape story of Australian colonial history.

[Carol Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cracking tale of adventure that reads like a tall story yet it's all true! Vivid, entertaining history. Who knew of this pint-sized larrikan of a Tasmanian convict who just wouldn't lie down and behave? Apparently many people, but not me! Cockney convict and former sailor, James Porter joins a motley crew of convicts who steal a ship to escape Macquarie Harbour in Tasmania and somehow end up on the other side of the Pacific in Chile. This is a detailed, fascinating account that illuminates life for a convict in early Tasmania in a rollicking good story.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'll start this by pointing out this is definitely not my normal read, and I went in very close-minded about what I would think of this. However, it did pleasantly surprise me.

I found myself skimming information in the first half with lots of the information being presented along the lines of: it says this in his memoir, but can we really believe James Porter? But once it got to the mutiny of the ship and the story of their journey and escape from there, I was immersed. It looks at such an historic and pivotal part of Tasmanian and Australian convict history. I must say, it has sparked my interest and made me want to visit Strahan. And I definitely want to go back to Hobart and Port Arthur with the knowledge I now have. I don't feel like I fully understood and grasped the dominance of Governor Arthur and his role in the penal colony it started as.

I loved the trial and how all of this contributed to changing our ways of incarcerating and 'punishing' people. Would recommend to anyone interested in Australian/Tasmanian convict history 👌

A solid 3⭐️ interesting enough but just not my thing.

[Hwilko · Rating 5 out of 5]

A compelling, page -turning history with all the best ingredients: a likeable rogue at centre stage and an against-the-odds escape from a lifetime of misery for an unlikely alliance of Australian convicts in the 1800s. The storylines of history based on English convict James Porter extend all the way from a godforsaken eastern Tasmania to an emerging and vibrant South America, weaving together extraordinary historical accounts and fully fleshed out characters I knew little about before . The author strikes a rare balance between the genres of non-fiction history and historical novel, bringing a gripping feel to a real life story based on extensive historical research. I look forward to the next book from Adam Courtenay.

[Karen Aylward · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it! Completely absorbing from page one. A real insight into early Australian history and the resilience of the human spirit. I enjoy a great read but am totally hooked when I learn along the way. Adam Courtenay has a fabulous knack for storytelling. I highly recommend this book.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent read, the book moves along at a good pace and as well as telling an amazing story it provides a great deal of background regarding transportation and life in a penal colonel. A very enjoyable book.

[Tc · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's not just about the escape, but what happened afterwards... with unexpected twists right up until the end!

[Meredith Jaffe · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is nothing like a rollicking good tale where the underdog triumphs over the top dog, not to mention great escapes and characters both ingenious and deeply flawed. Adam Courtenay's book is reminiscent of a Dickens novel, except in this case, it happens to be true.

In 1823, James Porter is convicted of stealing beaver furs and ends up transported to the bottom of the world, Van Diemen's Land, ruled by the self-serving cruel Governor George Arthur. Here, life for convists is merciless and incessantly cruel. Porter finds himself sent to Macquarie Harbour and employed to help build the brig, Frederick. When news reaches the men that Macquarie Harbour will be closed as a convict prison and the men will be sent to the newly completed penal settlement at Port Arthur, the men decide to chance their hand.

They overtake the Frederick, dump her soldiers and captain on the beach and head for Chile. Its astounding they even made it. What happens next is an amazing tale of global politics and anti-heroism. Courtenay has gone to great lengths to set the record straight on James Porter but he tells this tall but true tale with all the verve and tension of a fictional adventure.

[Noel Magnus · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book - a real cover to cover read.

It's part history, part boys own adventure - with many rascals and even more twists and turns.

A rollicking, adventurous ride through a piece of little known (to me anyway) Australian colonial and maritime history.

I know it it is often unwise or unkind to judge those of long ago by today's standards and morals, but to my way of thinking, having read this book, Port Arthur should be renamed, and George Arthur should be stripped of any remaining fame or glory, as well as being convicted of hundreds (perhaps thousands?) of Crimes against Humanity.

Congratulations Adam Courtenay - can't wait for the next book!

