Lexi Webster
Between 1788 and 1868, approximately 608 convict ships transported more than 162,000 convicts to Australia. The ships departed from ports in England and Ireland, and transported convicts from other colonies, including India, Upper Canada, South Africa, Namibia, Hong Kong, Bermuda, and Mauritius. The voyage to Australia took around 4 to 5 months, and convicts were housed below decks in poor conditions, with inadequate food and water, and poor hygiene. The first fleet of convict ships arrived in Australia in January 1788, marking the beginning of European colonization in the country.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| First convict ship arrival | January 1788 |
| Last convict ship arrival | 9 January 1868 |
| Total number of convict ships | 608-800 |
| Total number of convicts | 162,000-165,000 |
| Number of convicts from Great Britain | 150,000 |
| Number of convicts from Ireland | 39,000 |
| Number of convicts from Wales | 2,200 |
| Number of convicts from Scotland | 5% of total convicts |
| Number of convicts from beyond Great Britain and Ireland | 1,300 |
| Number of female convicts | 25,000 |
| Year of peak convict transportation | 1833 |
| Number of convicts transported in peak year | 7,000 |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
The First Fleet: the first convict ships arrived in 1788
The First Fleet was a group of convict ships that departed from England in May 1787 and arrived in Australia in January 1788. The fleet consisted of 11 vessels, including two Royal Navy vessels, three storeships, and six convict transports, under the command of Captain Arthur Phillip. The ships carried over 1,400 convicts, marines, sailors, colonial officials, and free settlers, and travelled over 24,000 kilometres (15,000 miles) in 252 days before arriving at Botany Bay on 18 January 1788.
Governor Arthur Phillip rejected Botany Bay as the site for the new colony, favouring Port Jackson to the north. The fleet arrived at Port Jackson on 26 January 1788, establishing the colony of New South Wales as a penal colony, which became the first British settlement in Australia. This date is celebrated as Australia Day, marking the beginning of British settlement.
The number of convicts transported on the First Fleet is estimated to be between 750 and 780, with around 550 crew, soldiers, and family members. There were also about 50 children on the First Fleet, some of whom were convicts, while others were children of marines or those born on the ship during the journey. The First Fleet included boats carrying food and animals from London, and the fleet explored the coast of Australia to find suitable farming land and resources.
The voyage to Australia took between four and five months and followed various routes. Convicts were housed below decks in a specially designated prison deck, and naval doctors were brought on voyages to address illness, which was rife. Only 550 convicts died in shipwrecks during the transportation period, but many more died from illness.
The First Fleet marked the beginning of European colonisation in Australia, and over 80 years, from 1788 to 1868, 608 convict ships transported more than 162,000 convicts to Australia.
Scorpions in Australia: What You Need to Know
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The Hougoumont: the last convict ship arrived in 1868
Between 1788 and 1868, 608 convict ships transported more than 162,000 convicts to Australia. The First Fleet, a group of convict ships that departed from England in 1787, marked the beginning of European colonization in Australia. The last convict ship to arrive in Australia was the Hougoumont, which reached Western Australia in 1868.
The Hougoumont was a three-masted, full-rigged ship, commonly known as a Blackwall Frigate. It was constructed in Moulmein, Burma, in 1852, and its original owner was Duncan Dunbar, a successful shipowner who provided nearly a third of the ships that transported convicts to Western Australia. The ship was chartered by the French as a troop carrier during the Crimean War and renamed Baraguey d'Hilliers, after a French general. After the war ended in 1856, it reverted to its original name.
The Hougoumont's journey to Australia was notable due to the presence of Fenians among the convicts, which meant there were many literate convicts on board. Several journals, memoirs, and letters from this voyage have been discovered and published, providing valuable insights into the experiences of those on board. Some Fenians even produced a shipboard newspaper, "The Wild Goose," with seven editions surviving in the State Library of New South Wales.
The voyage to Australia typically lasted 4 to 5 months, and convicts were housed below decks on a designated prison deck. Over time, the design of this deck improved to enhance hygiene and separate different prisoner groups. Despite these efforts, illness was a significant issue, and naval doctors were brought on board to address the medical needs of the convicts. Unfortunately, many convicts still succumbed to disease during the long journey.
The Hougoumont's arrival in 1868 marked the end of an era, as it was the last convict ship to reach Australia. However, the ship continued to be listed in Lloyd's Register until at least 1883, and there are records of it transporting emigrants to Melbourne in 1869. The impact of the convict ships on Australia's population and history is significant, with an estimated 30% of the Australian population having Irish ancestry in 2013 due to historical convict transportation.
Understanding Australia's Minimum Wage Laws
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Over 160,000 convicts transported to Australia
Between 1788 and 1868, over 160,000 convicts were transported to Australia on more than 600 convict ships. The First Fleet, which arrived in Australia in January 1788, included ships containing food and animals from London. The ships of the First Fleet explored the coast of Australia, looking for suitable farming land and resources. The fleet arrived at Botany Bay, Sydney, and then moved to Sydney Cove (modern-day Circular Quay), establishing the first permanent European settlement in Australia. This marked the beginning of the European colonisation of Australia.
