Summary
Personal Information
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 341 (170) |
| 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
Tasmanian Records. https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON22-1-2P264JPG Per Calcutta, William Roberts, tried Middlesex G.D., 28 April 1802, 7 years. ---------------------------------------------------- NOTE. There were three men named William Roberts on the Calcutta. Two were tried at Middlesex, on different dates. This young man was sentenced to 7 years transportation. The other Middlesex convict was sentenced to Transportation for Life.
New South Wales Certificate of Freedom. [NRS 12208] Register of Certificate of Freedoms Date of trial - 8 April 1802. Sentence; Life. Age; 36 years [1781]
Old Bailey On-Line April 1802, trial of WILLIAM ROBERTS (t18020428-135). WILLIAM ROBERTS, Violent Theft > highway robbery, 28th April 1802. 400. WILLIAM ROBERTS was indicted for feloniously making an assault in the King's highway, on the 15th of March , upon George Gregory , the younger, putting him in fear, and taking from his person, a silver watch, value four guineas, and a steel chain, value 1s. the property of the said George. GEORGE GREGORY sworn. - I live with my father, who is a potato-merchant, in Spital-fields-market: On Monday evening, the 15th of March, about half-past six, I was walking down a narrow passage, leading to petticoat-lane; I heard a great noise, I looked behind me, and saw a great mob, driving a bullock; the prisoner was walking quick behind me; I turned round, and went towards Houndsditch ; directly after, the prisoner came running past, and snatched the watch out of my pocket, so quick that I could make no resistance; I followed him instantly, and saw him put the watch in by his side, his waistcoat and jacket were loose open; when I followed him, he made a great noise, and about twenty men and boys came running up with sticks, and hit me about the head and hands, so that I was obliged to let him go; I went home, and in about an hour my brother and I went to several pawnbroker's shops, in one of which we found the prisoner; I told my brother he had stolemy watch, and we took him; he said, he knew nothing of it; I knew his cace, having seen him several times before, and it being quite-light, I could see very well. SAMUEL GREGORY sworn. - I went with my brother, and met the prisoner at the pawnbroker's; my brother said, this is one of them; I asked him if it was the man who took the watch, he said, it was; the prisoner denied it, and the pawnbroker said, he came to take a coat out of pawn. Prisoner's defence. I know nothing of so I never saw him before it was in the pawnbroker's shop. GUILTY, aged 15. Of stealing, but not violently . Transported for seven years . Second Middlesex Jury, before Mr. Recorder.
New South Wales, Australia, Convict Registers of Conditional and Absolute Pardons, Absolute. 1819 Name; William Roberts When and where tried; Middlesex - 8 April 1802. Sentence; Life Ship and arrival year; Calcutta - 1803 Date of Certificate; 15 Feb 1819 Description and Remarks; Native County; Spital Fields, London Trade; Labourer Age; No details Height; 5 ft 4 1/2 inches Complexion; Fair Ruddy Hair; Dark Sandy Eyes; Hazel Additional Remarks; Received a Conditional Pardon No; 554. dated 10th April 1815. now surrendered