Summary
Personal Information
Voyage
Transportation
Richard Grover 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 340 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
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. (The fact that the bushrangers have dogs is significant, as they could use the dogs to hunt kangaroo, emus, etc for food.) Entry for December 6, 1807. the following Prisoners who had been absent from the Colony for a very long time and had accepted the Lt. Govnrs Pardon on their returning to the settlement arrivd at Govmt House when the Govnr sent for me. Duff Quinn Meyers Grover, Story, Watts, Russell, Fernandez,
Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 17 February 2023), October 1801, trial of RICHARD GROVER (t18011028-33). RICHARD GROVER, Violent Theft > highway robbery, 28th October 1801. 792. RICHARD GROVER was indicted for making an assault in a certain field and open place, near the King's highway, upon Sophia Price , Spinster , on the 25th of October , putting her in fear and taking from her person a silk cloak, value 2s. the property of the said Sophia. Second Count. Charging it to be the property of Daniel Price . SOPHIA PRICE sworn. - I am the daughter of Daniel Price : On sunday, the 25th of October,about a quarter past seven in the evening, I was going into the Mile-End-road from the Ben Jonson's Head; it was moon-light; two men came up to me; there were three of them in company; the two men passed us; William Newman was in company with me; one of the men said to William Newman, how do you do? he answered them, how do you do? they said they must trouble him for his money; Newman said, he had none for them, and ran away; they turned to me directly, and said, they must have my cloak then, and they took the cloak, and left the ribbon that tied it round my waist. Q. Is the cloak here? - A. Yes. Q. Do you know the prisoner? - A. He is about the heighth; I cannot say more. JANE SWFFT sworn. - I live servant at the Catherine-Wheel, in Effex-street, Whitechapel; the prisoner Grover used our house: On Sunday, the 25th of October, the prisoner, the man that was tried this morning, and two others, came into our house, and left our house about a quarter before six. Q. How far is your house from where the robbery was committed? - A. About a mile and a quarter. JOHN GRIFFITHS sworn. - I am an officer of Lambeth-street: On Sunday evening, in consequence of hearing of this robbery, I went with Coomes to Whitechapel; we waited a little while in the street, when the prisoner, in company with a sailor that has been tried, past us, and walked as far as the Hat and Plough; then a third man came up, and spoke to them, about the heighth of the prisoner; they stopped together about a minute, and then went into the Plough; we followed them in, and the moment we went in, one man slipped out at the side-door. On the Monday I heard some conversation - Mr. Bevill. Q. Before he said any thing, did you tell him it would be better for him to confess? - A. No. Q. Nor threatened him? - A. No; I asked him how he came to be so foolish as to go with these men to commit this robbery; he said, it was the first time, and if he got over this, he would not do it any more; he said, they went from the Catherine-Wheel, in Catherine-Wheel-alley, about six o'clock, and going down Mile-End-road, towards Stepney-fields, he said they had neither of them, any money, and they agreed to stop the first person they met, and a young man and woman met them, and they agreed to stop them; they asked the young man for his money, but he got away from them, and then they took the young woman's cloak from her. Cross-examined by Mr. Bevill. Q. At first two persons passed you? - A. Yes. Q. And after that you saw them go into a public-house? - A. Yes; after a third person had come up to them. Q. And that person was about the size of the prisoner? - A. He was. JOHN COOMES sworn. - Q. Did you take the cloak from the prisoner? - A. I did, (produces it;) I have had it over since; I found it upon him at the Hat and Plough public-house. Sophia Price . This is my cloak; here is the place where the ribbon was fastened. Mr. Bevill. Q. Old cloaks are very much alike? - A. I know this cloak by the tuck behind it. Prisoner's defence. I was going along Whitechapel, and this man asked me to have something to drink; he put the cloak into my pocket, and the runners came in and took me, and let the other man go away. The prisoner called four witnesses, who gave him a good charcter. GUILTY, Death , aged 18. The prisoner was recommended by the Jury to his Majesty's mercy, on account of his youth, good character, and first offence . Second Middlesex Jury, before Mr. Justice Heath. -------------------------------------------------- Tasmanian Records. https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON22-1-1_0378 Per Calcutta, Richard Grover, Tried Middx G.D. 28 Oct 1801, Life.