Summary
Personal Information
Crime
Voyage
Transportation
James Carrett 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 | Colonial Secretary Index. Leeds Intelligencer, 31 May 1802. |
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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 Saturday 15 August 1807. The Names of the Prisoners which are Bushrangers at this time and they are all armed and have plenty of Dogs - James Carrot, Thos Story, Joseph Fernander, James Watts, John Williams alias Rush. Richd Grover, Joseph Meyers, Wm. Russell, Sam Tomlins, Wm Marsh, John Brown, James Duff, John Parish, Wm Bowers. 14.
CAPTURING THE BUSHRANGERS: Petition dated December 20th 1812 from : Thomas Tombs, James Carrett and William Thompson “TO: Major Geils, the 73rd Regiment Commandant of Van Diemens Land The humble Petition of Thomas Tombs, James Carrett and William Thompson, Prisoners for Life, Most humbly sheweth “That your Petitioners are of that unfortunate description of person named bushrangers who never were guilty of any outrage since their arrival in this country, and whose crime arises in deserting from their Government employ - preferring a life of quiet in the bush to that of Government employ. “That your petitioners at the time of their desertion fled to the western mountains from thence towards Cape Barren and to the straits far from either settlements where, one hundred and eighty miles from this and one hundred from Port Dalrymple and there lived upon the casual supply furnished by their dogs, sooner than interfere with the peaceable and well disposed part of the community. “That your petitioners returning from the Straits towards Oyster Bay fell in with two men collecting seal skins who informed them that they had now a fair opportunity of availing themselves of a Pardon, as there was a proclamation issued by Your Honor for the detention of John McCabe and John Townsend, two most notorious offenders as specified in it. being free of a life which afforded nothing but Emue and Kangaroo and that sometimes a precarious supply, and afraid to return knowing the punishment we deserved, we determined however desperate the attempt to hunt them all over the Island been 9??) our lives bringing them in to obtain that blessing offer (of a pardon) we enquired of the two men, who gave us the information, what part of the country we might go in quest of them - the men replied the last time they were head of, they were at New Norfolk where they were seen by a Government Stock Keeper named King in the act of firing among the Government men. “The step we had before us was a desperate one - how to avoid the soldiers and fall in with them, We however travelled forty miles from the lower part of Oyster Bay towards New Norfolk as necessity required we should keep as clear as possible of the district and at Peopers (?) Plains being after a morning hunt and returning with two kangaroos to when rekindled a fire one of your petitioners (Graved Thompson) fortunately fell in with them - he knew McCabe at Sidney - and after some conversation sought to prevail upon him to join petitioner’s companions which both of them positively refused. The next day however, your petitioners contrived to fall in with them and found they were well prepared with muskets and ammunition and knowing them to be desperate men and we only three ill provided, it was xx your petitioners should act causiously [sic] we remained with them a few days and found means to divide them when we secured both with kangaroo cord and conducted them to town. Petitioners relying on Your Honour’s proclamation most humbly beg that you will condescend to tend your influence on their behalf with his Excellency the Governor in Chief of New South Wales for which Your Petitioners will ever pray in Duty Bound. Hobart Town December 20th 1812. Signed by Thomas Tombs and the marks of James Carrett and William Thompson. -------------------------------------------------- Convicts Index 1791-1873 James Carrett, Ship Calcutta, 1803, Conditional Pardon, Date: 31 Jan 1813.
On Monday last, ... James Carrett and William Baxter, for stealing a tankard, to be transported for seven years. Leeds Intelligencer 19 Jan 1801. ---------------------------------------------------- On Wednesday morning the following six male convicts left York castle, in order to be delivered on board the hulks laying up the River Thames below Woolwich, viz. William Barber, Matthew Dawtry, Thos. Smith, James Carrett, Wm. Baxter, and Samuel Todd. Leeds Intelligencer, 30 Mar 1801. -------------------------------------------------- James Carrett escaped at some point. -------------------------------------------------- ... and James Carrett, for returning from transportation before the expiration of his time, were severally found guilty, and received sentence of death. Leeds Intelligencer, 15 March 1802. -------------------------------------------------- Last week the following male convicts left York castle, in order to be delivered board the Hulks, at Langston Harbour, near Portsmouth, viz ... James Carrett, ... transported during the term of their natural lives. Leeds Intelligencer, 31 May 1802. -------------------------------------------------- Colonial Secretary Index. CARRETT, James. Per "Calcutta", 1803. 1812 Dec 26 - Runaway in Van Diemen's Land. Petition for mitigation of sentence for capture of John McCabe & John Townsend, bushrangers (Fiche 3171; 4/1848 pp.309-13) --------------------------------------------------