The majority of convicts were men, and they were often convicted of crimes such as theft, forgery, assault, sacrilege, arson, bigamy, riot, machine breaking, sedition, and rape. Approximately 25,000 female convicts were transported to Australia, often for relatively minor crimes such as theft, prostitution, and vagrancy. In addition to those transported from Britain, convicts also came from beyond Great Britain and Ireland, including the British colonies of India, Upper Canada, Cape of Good Hope (South Africa and Namibia), Hong Kong, Bermuda, and Mauritius. Many of these were soldiers sentenced to transportation for crimes such as mutiny and desertion.
The voyage to Australia could take 4 to 5 months, and convicts were housed below decks on a specially designated prison deck. Conditions on board the convict ships were notoriously harsh, with overcrowding, poor hygiene, and inadequate food and water supplies. Many convicts suffered from illnesses such as scurvy and dysentery, and only 550 convicts died in shipwrecks during the entire period of transportation. From 1801, voyages were subject to stricter regulations by the British government in terms of provisions and medical support, and from 1814, qualified naval surgeons were employed on the ships.
The transportation of convicts to Australia peaked in 1833 when nearly 7,000 people arrived in one year. However, by this time, public support for the system was already in decline. It wasn't until 1868 that convict transportation to Australia came to an end, with the arrival of the last convict ship, the Hougoumont, in Western Australia.
Columbus' Australia: An Alternate History Exploration
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Convict indents: lists made when convicts arrived
Convict indents were lists made when convicts arrived on transport ships. They were criminal passenger lists, arranged by ship, and then usually alphabetically by surname. They systematically documented offenders punished with transportation to one of Britain's penal colonies. The extent of information recorded increased over time and varied between places of origin and destination.
Early records were minimal, simply recording the convict's first name, surname, aliases, trial place, trial date, and term of sentence. From 1814-15, the convict's age, trade or calling, and place of birth were also recorded. The 1820s witnessed a significant expansion of details that improved identification, including complexion, hair colour, eye colour, particular marks or scars, height, and literacy. Later indents also included a convict’s marital status and number of children.
The indents may also contain numbers of tickets of leave, pardons, or certificates of freedom, as well as details of any further crimes committed in the colony. Tickets of leave were issued to convicts who had served about half of their sentences with good behaviour. These allowed convicts to seek employment as they wished but limited their movement to a certain district for the remainder of their sentences.
The "Convict Indents (Ship and Arrival Registers) 1788-1868" records include an incomplete listing of individual-level information taken from the shipping lists regarding convicts transported to the Australian colonies of New South Wales, Van Diemen's Land (now Tasmania), and Swan River (now Western Australia). The documents we today call "Convict Indents" are more correctly Ship’s Musters. The misnomer arises from their close association with legal indentures. Indents were, in effect, convict passports.
Convict indents are the starting point for any convict research and are a key resource for genealogists and Australian historians.
NCIX Shipping: Australia-Bound?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Convict transportation peaks in 1833 with 7,000 arrivals
Convict transportation to Australia occurred between 1788 and 1868, with over 162,000 convicts transported over 80 years. The practice of transportation emerged in the British legal system in the 17th century as an alternative to execution for crimes committed in Britain and Ireland. Many crimes that are considered minor today were punishable by death during this period.
The First Fleet, a group of convict ships, departed from England in 1787 to establish the first colonial settlement in Australia as a penal colony. The fleet arrived at Botany Bay, Sydney, on 18 January 1788, then moved to Sydney Cove (modern-day Circular Quay) and established the first permanent European settlement in Australia.
Convict transportation peaked in 1833, with 7,000 convicts arriving in Australia in a single year. This was the largest number of convicts to arrive in Australia in a single year. The convicts were selected based on their ability to work, and their labour was sold to the colonies once they arrived. Convicts helped build the young colony roads, bridges, and public buildings, and most stayed in Australia after serving their sentences, with some becoming successful settlers.
The conditions on the convict ships were poor, with convicts housed below decks in inadequate and cramped spaces. Illness was rife, and many convicts were already weak and ill before transportation. Naval doctors were brought on voyages to address the health issues, and while many died of illness, only 550 convicts died in shipwrecks during the entire transportation period.
When to Buy Tickets for Your Australia Trip
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Between 1788 and 1868, over 160,000 convicts were transported to Australia. The exact number of convict ships is unclear, but it is estimated that 43 convict ships arrived in Western Australia between 1850 and 1868. The First Fleet, which consisted of 11 vessels, was the largest single contingent of ships to sail into the Pacific Ocean.
The number of convict ships arriving in Australia varied each year. In 1833, convict transportation peaked when 7,000 prisoners arrived in Australia.
The last convict ship to Australia arrived on 10 January 1868.
