Summary
Personal Information
Voyage
Transportation
James Rotchfort 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 342 |
| 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
1833 - POSSIBLE BURIAL RECORD Burials in the Parish of Hobart Town Name; James Rodgford ** Burial; 9 March 1833 Abode; Sorell Age; 44 years. ** Age as per Register ** Ship; Calcutta Status; Farmer
Tasmanian Records. https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON22-1-2P264JPG Per Calcutta, James Rotchfort, tried Middlesex G.D. 2 June 1802, 7 years. ------------------------------------------------------ Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 12 February 2023), June 1802, trial of JAMES ROCHFORT (t18020602-52). JAMES ROCHFORT, Theft > grand larceny, 2nd June 1802. 470. JAMES ROCHFORT was indicted for feloniously stealing, on the 4th of June , a wooden till, value 1s. 6d. and 8s. in monies, numbered , the property of Elizabeth Milton, widow . ELIZABETH MILTON sworn. - I am a widow, I live at No. 35, Litchfield-street, Soho , I keep a chandler's shop : On the 4th of June, the prisoner came in about a quarter past eleven at night, I did not see him come in, I was in the back room; the first thing I saw, was the prisoner endeavouring to throw the till away, when he found he could not get out at the door. Mrs. DAVEY sworn. - On Friday evening, a little after eleven o'clock, I went to Mrs. Milton's for some table-beer; I found a boy at the door, looking in, he asked me what o'clock it was, he appeared to me to be about seventeen or eighteen years of age; I told him it was past eleven; I endeavoured to go in at the shop-door, and he endeavoured to prevent me; I asked him, if he was going in, if not, let me go in; I then opened the door, and saw the prisoner coming from behind the counter, with something in his hand; when he got to the door, I saw it was the till, what it contained I don't know; I then called Mrs. Milton and the watchman, the prisoner was too strong for me, and got away. Mrs. MILTON sworn. - The till contained in halfpence and silver, about eight or nine shillings; the prisoner has been in the habit of using my shop, and I had been daily stripped. JOSEPH TATE sworn. - I was constable of the night, the prisoner was brought to me; there was a picklock found in his pocket. Prisoner. I have nothing to say. GUILTY, aged 12. Transported for seven years . First Middlesex Jury before Mr. Common Serjeant. --------------------------------------------------- Colonial Secretary Index. RATCHFORD, James. Per "Calcutta", 1803 1821 Feb 21 On list of prisoners transported to Newcastle per "Elizabeth Henrietta" (Reel 6007; 4/3503 p.141) ------------------------------------------------------ James Ratchford, per Calcutta, trade, Tailor, Convicted at Criminal court, Hobart Town, Jan 19 1821, sentence to Newcastle, 1 year. Original sentence at Old Bailey, 2 June 1802, for Larceny. --------------------------------------------------- At the Monthly Sessions, which commenced on the 4th inst. and continued several days, the following cases came on for hearing ; and the under-mentioned persons were committed to take their trial before the Court of Criminal Jurisdiction :— James Rochford, a free man, charged with an attempt to commit a rape on Sarah Ann Bryan, under 12 years of age. Hobart Town Gazette, 25 Nov 1820. Criminal Court. James Rochfort, charged with a rape on Sarah Ann O'Brian, a child about 11 years of age, was found Guilty of an attempt, and sentenced to the Coal River for 12 months. Hobart Town Gazette, 27 Jan 1821. ----------------------------------------------------