Summary
Personal Information
Voyage
Transportation
Thomas Davies 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 339 (169) |
| 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
No one has claimed Thomas Davies yet.
Photos
No photos have been added for Thomas Davies.
Convict Notes
Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 17 February 2023), April 1801, trial of JAMES BLAKE THOMAS DAVIS WILLIAM SMITH (t18010415-55). JAMES BLAKE, THOMAS DAVIS, WILLIAM SMITH, Theft > grand larceny, 15th April 1801. 348. JAMES BLAKE , THOMAS DAVIS , and WILLIAM SMITH , were indicted for feloniously stealing, on the 21st of March , a sack, value 2s. and four bushels of barley, value 30s. the property of George Shum the elder, Harvey Christian Combe , Joseph Delafield , George Shum the younger, William Packer , and Thomas Smith . Second Court. Charging it to be the property of Thomas Osborn the elder. Third Count. Charging it to be the property of Joseph Harris . Fourth Count. Charging it to be the property of certain persons to the Jurors unknown.(The case was opened by Mr. Knapp.) WILLIAM BELL sworn. - I belong to a barge which laid along-side the barge from which this burley was taken: On the 21st of March, I was in the cabin; I heard the alarm of thieves, I got out of the cabin, and saw a peter-boat lying along-side. Q. What is a peter-boat? - A. A boat used for fishing; when I saw the peter-boat, the three prisoners were in the boat, endeavouring to get it off; Samuel Harris , Joseph Harris , and I, hauled our own skiff along side, and pursued them; they made towards the shore, and we came up so fast, that they were obligated to jump overboard into the water; then we pursued after them, and took Davis and Blake by Solomon Chambers 's, the boat-builders's; they did not say any thing for themselves when I took them; Joseph Harris secured the peter-boat. Cross-examined by Mr. Knowlys. Q. What time of night was this? - A. About ten o'clock at night. Q. It was dark by that time? - A. It was a very fine moonlight night. Q. The person, you suppose to be Smith, got out of your sight? - A. Yes; I had seen Davis in the evening rowing round the barge. JOSEPH HARRIS sworn. - Examined by Mr. Knapp. Upon the alarm of thieves being given, I secured the peter-boat, and found a sack of barley in it; I immediately took the peter-boat along-side the barge, the nails of the tarpaulin had been forced; the barge was laden with barley, to be taken to Brentford to be malted; I belonged to Messrs. Shum and Co. THOMAS OSBORN , jun. sworn. - My father was the proprietor of the barge ; Joseph Harris was the lighterman . SAMUEL HARRIS sworn. - Examined by Mr. Knapp. I am a barge-master; the sack in which this barley was, belonged to Mr. Osborn; I pursued Blake on shore, and threw at him either brick or stone, and he came back to me, and delivered himself up. - GOODENOUGH sworn. - (Prouduces the property.) I received it from the peter-boat. Joseph Harris . I compared this barley with the barley in the barge, and it was exactly the same sort. GEORGE WINTER sworn. - Examined by Mr. Knapp. I apprehended the prisoner Smith at Millbank, Westminster, on the 21st of March, under a drain that runs under Lord Belgrave's house; I secured him, and put him into a boat; some person said, has he got any pistols, to which the prisoner said, I wish I had, I would let day light into you. Blake's defence. I know nothing about it. Davis left his defence to his Counsel. Smith's defence. I never was near the property, nor never saw the boat till I was taken into it. Blake, GUILTY , aged 22. Davis, GUILTY , aged 23. Smith, GUILTY , aged 24. Transported for seven years . Second Middlesex Jury, before Mr. Justice Heath. --------------------------------------------------- Hulk Records. Portsmouth. HO-9-8_1. Page 47. Thomas Davies, age 23, Felony, Tried Middlesex, 15 April 1801, BS 7 years, per Calcutta.