Summary
Personal Information
Crime
Voyage
Transportation
Joshua Thatcher 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 | Tasmanian Records: https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON22-1-2P449JPG Old Bailey Records. |
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Convict Notes
Family connections for Joshua (Thatcher) are: THATCHER Joshua (Thatcher) was born about 1771. He was tried w/1other for stealing, on 1 11 1801, a pig at Old Bailey on 2 12 1801, sentenced to 7years, probably held at Middlesex gaol delivery & arrived at Port Phillip (now Victoria) as a convict on 4 10 1803 after a voyage of 7+months on HMS CALCUTTA with HMS SUPPLY (an expedition that settled in Tasmania); he probably camped at what is now Sorrento/Sullivans Bay & was later taken to Risdon Derwent River Van Diemens Land (Tasmania). He married Sarah/Mary (???/Fletcher her second marriage) in 1810s in Tasmania (not shown in Smees records). He became a servant to A W H (Humphrey) & later was granted 38acres at Sorrell New Norfolk where he was appointed constable & poundkeeper on 14 11 1821. His land increased to 100acres from which he is recorded as selling meat to the Government in 1820s. He sold his land to James (Turnbull). He died on 23 10 1840 age70 of apoplexy at 'Ferry House' New Norfolk/Arundel/Montgomery. [Some details taken from this Website] Sarah/Mary (???) was born about 1772. She married firstly Anthony (Fletcher) in England & produced perhaps 4children. She travelled to Port Phillip Victoria, Sydney & Norfolk Island with her husband. She was recorded as free on stores on Norfolk Island in February 1805. She went to Derwent Tasmania with her family as part of the first evacuation on HMS PORPOISE on 25 12 1807 arriving on 17 1 1808; to New Norfolk Derwent Valley. A Mary (Fletcher) is recorded on stores in Hobart Town on 2 10 1818. She was left to manage the 100acres >1810. She was recorded as off stores on Norfolk Island in February 1805. She was tendering the sale of meat to Government late in December 1818. In 1830 (registered on 4 7 1833) the 100acres was mortgaged to James (Turnbull) for 42lb per annum. She died as Mary (Thatcher) in April 1837 age65 mother of perhaps 4children at New Norfolk & was buried at St Matthews New Norfolk. Details of Sarah/Mary (???/Fletcher/Thatcher)s family are given in entry for James (Belbin SALAMANDER 1791) on this Website. REFERENCES Craig James Smee 'Births and Baptisms Marriages and Defacto Relationships Deaths and Burials New South Wales 1788-1830' ..a complete listing from church & other records in the early colony. Irene Schaffer & Thelma McKay 'Exiled Three Times Over! Profiles of Norfolk Islanders Exiled in Van Diemens Land 1807-1813' James Hugh Donohoe 'Norfolk Island 1788-1813-The People and Their Families' Reg Wright 'Forgotten Generation of Norfolk Island & Van Diemens Land'
Government and General Orders. Government House, Hobart Town, Saturday, November 24th, 1821. MR. ROBERT BARR is appointed District Constable for the District of Sorell. JOSHUA THATCHER and WILLIAM SHARPLESS are appointed Constables for the District of New Norfolk; the latter stationed at the River Plenty. By Command of His Honor, The Lieutenant Governor, H. E. Robinson, Secretary. Hobart Town Gazette, 8 Dec 1821. [District Constable Joshua Thatcher is appointed a Pound-keeper for New Norfolk, on the North Side of the Derwent, and not "Joshua Fletcher," as stated in last Week's Gazette by Mistake.] Hobart Town Gazette, 5 Jan 1822. See Trove: There are references to a Joshua Thatcher, who had a land grant of 100 acres, and who supplied meat to the Government in the 1820’s. MEAT.-The following Quantities to be delivered at His Majesty's Stores on the Dates specified :— AT HOBART TOWN. Oct 2; Joshua Thatcher, 4000 lbs. Mr. Thatcher's Quantity payable at 4½d per lb., and the others at 5d. per. lb. A. MOODIE, A. C. G. Hobart Town Gazette, 20 Sept 1823. James Turnbull, Lansdowne, Monmouth, 100 acres ; originally located to Joshua Thatcher, who sold to applicant.-Bounded on the north east by 58 chains 30 links north westerly along lot 82 purchased from the crown by James Turnbull commencing at Johnny's Creek, on the north west by l8 chains 2G links south westerly also along that lot, on the south west by 52 chains south easterly also along that lot to Johnny's Creek aforesaid, and thence on the south east by that creek to the point of commencement. The Courier, 24 May 1845. Possible death, registered in district of Hobart.? https://stors.tas.gov.au/RGD35-1-1p57j2k Joshua Thatcher, age 70, Date of death, 23 Oct 1840, Labourer, Cause of death, Fit or Apoplexy, Cor: Inq. Informant, J. Turnbull, New Norfolk. Registered 20 Jan 1841. Inquest: https://stors.tas.gov.au/SC195-1-6-434 Death of Joshua Thatcher on 23 Oct 1840. He was found dead at the Ferry House, in the parish of Arundel in the district of Montgomery. Cause of death, Visitation of God by a fit of Apoplexy.
