Summary
Personal Information
Voyage
Transportation
Thomas Arnott was transported on the Calcutta, departing 31st Jan 1803 and arriving 4th Oct 1803 with 305 passengers.
HMS Calcutta was the East Indiaman Warley (1795), converted to a Royal Navy ship. This ship of the line served for a time as an armed transport. She also transported convicts to Australia. The French Magnanime captured Calcutta in 1805. In 1809, after she ran aground during the Battle of the Basque Roads and her crew had abandoned her, a British boarding party burned her. In 1803 the Calcutta sailed into Port Phillip bay where at least 4 convicts escaped , in Sydney in April 1804 it was reported that 8 had died on the trip. Of the four known escapees one was shot on escape, 2 turned back after 2 days to reattach to the group at the camp in bay before the boat left , one continued on ...into Australia's history books. At least 13 convicts were transferred on to Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania), Australia.The ship also carried officers, wives and free settlers.
Calcutta (generic)References
| Primary Source | Australian Joint Copying Project. Microfilm Roll 87, Class and Piece Number HO11/1, Page Number 338. Tasmanian Archives - convict records. Queens Orphan School. |
| Source Description | This record is one of the entries in the British convict transportation registers 1787-1867 database compiled by State Library of Queensland from British Home Office (HO) records which are available on microfilm as part of the Australian Joint Copying Pro |
| Original Source | Great Britain. Home Office |
| Compiled By | State Library of Queensland |
| Database Source | British convict transportation registers 1787-1867 database |
Claims
No one has claimed Thomas Arnott yet.
Photos
No photos have been added for Thomas Arnott.
Convict Notes
Some of the previous notes concerning Thomas suggest his parentage is unconfirmed. However DNA testing has increased massively in the last few years and the situation is no longer the same. His origin in St Sepulchre can now be confirmed through the DNA connections between Thomas' Australian descendants and the descendants of his English sister Jane Arnott.
Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 15 February 2023), July 1800, trial of THOMAS ARNETT (t18000709-43). THOMAS ARNETT, Theft > grand larceny, 9th July 1800. 519. THOMAS ARNETT was indicted for feloniously stealing, on the 5th of July , a gown, value 5s. three handkerchiefs, value 4s. and a pair of shoes, value 1s. the property of Sarah Welch , Spinster . SARAH WELCH sworn. - On Saturday last the prisoner came up into my room; he took a bundle off the bed, and went down stairs; I thought he meant it in a bit of fun; some of it was my property, and some belonging to another girl; and he went and pawned them. Q.Then you suffered him to go down stairs with the bundle, and did not attempt to stop him? - A. I thought it was fun. Court. Gentlemen of the Jury, you see the nature of this case. NOT GUILTY . Tried by the second Middlesex Jury, before Mr. Justice ROOKE.
Tasmanian Records. https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON22-1-1_0006 Per Calcutta, Thomas Arnott, Convicted at Middlesex Sessions of Peace, tried 14 July 1800, 7 years.
There is no definitive genealogical link between Thomas ARNOTT convict and Thomas ARNOTT baptised in 1781, except speculation. No records in Tasmania, at all, define his parents, not via his marriages, his children's births, nor his death/burial. NOR do any of his convict records give a place of birth, only the place of his criminal activity. Despite innumerable well-researched descendants having DNA tested and matched to each other, there is no match, to date, to descendants of the ARNOTTs of the parish of St Sepulchre.
UK National Archives - Central Criminal Court - HO77 - Newgate Prison Calendar - 007 page 280 (?) Ind 85 Thomas Arnott from New Prison Convd (?) by N Conant Esq on Oath of Temperance Wife of John Legge for Stealing 4 Loaves of Bread value 10d. the property of the said John Legge dated July 7 1800 Ind 2 - Detained on Oath of Alice Wynne for Stealing a Cotton Gown value 10d. her property dated July 7 1800 Ind 3d. (?) Detained on Oath of Sarah Welch for Stealing a Cotton gown value 10d. her property dated July 7 1800 Side note - also at S.P. Midx?
DAUGHTERS Hannah and Priscilla were admitted to the Queens Orphanage, New Town, nr Hobart. Hannah, aged 10yrs, admitted 13 Aug 1839 by father (mother deceased). Returned to his care 21 Dec 1843. Priscilla, aged 8yrs, admitted 13 Aug 1839 by father (mother deceased). Returned to his care 21 Dec 1843. (ref. SWD7, 28) Thomas ARNOTT left Tasmania on 8 Sept 1839 per the ship 'Paul Pry' George Town to Port Phillip, Victoria. (Departures record 518195) Thomas and another wife returned to Tasmania to live at Kangaroo Point. 2 Jan 1847: Thomas ARNOTT died, at Clarence Plains (now Rokeby), inflammation of stomach. Aged 65 years. (ref. 35/1/18 no. 1)
Second Marriage: 6 Oct 1834: Application for permission to marry - Thomas Arnott, free by servitude (transported per Calcutta), widower to Sarah Hainsworth per ‘Mary’. Approved. 20 Nov 1834: Marriage to Sarah Hainsworth, spinster. (register has her name as “Ainsworth”). Married at the School House, Clarence Plains, Tas. (ref. 36/1/2 no. 2661) 28 Feb 1839: Second wife, Sarah Hainsworth died.
Link to the record of his 1st wife Sarah MYERS/MEYERS http://www.convictrecords.com.au/convicts/meyers/sarah/91291
Thomas ARNOTT was convicted at Middlesex, London on 14 July 1800 and given a 7yr transportation sentence. Sent to New South Wales, Australia per the ship 'Calcutta' 1803. Transferred to Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania) per the 'Ocean' 1804. (ref. Tas Archives 22/1/1) 5 Feb 1827: Marriage to Sarah MYERS, spinster, convict. At Hobart. (ref. 36/1/1 no. 983) Children: 24 Mar 1830- Hannah ARNOTT at Clarence Plains, Tas. Father - Thomas Arnott, tradesman. Mother - Sarah Arnott. Baptised 18 April by Rev. Robert Knopwood. (ref. 32/1/1 no. 3712) 29 Dec 1831 - Pricilla ARNOTT at Clarence Plains, Tas. Father - Thomas Arnott, turner. Mother - Sarah Arnott. Baptised 31 Jan 1832 by Rev'd Robert Knopwood. (ref. 32/1/1 no. 4647) Wife Sarah MYERS - ARNOTT/ARNETT died at Hobart Nov. 1832. (ref. Hobart Town Courier 30/11/1832). Sarah was of the Jewish faith and Thomas had objected to an Inquest but overruled.
Everything there is to discover, so it seems! He has some 1600 recorded descendants, including spouses. If anyone doesn't know of me, yet, and believes they too are descended from Thomas, contact me on jools@maxnet.co.nz Still looking, however, to confirm his parentage.