Summary
Personal Information
Voyage
Transportation
James Coward 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 337 (168) |
| 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
Australia, Convict Index, 1788-1868 Name James (John) Coward Age 26 Birth Year abt 1777 Arrival Year 1803 Arrival State Sorrento Status M Ship Calcutta Occupation Labourer © 1997-2025 Ancestry
Tasmanian Records. https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON22-1-1_0164 Per Calcutta 1804, & Ocean. James Coward, tried London Je. Dy. 3 Dec 1800, Life. ----------------------------------------------------- Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 13 March 2023), December 1800, trial of JAMES COWARD (t18001203-41). JAMES COWARD, Theft > animal theft, 3rd December 1800. 41. JAMES COWARD was indicted for feloniously stealing, on the 24th of November , two oxen, value 20l. the property of Philip Dehaney , Esq. (The case was opened by Mr. Gurney). PHILIP DEHANEY , Esq. sworn - Examined by Mr. Gurney. I live at Hayes-place, in Kent : On Sunday, the 23d of November, at four in the afternoon, I saw the two oxen in my field; the field was fenced all round; it was impossible for cattle to have escaped: On the Monday morning they were missed, and I sent to Smithfield, and on the Wednesday they were shewn to me at the Ram-inn, Smithfield, by Nicholls, one of the witnesses; I am sure they are my oxen; I saw them again yesterday; they were both black; one of the Scotch breed, and the other Welch; the Scotch ox has white across the back, near the rump; the Scotch ox I have had about fourteen months; the other, I bought at the last Barnet fair; I have no doubt but I could pick them out from all the beasts in Smithfield market. JOSEPH NICHOLLS sworn. - I am a drover in Smithfield-market, to Mr. Earle the salesman: On Monday the 24th of November, I saw the prisoner just within the hospital-gate in Smithfield, about three o'clock in the morning; he had a Scotch bullock and a Welch bullock; he called me, and asked me if I would take and tie those two beasts up; I said, yes, bring them on, and I will tie them up for you; my man tied them up, while I stood by; he said my master was to sell them; I had seen the prisoner before, and knew him again; I am sure he is the same man; he pulled out a pocket handkerchief, and offered it for sale for one shilling; he sold his handkerchief to a little boy that worked for me, and then we went into a public-house together; we stopped there till about half past five; I spoke to my master, and then my master and I went into the house, and took him into custody; the prisoner was sent to the Compter, and the oxen were locked up at the Ram-inn, in Smithfield; Mr. Dehaney and Cooper have since seen them. Q.What sort of oxen are they? - A. One is a pole Scot, with white along the back; they were both black cattle; the other was horned Welch one. EDWARD COOPER sworn. - I am servant to Mr. Dehaney: On Monday morning the 24th of November, I missed the two oxen from the field; I found the gate taken off the hinges; I came to Smithfield to look for them, and found them at the Ram-inn; Nicholls shewed them to me; it was about half past two in the afternoon; I am sure they were my master's cattle. Prisoner's defence. I was coming from Wickham; I was out of place; I met with a man that said, he would give me a job, if I would meet him on the other side of South-end, on the Sunday night, he would give me these beasts to drive to Smithfield; he said, he wanted to go to Deptford to do a little job, and he thought he should be in Smithfield as soon as I was, but be never came, and they charged me with them. Jury. (To Mr. Debaney.) Q.What is the distance from your field to Smithfield? - A. About fifteen miles, Wickham is about two miles from me. Jury. (To Nicholls.) Q. Did you observe these cattle, so as to be able to: swear to them? - A. Yes, I could pick them out from among a thousand; I can safely take my oath to them. GUILTY, Death , aged 23. London Jury, before Mr. Recorder.