Summary
Personal Information
Crime
Voyage
Transportation
William Fletcher 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 335 (167) 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 |
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Convict Notes
Family connections for William (Fletcher) are: FLETCHER William (Fletcher) was tried at Chelmsford Assizes Essex on 9 3 1801, sentenced to Life/7years & arrived at Port Phillip (now Victoria) as a convict on 4 10 1803 after a voyage of 7+months on HMS CALCUTTA (an expedition that settled in Tasmania); he would have camped at what is now Sorrento/Sullivans Bay. This expedition rejected Port Phillip for a settlement at this time & moved to Risdon Derwent Van Diemens Land (Tasmania). He may have, instead, accompanied Anthony (Fletcher) to Port Jackson on CALCUTTA in December 1803 & then went on FRANCIS (although permission was given for travel to Tasmania on INTEGRITY) to Norfolk Island as a free settler in April 1804 arriving on 12 5 1804. It may be he who married Mary (Good/win/Munro) on Norfolk Island-not shown in Smees records. He then went to Derwent Tasmania as part of the first evacuation on HMS PORPOISE on 25 12 1807, arriving on 17 1 1808. He is recorded as on stores at Hobart Town on 2 10 1818.] Noted details of Anthony (Fletcher)s family (possible relation) are given in entry for Joshua (Thatcher CALCUTTA 1803) on this Website.] [Some details taken from this Website] Mary (Good/win/Munro) was born on 13 3 1789 in Sydney & baptised on 19 7 1789 at St Phillips CofE Port Jackson Sydney. She was taken with her parents to Norfolk Island on HMS SIRIUS, arriving on 17 3 1790. In March 1795 she was taken to Sydney with her father, returned in 1796. She is recorded as Mary (Monroe) off stores on Norfolk Island in February 1805. On 26 12 1807 she travelled with her parents as part of the first evacuation to Derwent Van Diemens Land (Tasmania) on HMS PORPOISE, arriving on 17 1 1808: (or with William (Fletcher) by permission with Wiliam (Fletcher) on VENUS according to Ref:'Exiled...'). A Miss (Goodwin) is recorded as off stores in Hobart Town on 2 10 1818. Details of Mary (Good/win/Munro)s family are given in entry for Andrew (Goodwin SCARBOROUGH 1788) on this Website. Noted a William (Fletcher) left Norfolk Island with his wife by permission on VENUS according to Ref:'Exiled...'. References: Craig James Smee 'Births and Baptisms Marriages and Defacto Relationships Deaths and Burials New South Wales 1788-1830' ..a complete listing from church & other records in the early colony. Irene Schaffer & Thelma McKay 'Exiled Three Times Over! Profiles of Norfolk Islanders Exiled in Van Diemens Land 1807-1813' James Hugh Donohoe 'Norfolk Island 1788-1813-The People and Their Families' Reg Wright 'Forgotten Generation of Norfolk Island & Van Diemens Land'
Tasmanian Records. https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON22-1-1_0326 Per Calcutta, William Fletcher, tried Essex Gaol Delivery, 9 Mar 1801, 7 years.