[Janita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank goodness a story as astonishing as this, has been preserved via this worthy book. What a tragedy if the tale of these men was lost or overlooked. As with most extensively researched and documented histories, a clear and reflective perspective is only arrived at in the final chapters and Afterword. The author did a wonderful job of making some kind of sense of who was the person, James Porter and what drove him to seemingly never be willing to 'play the game'. I do wish I had read this book before we visited Macquarie Harbour and actually met Kiah Davey while we were on Sarah Island. I had read enough (For the Term of His Natural Life, by Marcus Clarke) to understand a lot of the history of this part of Tasmania, but this book adds so much depth and insight that the experience of visiting Tasmania, and especially the South West would have been even more enhanced. Thank you so much to all those involved in the writing and research for this book because it is one of those stories that is 1,000 times much stranger than fiction.

[Samantha Battams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed reading this book - even though I knew the story as I saw the play in Strahan just after it started, when I was living in Tasmania for five years (93 to 97). This book is a very easy read and I read it quickly. It inspired me to read 'The Botanist's Daughter' when I picked it up as they are also both partly set in Chile in 19thC.
I was fascinated to hear that Wally Shiers (who was a mechanic on the first UK-Australia flight in 1919) was the grandchild of the Shiers who was one of the convict escapees to Chile....in the same week I finished this book, I organised for a shed to be installed...with the name of the person doing it Shiers - and yes, he is related to convict Shiers and Wally Shiers! Coincidence!

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is hard to believe that this actually happened - that these men survived the horrors of convict life in Australia of the 1820s - 1830s. Our history really is filled with amazing stories of ordinary (and not so ordinary) people.
At different times, I looked on James Porter as a hard-done-by victim of the system, as a real larrikin, as a cruel human being, as a clever sailor and ship builder, as uncaring. But considering his circumstances, he probably had every right to react in these ways.
This is a well researched book with great detail of real people and places. There must be many more examples of individual convicts and free settlers who led interesting lives that add to our Australian history.
Highly recommended for those who enjoy exploring history and reading action/adventure.

[Natalie S · Rating 4 out of 5]

James Porter was a convict who once had two choices: a) toe the line and eventually be released or b) escape prison. In Adam Courtenay’s The Ship That Never Was we learn about how Porter took option number two. Courtenay’s tome is an engaging look at history that leaves readers overjoyed and scratching their heads at this perplexing character. James Porter was – among other things – a thief, a convict, an opportunist and a cunning manipulator.

To read the rest of this review please visit: https://100percentrock.com/book-revie...

[Aspiring Scribbler · Rating 2 out of 5]

"...the entertaining and rollicking story of what is surely the greatest escape in Australian colonial history." (From the blurb of the audio version)

Honestly, I'm a little surprised at how many glowing reviews this book has received. The story was somewhat interesting (based on true events) but I just found the book hard work. It is described as "the greatest escape story of Australian colonial history by the son of Australia’s best-loved storyteller." (Goodreads description) Personally, I thought the exciting adventures of James Porter and his fellow convicts were buried deep down beneath far too many layers of detail about the context, including the history of transportation, the political machinations of the colonies, and legal wrangling. I understand why these would be important to some people, but they weren't what was advertised...I like my "entertaining and rollicking" stories to be much more joyful.

[Nola Barnard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a ripsnorter of a true tale about a convict , James Porter , transported from cockney London to Van Diemen's Land and how he and other convicts managed to escape that hell -hole. The daily struggles of the convicts ;the lashings, the cold, the hunger and so on are described so exactly by the author that it should be a thoroughly depressing read, but James Porter's larrikin spirit lifts the tone to that of an exciting adventure. This book has fascinating characters, a remarkable storyline and is beautifully written with touches of both dark and light. And best of all ,it's all true !

[Bettina Partridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adored this book.

The truth is so much better than The Term Of His Natural Life- Marcus Clarke.

The author is excelling in this genre. A good bit of non-fiction Australian history is fantastic. Thank you Adam.

This is the second of the author's books I have read and to my utter embarrassment he looked to my last review and I had made a pathetic effort.

One of the things I love about Mr Courtney's writing is I always come across words I am unfamiliar with and I know many!

