Summary
Personal Information
Voyage
Transportation
Hugh Smith was transported on the Calcutta, departing 19th Apr 1837 and arriving 5th Aug 1837 with 333 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
COUNTY OF MONAGHAN ASSIZES. Hugh Smith, for a burglary in house of John Johnson of Monaghan, on 31st December last. John Johnson, examined by Mr. Hanna.—Lives in Monaghan; was at home on 31st December last ; Charles Moore was in house that night ; the house was broken into; the back door was forced open ; in the morning witness found that all his own clothes were taken out of his bedroom; Charles Moore, examined by Mr. Hanna – sleeping in Mr. Johnson’s on Christmas night last ; witness lost his watch, two silk handkerchiefs, a steel purse and some silver; saw the watch afterwards in Mr. Starr, a pawnbroker of Armagh; saw the steel purse with Serjeant Matchett of the Police ; is sure they were his property; handkerchief with Matchett, which he also identified. Alexander Starr —Is a Pawnbroker; lives in Armagh ; produces a watch which last witness identified as his property; a man named Smith came to witness on Friday the 13th of Jan., and asked 15s. on the watch; asked Smith where he got it and was told he got a present of it; witness thought this not likely, having got a description of a watch that had previously been stolen, which he found to correspond with the watch offered for pawn by Smith; witness immediately had Smith taken prisoner by the Police ; identified prisoner as the man who offered the watch in pawn. Abraham Matchett.—Is Serjeant of Police; recollects being sent for by Starr to take a man prisoner; identifies prisoner ; found in the possession of prisoner a purse and handkerchief, which young Mr. Moore identified as those he had lost.— Guilty—Death recorded: to be transported for life. Newry Telegraph, 23 March 1837.
Irish Convict Database, by Peter Mayberry. Hugh Smith, age on arrival, 31, per Calcutta II, 1837. Tried at Monaghan, 1837, Life for Burglary. DOB, 1806, native place, Monaghan Co. Married, 4 female children. Catholic. Trade, Labourer.