Summary
Personal Information
Voyage
Transportation
Richard Kidman 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 334 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
Trade; Clock Mender
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 Monday 25 March 1805. am. This morn was missing from Hobart Town the following Prisoners – James Ballance, John Rogers, Henry Rice, Robt. Hays, Richd. Kidman – they took away some Doggs. Entry for Saturday 15 June 1805. am Early this morn the 5 prisoners that went away on the 25th of March Tuesday 18 June 1805. am engaged all the Morn upon business examining the 5 prisoners that went into the Bush They informed me that on the 2 of May when they were in the wood they see a large Tyger that the Dog they had with them went nearly up to it and when the Tyger see the men which were about 100 yards from it, it went away. I make no doubt but here are many wild animals which we have not yet seen. ——————————————————————————————————- It was significant that the convicts took dogs with them. Dogs would have been vital for catching food, - kangaroos or emus, and were highly prized by their owners. Rev. Knopwood offered a £10 reward when one of his bitches was stolen. Food was scarce in early days, and often the settlement ran out of food and depended on killing kangaroos, emus, duck , pigeons, etc.
Tasmanian Records. https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON22-1-1_0612 Per Calcutta, Richard Kidman, Cambridgeshire G.D., 11 March 1801, Life.
COLLEGE BURGLARY, Wherein Henry Cohen was tried upon a charge as accessary before the fact, for aiding and assisting Richard Kidman in stealing plate from King's College to a vast amount. Porcupine, 19 March 1801. Richard Kidman, for stealing quantity of plate from Kings College, and Wm. Clayden, for sheep-stealing, received sentence of death. Bath Chronicle, 26 March 1801. --------------------------------------------------- Colonial Secretary Index. KIDMAN, Richard. Of the Derwent. 1810 Oct 10 Granted free pardon (Reel 6003; 4/3490A p.120)