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Australia's history is closely tied to its past as a penal colony. Between 1788 and 1868, the British penal system transported approximately 162,000 convicts from Britain and Ireland to various penal colonies in Australia. The majority of convicts remained in Australia after serving their sentences, and today, an estimated one-fifth of the Australian population is descended from this group. The story of convict transportation to Australia is one of forced emigration and hard labour, but also of redemption and new opportunities.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of convicts transported to Australia | 162,000 |
| Time period | 1788-1868 |
| Countries of origin | Great Britain and Ireland |
| Number of ships in the First Fleet | 11 |
| Date the First Fleet arrived in Australia | 20 January 1788 |
| Date the First Fleet arrived in Sydney Cove | 27 January 1788 |
| Number of convicts, soldiers and free people on the First Fleet | 1400 |
| Number of deaths during the First Fleet voyage | 48 |
| Number of convicts transported at the peak in 1833 | 7,000 |
| Percentage of convicts locked up by the mid-1830s | 6% |
| Percentage of women among convict transportees | 15% |
| Average sentence length for capital crimes | 14 years |
| Average sentence length for non-capital offences | 7 years |
| Year transportation to New South Wales ended | 1840 |
| Year convict transportation to Australia ended | 1868 |
| Year the last convict film was made | 2009 |
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What You'll Learn
- Between 1788 and 1868, about 162,000 convicts were transported from Britain and Ireland to Australia
- Convicts were sent to work from sunrise to sunset, 6 days a week
- Convicts lived under strict rules and faced harsh punishments
- Most convicts stayed in Australia after their sentences were served
- Convict transportation peaked in 1833 with 7,000 prisoners arriving in Australia
Between 1788 and 1868, about 162,000 convicts were transported from Britain and Ireland to Australia
The history of Australia is closely intertwined with the story of convict transportation from Britain and Ireland. From 1788 to 1868, approximately 162,000 convicts were transported to various penal colonies in Australia, with their labour contributing significantly to the young colony's development. This mass movement of convicts, also known as the First Fleet, consisted of 11 convict ships carrying almost 800 convicts, including women and children, and played a crucial role in shaping Australia's future.
The decision to establish a penal colony in Australia was influenced by several factors. Initially, the British government transported convicts to American colonies in the early 18th century. However, with the start of the American Revolution, an alternative location was needed. James Cook's charting and claiming of the east coast of Australia for Britain in 1770 provided an opportunity to establish a colony and pre-empt French colonial expansion in the region. Botany Bay was proposed as a suitable site for the colony, and in 1787, the First Fleet sailed from Portsmouth, arriving at Botany Bay in 1788.
The convicts transported to Australia came from diverse backgrounds and included English, Welsh, Irish, Scottish, and individuals from British outposts in India and Canada. They were punished for various crimes, including theft, sedition, and treason, and their sentences were harsh. Convicts worked from sunrise to sunset, six days a week, building infrastructure and creating public works. Their labour was instrumental in constructing roads, bridges, and public buildings, as well as farming for free settlers. The strict rules governed their lives, and any infractions resulted in punishments such as whippings, leg irons, or solitary confinement.
Despite the harsh conditions, the majority of convicts remained in Australia after completing their sentences. They were allowed to own land, and some even held key positions in the colonial government under Governor Lachlan Macquarie. The Ticket of Leave system offered early release for well-behaved convicts, and conditional or absolute pardons were also granted. Convicts who completed their sentences were issued Certificates of Freedom and could choose to stay in Australia or return home.
The transportation of convicts to Australia peaked in 1833, with 7,000 prisoners arriving that year. However, public support for the system was waning, and in 1868, convict transportation to Australia officially ended. The legacy of this era is significant, with an estimated one-fifth of the Australian population descended from these convicts, shaping the country's culture and history.
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Convicts were sent to work from sunrise to sunset, 6 days a week
Between 1788 and 1868, about 162,000 convicts were transported from Great Britain and Ireland to various penal colonies in Australia. The British Government had been transporting convicts overseas to American colonies in the early 18th century. However, after the trans-Atlantic transportation ended with the start of the American Revolution, an alternative destination was needed to relieve the overcrowding of British prisons.
Convicts were sent to Australia to work. Their sentences stipulated that they would work from sunrise to sunset, Monday to Saturday. This was their punishment, but colonial administrators also viewed it as an opportunity for redemption, as Governor Phillip believed that "honest sweat" was the convict's best chance of improvement. Convicts lived under very strict rules, and any breaking of those regulations could result in punishment such as whippings, the wearing of leg irons, or solitary confinement.
The majority of convicts were assigned a trade in their penal colony. Their work was unpaid until their sentence was served. A Ticket-of-Leave system offered early release for well-behaved convicts. After serving some of their sentence, they could work for themselves in designated areas under the condition that they reported to the local police regularly. In some cases, conditional and absolute pardons were granted. Once they had completed their penal servitude, convicts were issued with a Certificate of Freedom and were free to settle in Australia or return home at their own expense.
Most convicts stayed on in Australia after their sentences were served. Once free, they could own land, and some were even appointed to key positions in the colonial government. Convicts were instrumental in creating the necessary infrastructure for the convict system, including the construction of the Convict Establishment in Fremantle. They also crewed the pilot boat, rebuilt York Street and Stirling Terrace, and turned the track from Albany to Perth into a good road.
