Summary
Personal Information
Voyage
Transportation
John Avery 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 344 |
| 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 |
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Convict Notes
Robert Knopwood’s Diary. The Rev. Robert Knopwood sailed from England, on the Calcutta in 1803, and landed in Port Phillip with the prisoners. He later became the first chaplain appointed in Van Diemen’s Land, and was also appointed a Magistrate. He kept a diary, from 1805 -1808, which can be downloaded by following the links: https://eprints.utas.edu.au/13550/ https://eprints.utas.edu.au/13563/ Entry for Wednesday 8 May. am. at 11 a party of the Prisoners that were going away with a new Whale Boat were detected and confind, Thursday 9 May. At 11 His Honor the Lt Governor Rev. R. K. and Wm Sladden Esqrs, set to examine Samuel Gun alias Camel, Chris. Forsha – alias Watkins, - John Williams alias Johnson, - Munden – Hayward, Horne, Prestige, Avery. Prisoners that were going to take the new Whale boat and make their escape in it to New Zealand. Although the information was so true that we receivd yet could not get anything from them to convict them.
Tasmanian Records. https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON22-1-1_0006 Per Calcutta, John Avery, Convicted at Southampton Jail Delivery tried 27 July 1802, Life. Added to record: 20, 1 Sep 14 years 5 July 1824. F.P. 2 Aug 1841. ---------------------------------------------------- The following is a correct statement of the sentences which have been passed upon the under-named prisoners, who were convicted during the late Sessions of the Hon. the Supreme Court of Criminal Jurisdiction of Van Diemen's Land :— Transportation for 14 Years.—William Davis, Jane Davis, John Peck, Edward Evans, John Avery, Silvester Lush, and Charles Collis. Sydney Gazette, 19 Aug 1824. GOVERNMENT NOTICE. No. 175. Colonial Secretary's Office, 29th July, 1841. Memoranda of Pardon have been issued for the following convicts until her Majesty's pleasure be known; viz. : John Avery, Calcutta. The Courier, 3 Aug 1841. GOVERNMENT NOTICE. No. 317. Colonial Secretary's Office, 2nd December, 1842. The Lieutenant-Governor directs that the following list of persons who have received Absolute or Conditional Remissions of their Sentences, and of which Her Majesty's gracious allowance has been notified, shall be published for general information. The individuals in whose favour the Pardons have been granted will therefore apply at the office of the Muster Master, Hobart Town, or, if in the interior, at the Police Magistrate of the district, that they may receive the proper documents. ABSOLUTE PARDONS. John Avery, Calcutta; The Courier, 16 Dec 1842. ------------------------------------------------------- On Wednesday morning last, at his residence, Collins-street, Hobart Town, Mr. John Avery, aged 84 years. The deceased was one of the first settlers in this Island, having come to this colony in the Calcutta nearly fifty years since. Launceston Examiner, 3 Sep 1851.
… and John Avery, for horse-stealing; have committed to our county gaol . Hampshire Chronicle, 14 June 1802. John Avery and John Lock, tor stealing a grey mare, at the Parish ... the property of ... Mansbridge — Death. Hampshire Chronicle, 2 Aug 1802.