Summary
Personal Information
Voyage
Transportation
Thomas Finnan was transported on the Calcutta, departing 19th Apr 1837 and arriving 5th Aug 1837 with 342 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
Thomas Finnan was indicted under the Whiteboy Act for feloniously demanding fire-arms from Francis Wood ; Francis Wood examined---Mr Sproule called on him and told him his house was to be attacked and his fire-arms taken. Mr. M‘Grath and two policemen came to protect him : heard a knock at the door a voice said they wanted to know the way to ?oneen; witn. said the floods were too high they then asked to light their pipes; saw prisoner hand Fagan a pistol; Fagan put the pistol to witnesses breast and said he would make a riddle of him ; had a stand of yeomanry arms in his house and a detonating gun ; one of them went into the room, and was fired at by Mr. M’Grath : two of the party were taken : one by witness and the other by the police : they were afterwards transported : prisoner is the third. Mr. …. C.C, corroborated the former witness’s testimony. Guilty. Westmeath Guardian, 9 March 1837.
Irish Convict Database, by Peter Mayberry. Thomas Finnan, alias Finnagan, age on arrival, 25, per Calcutta II, 1837. Tried at Westmeath, 1837, 7 years for Demanding arms. Irish White Boy rebel. DOB 1812, Native place, Westmeath. Single. Catholic, Labourer.