Summary
Personal Information
Voyage
Transportation
Michael Heelan was transported on the Calcutta, departing 19th Apr 1837 and arriving 5th Aug 1837 with 248 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
Cork Spring Assizes - CITY CRIMINAL COURT— …. Edmund Heelan, aged 16, and Michael Heelan, aged 14, for committing a forgery, by which they obtained sums of money, over £33. The former prisoner was a clerk in the employment of Wm. Fagan, Esq., in whose possession were two Savings Bank Books belonging to two persons of the names of James and Darby Tagney, to to whose credit a large sum of money was deposited in the Bank, in different lodgments, between the months of August and November, 1835. In the month of July following, James Tagney called on Mr Fagan, to get the books for the purpose of drawing some money out of the Bank, when the book was missed, on which they went to the Bank, and warned the clerks against advancing any money on the faith of the books. Shortly after giving this notice, a messenger waited on Mr Fegan, requesting him to go to the Bank, where he found the prisoner Michael with the books in his possession, and an order for a sum of £l0 13s 2, signed “Darby Tagney.” Michael then said he got the books from his brother. Twenty pounds had been previously drawed by the prisoner out of the Bank. The prisoners were found guilty. Edward Heelan to be transported tor life—Michael not sentenced. Cork Constitution, 25 March 1837.
Irish Convict Database, by Peter Mayberry. Michael Heelan, alias Healan, age on arrival, 15, per Calcutta II, 1837. Tried at Cork City, 1837, Life for Receiving money. DOB, 1822, native place, Cork. Single. Brother Edmond Heelan arrived per same ship. Catholic. Errand boy.