Lyla Lindsey
Australia was used as a penal colony by the British for over 150 years, from 1788 to 1868, during which more than 160,000 convicts were transported to the country. The use of Australia as a penal colony was proposed by James Matra, a junior officer on James Cook's voyage to the Pacific in 1768, who suggested that Botany Bay would be a suitable location for a colony. The colony was intended to serve as an alternative to transporting convicts to North America, as the American colonies had gained independence. The convicts transported to Australia were used as free labour for the first settlers and were subjected to harsh punishments, including floggings and solitary confinement. Many convicts ended up becoming some of the most important people in Australian history, such as pioneer merchant Simeon Lord and bushranger Ned Kelly.
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What You'll Learn
- Between 1788 and 1868, 162,000 convicts were transported from Britain and Ireland to Australia
- Penal colonies were established in Tasmania, Queensland, and Western Australia
- Most convicts were guilty of petty crimes, particularly theft
- Female convicts made up one in seven transported prisoners
- The convict era inspired many cultural works and shaped Australia's national character
Between 1788 and 1868, 162,000 convicts were transported from Britain and Ireland to Australia
Between 1788 and 1868, approximately 162,000 convicts were transported from Britain and Ireland to Australia. The majority of these convicts were English and Welsh (70%), followed by Irish (24%), Scottish (5%), and the remaining 1% from various other places, including British outposts in India and Canada, New Zealand, Hong Kong, and the Caribbean. The first fleet of 11 ships arrived at Botany Bay, New South Wales, between 18 and 20 January 1788, carrying about 1,487 people and stores. This fleet travelled over 15,000 miles in 250 days and is considered one of the world's greatest sea voyages.
The use of Australia as a penal colony was proposed by James Matra, who had previously been to the continent with James Cook in 1768. Matra suggested that Botany Bay would be a suitable location for a colony of British loyalists who wanted to leave America after its independence. However, after meeting with Home Secretary Lord Sydney, the plan was changed to include mostly convicts. In 1785, the British government issued orders to create a penal colony in New South Wales, and in 1786, Captain Arthur Phillip was appointed its first governor.
The convicts transported to Australia were mostly guilty of petty crimes, such as stealing fish or handkerchiefs. At the time, many crimes that would be considered minor offences today were punishable by hanging, and there were 225 identified capital offences. Transportation was seen as a way to reduce the number of people being sentenced to death. Additionally, it provided a solution to the labour problem in the colonies and removed criminals from the streets of Britain. Convicts in Australia faced harsh conditions, working from sunrise to sunset, six days a week, under strict rules. Good behaviour could lead to a ticket of leave, conditional pardon, or absolute pardon, allowing convicts to earn their own living.
While some convicts returned to England after serving their sentences, most stayed in Australia and joined the free settlers. Some, like Andrew Thompson, who arrived in 1791 and became a chief constable, a farmer, businessman, ship owner, and government official, even rose to prominent positions in Australian society. It is estimated that about 20% of modern Australians have convict ancestry, and the impact of this forced emigration on the relationship between indigenous Australians and settlers is still felt today.
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Penal colonies were established in Tasmania, Queensland, and Western Australia
Between 1788 and 1868, about 162,000 convicts were transported from Britain and Ireland to various penal colonies in Australia. Penal colonies were established in Tasmania, Queensland, and Western Australia.
Tasmania, then known as Van Diemen's Land, received convicts in 1803. Lt. John Bowen led a British expedition from Sydney to establish a settlement at Risdon Cove on the Derwent River's eastern side. However, Lt.-Col. David Collins, who arrived soon after, deemed the site inadequate. In 1804, he established an alternative settlement on the river's western side at Sullivan's Cove, now known as Hobart. The Macquarie Harbour penal colony was established in 1820 to exploit the valuable timber Huon pine growing there. Most convicts sent to this settlement had re-offended during their sentence, and they were treated very harshly.
In 1824, a penal colony was established in Queensland, then known as Moreton Bay. The settlement was first called Edenglassie and was located in what is now Brisbane's Central Business District. In 1839, transportation of convicts to Moreton Bay ceased, and the Brisbane penal settlement closed.
Western Australia, initially established as the Swan River Colony in 1829, was intended solely for free settlers. However, it started receiving convicts in 1850, and this continued until 1868. Convicts were in high demand for public infrastructure projects, and they were stationed in remote areas to work on various construction projects, including the Convict Establishment itself.
Penal transportation to Australia peaked in the 1830s, but it dropped off significantly in the following decade as protests against the convict system intensified. Most convicts were transported for petty crimes, particularly theft.
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Most convicts were guilty of petty crimes, particularly theft
Australia has a long and complex history, and one aspect that is often associated with the nation's early days is its role as a penal colony. Indeed, the idea of Australia as an "island full of inmates" is not entirely inaccurate, especially in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. During this time, Britain used Australia as a place to exile convicts, many of whom were guilty of petty crimes.
The majority of these convicts were not dangerous criminals, but rather, they were people who had fallen on hard times and resorted to theft or trivial offenses to survive. This was especially true during the late 18th century, when Britain was experiencing rapid industrialization and urbanization, which led to widespread poverty and unemployment. Many people resorted to petty theft to get by, and as a result, they were convicted and sentenced to transportation to Australia.
One of the most common crimes that led to a conviction and transportation was the theft of items worth more than one shilling. This could include stealing food, clothing, or other goods. Other petty crimes that resulted in transportation included vagrancy, begging, and even petty larceny, which could be something as minor as picking a pocket or shoplifting. These offenses, while illegal, were often committed out of desperation and poverty rather than malicious intent.