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Convicts lived under strict rules and faced harsh punishments
Between 1788 and 1868, the British penal system transported approximately 162,000 convicts from Britain and Ireland to various penal colonies in Australia. The Transportation Act of 1717 simplified and legitimised the process of transportation as a punishment for convicts found guilty of capital crimes. Convicts were sent to Australia to work from sunrise to sunset, six days a week. This was their punishment, but it was also viewed as an opportunity for redemption through "honest sweat".
Convicts lived under very strict rules, and any infractions could result in harsh punishments. For example, those stationed at Fremantle were housed in the Convict Establishment, the colony's convict prison, and misbehaviour was punished by stints there. The majority of convicts, however, were stationed in other parts of the colony, often in remote areas, and set to work creating public infrastructure. Convicts who broke the rules could be subjected to whippings, forced to wear leg irons, or placed in solitary confinement. Serious crimes could result in sentences to hard-labour prisons such as Port Arthur or Norfolk Island. Female convicts were also subjected to harsh punishments, including lashes with the cat-o'-nine-tails, hard labour on road gangs, and solitary confinement on bread and water.
The nature of crime and punishment in the nineteenth century profoundly shaped the development of Australia as a penal colony. With Britain's urban centres growing and industrialising, the justice system became increasingly punitive, resulting in large numbers of convicts requiring confinement. As public support for the convict system declined in the colonies, protests intensified, and transportation to the eastern colonies ceased in 1849. In 1868, the last convict ship arrived in Western Australia, marking the end of convict transportation to Australia.
While under the Ticket-of-Leave system, convicts with good behaviour could earn the right to work for themselves in designated areas, provided they reported to the local police regularly. They could also earn conditional or absolute pardons, and once their penal servitude was complete, they were issued with a Certificate of Freedom. The majority of convicts stayed on in Australia after their sentences were served, and some even rose to prominent positions in Australian society.
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Most convicts stayed in Australia after their sentences were served
Between 1788 and 1868, about 162,000 convicts were transported from Great Britain and Ireland to various penal colonies in Australia. The majority of these convicts remained in Australia after completing their sentences. This was partly due to the high cost of returning home, which the convicts had to bear themselves.
After serving their sentences, convicts were issued with a Certificate of Freedom and could either return home or settle in Australia. Most chose the latter option, and some even became successful settlers. Under Governor Lachlan Macquarie, who served from 1810 to 1821, former convicts were appointed to key positions in the colonial government.
During their sentences, convicts were assigned a trade and worked unpaid in their penal colony. They could earn a Ticket of Leave for good behaviour, which allowed them to work for themselves in designated areas under the supervision of the local police. Conditional and absolute pardons were also granted in some cases.
The hard work and strict rules of the convict system were intended to provide an opportunity for redemption. Governor Phillip believed that "honest sweat" was the best chance for convicts to improve themselves. While the system was successful in building the young colony, it was also controversial, with protests against it intensifying throughout the colonies in the 1830s.
Today, it is estimated that about 20% of the Australian population is descended from convicts transported from the UK, and a further 2 million Britons can trace their ancestry to this population. The story of forced emigration and the impact of convicts on Australia's history and society is a significant part of the country's colonial past.
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Convict transportation peaked in 1833 with 7,000 prisoners arriving in Australia
The British penal system transported approximately 162,000 convicts from Britain and Ireland to Australia between 1788 and 1868. The Transportation Act of 1717 simplified and legitimised the process of transportation as a punishment for convicts. Transportation was also seen as a more humane alternative to the death penalty, which was the sentence for many crimes that are now considered minor offences.
Convict transportation to Australia peaked in 1833, with 7,000 prisoners arriving in one year. This was the largest number of convicts to arrive in Australia in a single year. By this time, however, public support for the convict system was already declining.
The majority of convicts were transported for petty crimes, particularly theft. Their sentences stipulated that they would work from sunrise to sunset, Monday to Saturday. This was their punishment, but it was also viewed as an opportunity for redemption through "honest sweat". Convicts lived under strict rules, and any breaking of these regulations could result in punishments such as whippings, leg irons, or solitary confinement.
Once their sentences were served, most convicts stayed in Australia and some became successful settlers. They could own land, and some were even appointed to key positions in the colonial government under Governor Lachlan Macquarie (1810-1821).
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Australia was founded by convicts. Between 1788 and 1868, the British penal system transported about 162,000 convicts from Great Britain and Ireland to various penal colonies in Australia.
In the late 18th century, Great Britain had to find a way to deal with its growing number of convicted criminals. Initially, the British transported convicts overseas to American colonies in the early 18th century. However, after the American colonies won their independence, they could no longer send convicts across the Atlantic. As James Cook had already charted and claimed possession of the east coast of Australia for Britain in 1770, the country became the new site of a penal colony.
Convicts were sent to Australia to work. Their sentences stipulated they would work from sunrise to sunset, Monday to Saturday. While their labour was unpaid, the colonial administration viewed it as an opportunity for redemption. Convicts lived under strict rules, and any breaking of those regulations could result in punishment such as whippings, the wearing of leg irons, or solitary confinement. Serious crimes could result in sentences to hard-labour prisons.
The majority of convicts stayed in Australia after completing their sentences. Once free, they could own land, and some were even appointed to key positions in the colonial government. Convicts who behaved well could earn a ticket of leave, conditional pardon, or absolute pardon. After serving their sentence, convicts were issued with a Certificate of Freedom and could settle in Australia or return home at their own expense.
