Free Settler or Felon
Convict and Colonial History




Convict Ship Calcutta II - 1837


Embarked 340
Voyage 108 days
Deaths 9
Surgeon's Journal - Yes
Previous vessel: Lloyds arrived 17 July 1837
Next vessel: Charles Kerr arrived 9 October 1837
Captain Joseph Brown
Surgeon Anthony Donoghoe
Follow the Irish Convict Ship Trail

Departure from Ireland

The Calcutta departed from Kingstown, Ireland on 17th April 1837 with 340 prisoners bound for New South Wales. The men had been convicted of crimes such as stealing, robbery, perjury, assault, manslaughter, desertion, highway robbery, forgery and riot. Several were convicted of white boy crimes.

Military Guard

The Guard consisted of Lieutenant Scheberras, Ensign Tyrrin and 27 rank and file of 80th regiment. Passengers included six soldier's wives and 10 children. [3]

Cabin Passengers

Cabin passenger Samuel Raymond was the son of Postmaster-General James Raymond and was admitted a Barrister in the Supreme Court soon after arrival. [1]

Anthony Donoghoe

Anthony Donoghoe kept a Medical Journal from 25 March to 4 August 1837....... His first case on 19th April 1837 was that of a soldier of the 80th regiment who had been unwell for 10 or 12 days and was no longer able to do his duty. He had become ill on the journey from Chatham and had been further exposed to the cold in Kingstown harbour when on the open deck of the steam vessel conveying the military guard to the Calcutta. [2]

The Voyage

In the early part of the voyage the prisoners suffered mostly minor ailments, however many had been used to a diet that consisted of potato and from the sudden change on board ship and in conjunction with sea sickness many suffered from obstinate constipation. By mid July, three months into the journey, sixteen of the men were affected by scurvy. [2]

Arrival at Port Jackson

They arrived in Port Jackson on the 5 August 1837. The morning of the 5th August was foggy however by midday, the fog had cleared and the rest of the day was clear and cool with winds from the north-west.

Because there had been nine deaths on board, the ship was not permitted on her arrival to come up the Cove, however surgeons were sent on board to confirm that the disease was not contagious and she was soon released from her temporary quarantine.

Convict Muster

The prisoners were mustered on board on Friday 11th August 1837

Notes and Links

1). Find out more about bushrangers Edmond Branigan and Timothy Braddish who arrived on the Calcutta

2). Select here to find out more about bushranger James Shea who arrived on the Calcutta

3). Select here to find out about bushranger John Quigley who arrived on the Calcutta

4). Convicts and passengers of the Calcutta identified in the Hunter Valley

5). Detachments of the 80th regiment arrived the Lady Kennaway, Lloyds, Norfolk, Bengal Merchant, Asia, Captain Cook, Earl Grey, St. Vincent, John, Prince George, Mangles, Heber, Theresa, Calcutta and Eden.

6). Anthony Donoghoe was also surgeon on the convict ships City of Edinburgh in 1832, Parmelia in 1834 and the Hive in 1835

7). Political Prisoners

Convict Details


Allen, John. Age 29. Single. Native Place County Limerick. Occupation Labourer. Tried at Limerick 13 October 1836. Sentenced to 7 years for assault and bodily harm

Archer, William. Age 29. Single. Native place City Dublin. Occupation Labourer and in door servant. Tried at Dublin City 8 February 1837. Sentenced to transportation for Life for burglary and felony

Armstrong, John or Noon. Age 25. Single. Native place County Fermanagh. Occupation labourer. Tried at Fermanagh 10 March 1837. Sentenced to transportation for life for street robbery

Bailey, William. Age 38. Single. Native place Co. Antrim. Occupation Clerk and schoolmaster. Tried at Antrim Summer Assizes 1836. Sentenced to 7 years for having stolen linen in his possession

Barrington, John. Age 35. Married with 4 children. Native place Co. Kildare. Occupation labourer. Tried Kildare 23 March 1837. Sentenced to transportation for life for sheep stealing

Barry, Garret. Age 60. Married with 2 children. Native place Co. Cork. Occupation labourer. Tried Cork February 1837. Sentenced to transportation for larceny.

Barry, John. Age 36. Married with 4 children. Native place Co. Kildare. Occupation labourer. Tried Kildare 23 March 1837. Sentenced to transportation for life for sheep stealing.

Beech, Martin alias Brien. Age 29. Single. Native place Kings County. Occupation labourer. Tried Kings County 9 March 1837. Sentenced to 7 years transportation for assault and riot.

Bell, James. Age 24. Married. Native place Antrim. Occupation Nailor. Tried Antrim Spring Assizes 1837. Sentenced to 7 years transportation for malicious assault

Bermingham, Edward. Age 19. Single. Native place Co. Roscommon. Occupation labourer. Tried Roscommon Spring Assizes 1837. Sentenced to transportation for life for cow stealing.

Berry, Loughlin. Age 26. Married with 1 child. Native place Kings County. Occupation thorough servant. Tried at Westmeath 13 April 1837. Sentenced to 7 years transportation for stealing shirts

Birnie, Luke. Age 21. Native place Co. Dublin. Occupation labourer. Tried Dublin 8 April 1837. Sentenced to 7 years for burglary and robbery

Blake, Andrew. Age 21. Naive place Dublin. Occupation labourer. Tried Dublin 3 April 1837. Sentenced to 7 years for stealing a chair

Boland, John. Age 40. Widower. Native place Co. Tipperary. Tried Tipperary 14 March 1837. Sentenced to transportation for 7 years for cow stealing.