Tasmanian Records https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON22-1-2P449JPG List of men whose surnames begin with T. Per Calcutta, Joshua Thatcher, tried at Middx, 2 Dec 1801, 7 years. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 31 March 2023), December 1801, trial of JOSHUA THATCHER JAMES HARFIELD (t18011202-73). JOSHUA THATCHER, JAMES HARFIELD, Theft > animal theft, 2nd December 1801. 73. JOSHUA THATCHER and JAMES HARFIELD were indicted for feloniously stealing, on the 1st of November , a pig, value 15s. the property of Thomas May . (The case was opened by Mr. Knapp.) THOMAS MAY sworn. - Examined by Mr. Knapp. Q. You are a publican and shopkeeper , at Shepperton? - A. I am: On Sunday, the 1st of November, about half past twelve o'clock at night, I was waked; I got up, went down stairs, and found Thatcher in custody. Mrs. MAY sworn. - Examined by Mr. Knapp. Q. Are you the wife of the last witness? - A. Yes: On Sunday, the 1st of November, I was alarmed by a noise in the pig-sty; I looked out at the window, and saw the sow in the yard, without any pigs; I saw four pigs after dusk in the evening; I heard somebody in the hog-sty, I then got out of bed, and called Pearce and Butcher; I desired them to get up; they got up immediately, and took their guns; the prisoner had been in our house that evening; they left the house about eleven o'clock, with two more; one of my pigs was brought to me by a neighbour or Sunday morning, stuck in two places; I knew it to be mine. JOHN PEARCE sworn. - Examined by Mr. Knapp. Q. You lodged at Mr. May's? - A. Yes; she called Butcher and me up; we took a gun a-piece, and went down stairs; I saw Thatcher come out of the sty; he made away to the other side of the yard, and my partner met him and pushed him down with the but-end of the gun, and then I came in upon him and assisted to secure him; Harfield then ran out of the sty; Thatcher had a drawn knife in his hand, with which he attempted to stab me in the throat; his hand was coming so, (describing it), when I seized his wrist, and saved the blow; we then got him in doors; Harfield made his escape; he was taken about three weeks afterwards; I knew them both before. (Jesse Butcher carroborated the evidence of the last witness.) THOMAS HALLIDAY sworn. - I apprehended Harfield, Mr. May was with me; he said to Mr. May, take care you are not tiled in. May. I was with Halliday; he said to Harfield, you are a pretty fellow, we have got you now; Harfield said, d - n me, if I don't do for you; when I brought Thatcher in doors, I said, you are a blackguard and a scoundrel to use me in this manner, when I have been a friend to you divers times; he said, you may be d - d; d - n my eyes if I live to come back, if I don't do you; and if I do not, there shall be somebody left behind that shall. Thatcher's defence. I went to lie down in the barn, but as to the pigs, I know nothing about them; I was very much in liquor. Harfield's defence. I was very much in liquor,and when I left Mr. May's house, I went home to my lodging. Thatcher, GUILTY , aged 30. Harfield, GUILTY , aged 22. Transported for seven years . First Middlesex Jury, before Mr. Justice Grose. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Joshua's birthdate, as calculated from his age as given in the Old Bailey report, was 1771. --------------------------------------------------------------------- James Harfield was also transported on the Calcutta.