Summary
Personal Information
Voyage
Transportation
Michael Cody 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
Absconded. Cody Michael, Calcutta, 30, County Clare, laborer, 5 feet 3¼ inches, dark sallow and freckled comp., brown hair, grey eyes, scar over inner corner of left eyebrow, mark of a bile lower left arm, from Peter M'Intyre, lnvermein, since September 2. NSW Govt. Gazette, 19 Sept 1838.
The Mayor and Magistrates on Monday committed Michael Cody, charged with the murder of infant child, which was found immersed in pool off by the road side, at the North Liberties, on Friday. The woman who nursed the child identified the body; opinion is, that the father ... expense of it committed infanticide. Limerick Chronicle, 22 Feb 1837. COUNTY LIMERICK.—Wednesday 8. MURDER OF A CHILD BY IT8 FATHER. Michael Cody was indicted for the murder of his own child, by smothering it in a ditch, outside Thomondgate. Catherine Boyse sworn, and examined by Mr. Bennett. The prisoner brought her a male child to take care of about four months ago; had it in charge for three months, when, about a month ago, he, the prisoner, came and took it away ; agreed to pay her 2s 6d per week for nursing it; Paid her 9s; owes her 1s 6d; he then rolled it up in the skirt of his great coat, and took it away; did not see the child after, until she saw it dead in the police-office. Is sure it was the same child  she had been nursing for the prisoner; the child had clothes on it when she gave it away; was taken on suspicion for the murder, but subsequently discharged. Cross-examined by Mr. O'Shaughnessy.—It was an infant. The mother told  her (witness) ‘that the child would be twelve months old this March. Michael Gleeson, a lad about eleven years of age, was  cutting bushes about a fortnight ago ; found a little child in a drain under a ditch, the child was covered by water all to the cap or head ; there was some flannel and a little bib about it; his brother was with him at the time, who leaped over the ditch, and he (witness) slided down the ditch and saw the child; ran home and told il of it; she wanted to bury it, but she was subsequently advised to send fer the police, which she did; the policeman took it away on a car. Cross examined by Mr. O'Shaugnessy—Does not know what sort of a book a person ought to be sworn on; there are seven days in a week, four weeks in a month, and twelve months in a year; never heard of the bible ; does not know what a testament is. James Gleeson, brother to the last witness, deposed to the same facts as those stated by his brother. Henry Young, a policeman, sworn—Found the child as described by the Gleesons; went im search of the prisoner as far as Cratloe; found him in bed ; was accompanied by Boyse, the husband of the nurse ; Boyse, on seeing Cody, desired him to arrest that man—he murdered his child: Londonderry Standard, 18 March 1837. ... Michael Cody, murder of Pat. Cody, to be hanged on Friday, the 31st instant; ... Limerick Chronicle, 11 March 1837. The Government reprieve for Michael Cody, under sentence of death in the City gaol for the murder of bis child, was mis-sent to Ennis, but arrived here in the afternoon of Wednesday, when the Sheriff visited the condemned culprit in prison, to communicate the welcome news, which was quite unexpected for him. He found Cody at prayer in his cell and resigned to his doom, with a countenance and manner becoming in his fallen state. When asked if he should if he should like a respite of another week, for the Sheriff did not wish communicate the tidings of mercy abruptly, he replied in a quiet tone of voice, that he would feel thankful for the indulgence, but was then prepared to make atonement for his guilt, and enter the presence of his Lord. When made fully sensible of the nature of the respite, he gave stronger expression to his feelings, and the hope of life which had almost expired in his bosom, he now cherishes with confidence in his rulers. Friday last was fixed for his ignominious exit from this world, but it is most probable that sentence will be commuted to transportation for life. Limerick Chronicle, 1 April 1837.
Irish Convict Database, by Peter Mayberry. Michael Cody, age on arrival, 320, per Calcutta II, 1837. Tried at Limerick City, 1837, Life for Murder. DOB, 1807, native place, Clare Co. Single, Catholic. Labourer