Summary
Personal Information
Crime
Voyage
Transportation
William Roberts 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) |
| 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
At Gloucester Assizes; Wm. Roberts and Sarah Haynes, for housebreaking ; ... were capitally convicted, and received sentence of death; but were all reprieved. Mirror of the Times, 15 Aug 1801.
Tasmanian Records. https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON22-1-2P264JPG Per Calcutta, William Roberts, tried Gloucestershire G.D. 5 Aug 1801, Life.
Colonial Secretary Index. ROBERTS, William. Per "Calcutta", 1803; three convicts of this name by this ship 1813 Feb On list of convicts to receive conditional pardons or emancipations at the Derwent (Reel 6003; 4/3492 p.205) 1815 Jul 18 On list of persons to receive conditional pardons in Van Diemen's Land (Reel 6004; 4/3494 p.127) 1818 Dec 1 Two convicts of this name with life sentences, one tried at Gloucester and the other at Middlesex, to be forwarded from Hobart to Sydney (Reel 6006; 4/3499 p.187)
New South Wales Certificate of Freedom. [NRS 12208] Register of Certificate of Freedoms No; 346 Name; William Roberts When and where tried; Gloustershire - 5 Aug 1801. Sentence; Life ** as per Register ** Ship and arrival year; MH M Ship Calcutta - 1803 Date of Certificate; 15 Feb 1819 Description and Remarks; Native County; Church Town, Glouster-shire Trade; Sawyer Age; 34 [1785] Height; 5 ft 4 in Complexion; Dark Hair; Black Eyes; Dark Hazel Additional Remarks; Conditional Pardon No; 154 dated 25 Jan 1813 and in consequence of a communication lately made to His Excellency the Governor by N M P Sec of the State for the Colonies