Summary
Personal Information
Voyage
Transportation
James Bell was transported on the Calcutta, departing 19th Apr 1837 and arriving 5th Aug 1837 with 241 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 | Irish Convict Database, by Peter Mayberry. |
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Convict Notes
County Antrim Assizes. James Bell, for a malicious assault on Michael Magee, on 18th December last, endangering his life, and inflicting on him a bodily injury. Michael Magee—Remembers the 18th December last ; had been at a wake that night, and was coming home, across Smithfield ; prisoner and two others, passed by him; prisoner turned back again, and asked who had thrown the stone; Daly, a man with witness, said no one had ; prisoner said only for the watchman he would beat the whole of them; witness then stripped off his coat to fight with him, and then prisoner stabbed him with a knife under the arm, and then cut the muscles of his right arm —(two very severe wounds) - prisoner is the man ; saw the knife in his hand ; was taken to hospital, where his wounds were dressed by Dr. Lamont; his arm is quite disabled. Guilty; transportation for seven years. Ulster Times, 11 March 1837
Irish Convict Database, by Peter Mayberry. James Bell, age on arrival, 24, per Calcutta II, 1837. Tried at Antrim, 1837, 7 years for Assault malicious. DOB 1813, Native place, Antrim. Married. Protestant. Nailor.