Somehow I need to get excited about The Amazon so I can read a bit more of this author.

Any chance of some more Australianna before too?

[Natala · Rating 4 out of 5]

After seeing the pantomime of the same name in Strahan, Tasmania last year, I was keen to learn a bit more. What a fantasic story that is worthy of the big screen! This book was great and filled in many aspects the play could not. Like any historical piece though, there is the "maybe it did, maybe it didn't" feeling due to the difficulty of finding documentation and the reliance of piecing the puzzle together. I enjoyed this book and would recommend this story as a fantastically dramatic piece of Aussie history.

[LIsa Partridge · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a slow start with this book and put it down for awhile before making myself pick it up again and I am glad I did as my interest was rekindled and I found it to be quite a good read. Interesting to me because I didn't know about this escape story and it demonstrates what lengths people will go to when their lives become unbearable with ill treatment and torture in the name of a Government who couldnt or wouldnt work out a way to solve the problems of poverty and hunger in their own country.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent true sort of convict escape . This extraordinary escape and journey to South America surely should be well known but this is the first I’d heard of it!! Well researched and documented story. Loved it.

[David Young · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting but not exceptional

[Chris Parcell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Descriptions of Tasmania are fascinating, if you live or have visited there. First half of the book is an interesting romp through a convicts eyes. The second half not so much fun.

[Smitchy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fascinating account of a little known episode in Australian colonial history. Convict James Porter and nine others managed to steal a newly built ship and sail it all the way to South America in one of the most daring and audacious escapes in convict history. It is amazing this story isn't better known given that it was front page news at the time it happened. But this book isn't just the story of a daring escape, it's a look at the conditions of the convicts, the inhumane treatment they endured everyday, the social attitudes of the time, and the political pressures on governors, guards and politicians that allowed that treatment to go on for far too long.

The actual escape is really only a small part of this book - Courtenay builds a very detailed picture of Porter, his fellow escapees, and the world they inhabited. Convicts were essentially slave labour in the young colony of Tasmania and, with a seemingly endless supply from England, there was no pressing reason to treat them kindly. Under the auspices of Governor George Arthur a troublesome convict was moved further and further down the work ladder until they ended up at Macquarie Harbour. Macquarie Harbour might as well have been at the ends of the earth - on the isolated west coast of Tasmania, surrounded by impenetrably dense bush, for the convicts there was no escape from the brutal conditions, lashings, forced labour and lack of food.

When Macquarie Harbour was shut down the prisoners were moved to the new penal facility of Port Arthur, but Porter and his friends were among the last to leave as the new ship they were building needed a bit more time to finish. This gave them the opportunity for their audacious and possibly suicidal escape attempt: To take the ship.
The "Frederick" wasn't built for the open ocean, she was meant to hug the coast, but Porter and nine others (only half of them experienced seamen), using only dead reckoning, managed to take her halfway around the world to the coast of Chile.

The story is pieced together from Porter's own diaries, newspaper accounts, court documents and official government paperwork. Courtenay has noted where the accounts differ (Porter seems a bit prone to a bit of self-aggrandising) but overall this story comes together very smoothly and is easy to follow.
Courtenay takes his time getting to the actual escape, the picture he builds of colonial and convict life in Van Diemen's Land is bleak and brutal. I occasionally wanted him to hurry up and just get to the crux of the story but for someone more interested than I in the minutiae of Tasmanian history all that detail will be fascinating.

Highly recommended for lovers of Australian history who want a bit of adventure.

[Anna Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

As it says in the afterward: be warned because "this little bastard will get under your skin."

The story of James Porter, convict and escape artist in 19th century Tasmania, was one I had never heard before and it was unbelievably fascinating. And while Porter was undoubtedly a criminal he did indeed get under my skin and I found myself rooting for him as the story unfolded.

Based on the description of the book I expected the entirety to revolve around James Porter and his fellow convicts attempting to escape from Macquarie Harbor, but that actually occurs about a third of the way through the book. That's not to say I was any means disappointed or less engaged in the story after that point, however. I found myself feeling more and more invested as the events progressed, and what comes after the daring convict escape was such a good read (and historical tale!).