In addition to these petty crimes, some convicts were also transported for political reasons or for their involvement in social uprisings. For example, the "Swing Riots" of 1830-1831 in England, a protest by agricultural workers, led to the conviction and transportation of many participants, even though their "crimes" were largely a response to the harsh conditions they faced. These instances further emphasize how many of the convicts sent to Australia were not hardened criminals but rather individuals caught up in broader social and economic issues.
It is important to recognize that while many convicts were guilty of minor offenses, they still endured harsh punishments and challenging journeys to Australia. The conditions on the prison ships were notoriously brutal, and upon arrival, the convicts often faced difficult labor and a struggle for survival in a new and unfamiliar land. While some may have initially been convicted of petty crimes, their experiences in Australia were far from trivial.
In conclusion, while the statement "Australia was an island full of inmates" may be an oversimplification, it is true that many of the convicts transported to the colony were guilty of petty crimes, particularly theft. These offenses often arose from the social and economic hardships of the time, and the punishment of exile to Australia was a significant consequence for these individuals. Understanding this aspect of Australia's history provides valuable insight into the nation's development and the diverse backgrounds of its early inhabitants.
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Female convicts made up one in seven transported prisoners
Between 1788 and 1868, more than 162,000 convicts were transported to Australia. Of these, about 20% were women, which means that for every seven prisoners transported, one was a woman. The women convicts in Australia were British prisoners who were sent to the penal outpost of New South Wales to develop it into a viable colony. The women worked in 'factories' (the equivalent of English workhouses), but often had to find their own accommodation. They were under great pressure to pay for their lodgings with sexual services, and as a result, all women convicts were regarded as prostitutes. However, it is a misconception that they had been convicted of prostitution, as this was not an offence punishable by transportation.
The British government began to issue harsh punishments such as public hangings or exile in response to the growing crime rate in the 18th and 19th centuries. Transportation to Australia was one such punishment, and it was based on the permanent removal of convicts from Britain. Even after their sentences were served, there were no British laws to assist them in returning to the British Empire. Convict women ranged from small children to old women, but most were in their twenties or thirties. The British government called for more women of "marriageable" age to be sent to Australia to promote family development for emancipated convicts and free settlers.
The women convicts were subjected to humiliating punishments for misconduct in the factories. A common punishment was to shave the woman's head. The Parramatta female factory, the first built in Australia, only had room for a third of the female prisoners. The rest had to find lodgings with local settlers, usually at a cost of about four shillings a week. Many women could only pay for this by offering sexual services, and their customers were usually male convicts.
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The convict era inspired many cultural works and shaped Australia's national character
Between 1788 and 1868, about 162,000 convicts were transported to Australia from Britain and Ireland. The lives of these convicts were hard as they helped build the young colony. They were subjected to strict rules and physical punishment, such as whippings and solitary confinement. Despite this, convicts were also offered incentives such as being extraordinarily well-fed, and the opportunity for redemption through honest work. This combination of "convict stain" and colonisation created a contradictory history that was long ignored in favour of a more romanticised view of Australia's past.
The convict era has inspired many cultural works, particularly in the early 20th century with the rise of Australian cinema. The first convict film was a 1908 adaptation of Marcus Clarke's *For the Term of His Natural Life*, shot on location at Port Arthur. This was followed by other convict melodramas such as *It Is Never Too Late to Mend* (1911), an adaptation of Charles Reade's 1856 novel about the cruelties of the convict system. Other early titles dealing with the convict era include *Sentenced for Life*, *The Mark of the Lash*, and *The Assigned Servant*, all released in 1911. However, few convict films were made after 1930, with even the Australian New Wave of the 1970s largely avoiding the convict era. An exception to this is *Journey Among Women* (1977), which offers a feminist imagining of life for female convicts.
Convicts also feature heavily in Australian literature. Perhaps the most famous convict in all of fiction is Abel Magwitch, a main character in Charles Dickens' *Great Expectations*. Other notable works include *The Broad Arrow* by Caroline Woolmer Leakey, one of the first novels to depict the convict experience from a female perspective, and Marcus Clarke's *For the Term of His Natural Life* (1874), considered the most famous convict novel. More recently, authors such as Thomas Keneally, Patrick White, and Bryce Courtenay have explored the convict era in their novels.
The convict era also shaped Australia's national character. The society created by convicts and emancipists was highly urban, with towns offering work, housing, and entertainment. Additionally, the power of the colonial government to direct convict labour to rural employment resulted in the dispossession of Aboriginal land and intensified conflict with Australia's First Nations. The legacy of this history is complex and continues to be debated, with some emphasising the negative aspects (the "black armband" view) while others promote a more positive interpretation (the "white blindfold" view).
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Frequently asked questions
Australia was used as a penal colony by the British, with the first fleet of convicts arriving in 1788. Between 1788 and 1868, over 160,000 convicts were transported to Australia. However, not all of Australia was a penal colony, and the majority of convicts worked for the government or free settlers.
The use of Australia as a penal colony created a different form of isolation for the indigenous people of Australia, who were met with severe racism and segregation. Many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people alive today have experiences with being forcibly removed from their parents and communities.
Convicts in Australia lived under very strict rules and were punished for any infractions. Their sentences stipulated that they would work from sunrise to sunset, six days a week. Convicts who misbehaved were often sent to places of secondary punishment, such as Port Arthur or Norfolk Island, where they faced additional punishment and solitary confinement.
