Summary
Personal Information
Voyage
Transportation
Stephen Byrne 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 341 (170) Australia, Convict Index, 1788-1868 |
| 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
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Convict Notes
Stephen died at sea and was buried at sea. Burials in the parish of St Davids, Hobart (Printed) Burials on board His Majesty’s ship Calcutta. (Handwritten below) https://stors.tas.gov.au/RGD34-1-1p001j2k
Old Bailey: STEPHEN BYRNE. Theft: theft from a specified place. 13th January 1802 Verdict Guilty Sentence Death STEPHEN BYRNE was indicted for feloniously stealing, on the 5th of January, a guinea, four shillings, three Ramsgate bank-notes, value 5l. each, a Bank of England note, value 2l. and another Bank of England note, value 1l. the property of George Trounce, in the dwelling-house of James Taff. GEORGE TROUNCE sworn. - I am a sailor, and had just come from Demarara with the prisoner; we lodged in Spital-fields; the day after New year's day, he gave me a one-pound note to pay me what he owed me; I had all my wages, three five-pound Ramsgate notes, a two-pound note, a one-pound note, a guinea in gold, and four shillings in a pocket-book, which I had locked up in a chest; my landlord took me with him to get change for the note Byrne gave, and while we were gone, he took the opportunity to go up stairs, and open the chest, and take money, book, and all; I was not gone above eight minutes; when I found he was gone, I suspected something then, and my landlord followed him to Islington, as he had rasked of going to Liverpool; I have seen the notes since, before the Magistrate. Prisoner's defence. I live at Liverpool; Trounce and I came together from Demarara; the captain whom I went out with paid me thirteen joes, and told me to call on his agent for the remainder; when we got to Ramsgate, I sold the joes to a Jew for fourteen pounds eight shillings, and he gave me a small red pocket-book; that very day the captain I came home with, paid me seven pounds ten shillings for my passage; the Jew gave me two five-pound Ramsgate notes, and the captain gave me a one and a two-pound Bank of England note, and some silver; I forced them all into the pocket-book, and burst it; the prosecutor had paid some money for me on the road, and I gave him a one-pound note to take it out of; we had been drinking freely that day, and I went and lay down on the bed; while he was gone for change, I fell asleep, but don't know for how long; when I awoke, there was a man sitting on the bed with a candle; I got up, put on my shoes, and went down, when Mrs. Taff began to abuse me, and bid me begone; I went out, and intended to go to Liverpool, I did not know my road, but got to Islington, and had some supper, where Taff came in, and said, Trounce had lost seventeen pounds, and I had it; I said, I had not, but he called the watch, and that gentleman took my own notes out of my pocket. GUILTY, Death, aged 36. Sentence respited 25th February 1802. 17/5/1803: Stephen Byrne died at Sullivan Bay, Port Phillip. Aged 36.