Bonny, John. Age 21. Labourer from Co. Kildare. Tried at Kildare 23 March 1837. Sentenced to 7 years transportation for house robbery.

Boshell, George. Age 19. Single. Whitesmith's apprentice from Dublin City. Tried Dublin City 8 April 1837. Sentenced to 7 years transportation for stealing money.

Boyd, John. Age 24. Single. Labourer from Belfast. Tried Co. Down 6 March 1837. Sentenced to 7 years transportation for stealing sheep.

Boylan, Nicholas. Age 23. Labourer and groom from Dublin County. Tried Dublin 28 October 1836. Sentenced to 7 years for larceny.

Boyle, Patrick. Age 31. Married with 2 children. Labourer and linen weaver from Co. Antrim. Tried Antrim Spring Assizes. Sentenced to transportation for life for sheep stealing

Brady, James. Age 20. Labourer from Queens County. Tried Kildare 23 March 1837. Sentenced to 7 years transportation for larceny of money

Branagan, Edmond. Age 20. Single. Labourer from Co. Tipperary. Tried Tipperary 14 March 1837. Sentenced to transportation for Life for stealing lambs

Braddish, John. Age 22. Single. Labourer and rope maker from City Limerick. Tried Limerick Spring Assizes. Sentenced to 7 years for having stolen goods in possession

Braddish, Timothy. Age 20. Single. Labourer and rope maker from City Limerick. Tried Limerick Spring Assizes. Sentenced to 7 years transportation for having stolen goods in his possession

Breen, John. Age 28. Maltster from Co. Wexford. Tried Kildare 23 March 1837. Sentenced to transportation for life for stealing sheep.

Brennan, Michael. Age 30. Married with 3 children. Labourer from Co. Mayo. Tried Mayo 14 March 1837. Sentenced to 7 years for sheep stealing

Briddane, John. Age 17. Labourer from Co. Galway. Tried Galway 3 April 1837. Sentenced to 7 years for stealing whips.

Brien, James. Age 20. Labourer from Co. Waterford. Tried Tipperary 14 March 1837. Sentenced to 7 years for stealing a pistol

Brien, John. Age 19. French polisher from City Cork. Tried Cork 17 February 1837. Sentenced to 7 years for larceny from a shop

Broughal, Patrick. Age 44. Married with 8 children. Labourer from Co. Wicklow. Tried at Kildare 23 March 1837. Sentenced to 7 years for perjury

Brosghan, Patrick. Age 21. Married. Labourer from Co. Galway. Tried Galway Spring Assizes. Sentenced to transportation for Life for assault and robbery

Brown, Thomas. Tried Armagh 15 March 1837. Sentenced to transportation for life - died at sea

Browne, James. Age 22. Labourer from Co. Limerick. Tried at Limerick 10 March 1837. Sentenced to 7 years for stealing a musket

Browne, John. Age 22. Married. Labourer from Co. Tipperary. Tried Tipperary 14 March 1837. Sentenced to transportation for life for manslaughter. Note - First cousin Charles Carroll, came out in the last Irish ship

Browne, John Age 22. Single. Land Engineer from Co. Kent. Tried Kilkenny city 21 July 1836. Sentenced to 7 years for stealing clothes

Browne, Michael. Age 25. Married with 1 child. Labourer from Co. Limerick. Tried Limerick 10 March 1837. Sentenced to Life for sheep stealing.

Bruce, William. Age 27. Single. Soldier and sailor from Wiltshire. Tried General Court Martial, Dublin 21 January 1837. Sentenced to 7 years for desertion

Buckley, Mathew. Age 21. Single. Labourer from Co. Kilkenny. Tried Kilkenny Spring Assizes 1837. Sentenced to 7 years for pig stealing

Burke, John. Age 28. Married with 3 children. Labourer from Co. Galway. Tried Galway Spring Assizes 1837. Sentenced to Life for stealing two heifers

Burke, Patrick. Age 22. Single. Labourer from Cork City. Tried Cork Spring Assizes 1837. Sentenced to 7 years for larceny from a house.

Burns, Hugh. Age 20. Single. Labourer from Co. Down. Tried Down 2 January 1837. Sentenced to 7 years for stealing money

Byrne, Andrew. Age 19. Single. Errand boy from Co. Dublin. Tried Dublin City 2 January 1837. Sentenced to 7 years for highway robbery

Byrne, James. Age 24. Married. Labourer from Westmeath. Tried Westmeath 13 April 1837. Sentenced to 7 years for stealing straw

Byrne, John. Age 22. Single. Groom from Co. Kildare. Tried Dublin city 27 February 1837. Sentenced to 7 years for picking pockets.

Byrne, John. Tried Wicklow 26 October 1836. Sentenced to 7 years for larceny. Died at sea

Byrne, John. Age 18. Single. Tailor's boy from Dublin. Tried Dublin City 1 April 1837. Sentenced to 7 years for picking pockets

Byrne, John. Age 25. Labourer from City Dubin. Tried Dublin 28 February 1837. Sentenced to 7 years for felony of handkerchiefs

Byrne, Patrick. Age 15. Errand boy from Co. Wicklow. Tried Wicklow 26 October 1836. Sentenced to 7 years for stealing pigs.


References

[1] The Sydney Monitor (NSW : 1828 - 1838) Wed 9 Aug 1837 Page 2 News of the Day.

[2] Journal of Anthony Donoghue on the voyage of the Calcutta in 1837. Ancestry.com. UK, Royal Navy Medical Journals, 1817-1857. Original data: The National Archives. Kew, Richmond, Surrey.

[3] The Sydney Herald (NSW : 1831 - 1842) Mon 7 Aug 1837 Page 2 Shipping Intelligence.