It may have been me personally taking a bit to get used to the writing style but after the first 50 pages or so the story really took off for me. That's not to say it was hard to get into initially by any means though!

I loved that author Adam Courtenay took Porter's personal memoirs with a grain of salt and explained how/ why he thought Porter was writing his personal story the way he did. He also does not depend on Porter's personal narrative alone but adds in research from the governments and other people associated with the story. Unlike some other history books I've read, Courtenay doesn't linger too long on a subject, go off on unnecessary tangents, or bore the reader with heavy descriptions. I also usually do not read the afterward in books (is this just me?) but I read this one -which was very short- and I'm so glad I did. It gives a better feel for the author's and other scholar's feelings towards Jame's Porter as a means of measuring penal colony history.

There were a few times I felt like the author used unnecessary academic words that could have been simplified for the reader. For example, words like "schadenfreude" which I personally had to Google. Also on two occasions-very early in the story- I found two errors where the wrong name or date was used. These, however, did not detract from the story or really confuse the reader in any way as they were easy to see around.

Overall, this book is for anyone interested in a great story. It read very quickly and felt much more like a novel than a history textbook. Even if you don't like non-fiction or historical novels and the description interests you I would highly recommend picking this up!

[Dennis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an absolutely fascinating book. As well as the actual escape in a Tasmanian ship made from Huon pine and built by convicts and their voyage to Chile, which in itself is a remarkable achievement, it tells a great deal about the early life in the Hobart settlement and the appalling treatment handed out to the convicts. How such barbarity persisted for such a long time is a mystery in itself although its eventual demise seems to have been driven by economic rather than humanitarian reasons. Governor Arthur was an appalling character who seems almost like a caricature of a cruel officious British officer and was so short that his sword dragged along the ground and as a result he did his inspections mounted on a horse. As well as a cruel, he was also corrupt and amassed a fortune through shady land deals. I will look out for a book on him to see if justice ever caught up. Congratulations to Adam Courtenay (son of Bryce) for a great book based on some fantastic research.

[Tyler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Australian convicts had a horrendously bad life. Unending misery working for masters for little to no pay. I couldn't help but root for Porter to come out of this with some sort of relief. He was put into onto a transport ship for a misdemeanor now and it makes it all the more satisfying to see him escape again and again. The author never makes him out to be a saint but I really never got the feeling he was any more deceptive than some of my co-workers. The backstory of the Australia and the various eras Porter experienced are well told.I will say the only slightly negative is that from the title of the book I was expecting a big con, like him selling the Brooklyn Bridge but it was more a legal definition. Good marketing but slightly disappointing with the reveal.

[Adam Windsor · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting and very readable account of the seizure of the "Frederick", a convict-built brig, by ten of the men responsible for making her, their daring and unlikely escape across the Pacific, and their subsequent fates. The focus of the book is James Porter, who published his memoirs of the experience on at least two separate occasions. Porter was quite the one to try it on, so we can't take everything he wrote at face value (and Courtenay doesn't) but his perspective of the known facts still make for an intriguing read.

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed delving back into Australia's convict history. The story itself about James Porter and the Federick seemed at times fanciful, but yet it was true! The book was a good reminder of the brutality of Australia's penal colonies, the desperation of its inhabitants and an insight into the wretched lives they lived. The destruction of the indigenous population was also hinted at. I had to keep reminding myself that all of this happened only 200 years ago! A though provoking book beyond the story of Porter and his fellow escapees.

[Morag Thorne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A humane story well researched and written.

This is a fascinating insight into the experience, hopes and impulses of one of Australia’s early convicts under the changing administrations of governors who ranged from cruel and corrupt to genuinely reformative. The authors assessment of the man’s character is humane and highly probable. Background history well researched and rendered compelling by the author’s empathy.

[Peter Stuart · Rating 3 out of 5]

An element of Australian history of which I was not aware is brought to colorful life within this engaging work. Without spoilers, it details the escape from one of the penal colonies operating in Tasmania by a group of convicts and their subsequent journeys post their escape.

It is a very approachable work, with an excellent balance of background establishing the main protagonists and the events covered. I found it an excellent tale well told.