- Convict women in Australia were British prisoners whom the government increasingly sent out during the era of transportation (1787-1868) in order to develop the penal outpost of New South Wales into a viable colony12. Approximately 25,000 of these convicts were women, charged with petty crimes such as stealing bread2. Only about 13% of convicts were women3. On arrival in Sydney, most were privately assigned as servants to work in shops or businesses, or private homes or farms3. Female convicts were a varied bunch, ranging in age from children to women in old age4.Learn more:✕This summary was generated using AI based on multiple online sources. To view the original source information, use the "Learn more" links.
Convict women in Australia were British prisoners whom the government increasingly sent out during the era of transportation (1787-1868) in order to develop the penal outpost of New South Wales (now a state of Australia) into a viable colony. These women faced extreme difficulty in achieving freedom, solvency and respectability.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convict_women_in_AustraliaIt’s estimated that 164,000 convicts were shipped to Australia between 1788 and 1868 under the British government’s new Transportation Act — a humane alternative to the death penalty. Approximately 25,000 of these convicts were women, charged with petty crimes such as stealing bread.www.australiangeographic.com.au/topics/history-c…Only about 13 per cent of convicts were women. On arrival in Sydney, most were privately assigned as servants to work in shops or businesses, or private homes or farms. Badly behaved or unassigned women were sent to the Female Factory at Parramatta, which first opened in 1804, and then in larger premises opened by Governor Macquarie in 1821.mhnsw.au/stories/convict-sydney/convict-women-f…Female convicts were a varied bunch. They ranged in age from children to women in old age, but most were in their twenties or thirties. Many were single, but some were married and some were widowed. A small proportion brought children with them on their journey of transportation. Most left family behind in their homeland.www.artistwd.com/joyzine/australia/penal_colonies/… - People also ask
The little-known story of Australia’s convict women
It’s estimated that 164,000 convicts were shipped to Australia between 1788 and 1868 under the British government’s new Transportation Act — a humane alternative to the death penalty. Approximately 25,000 of these convicts were women, charged with petty crimes such as stealing bread. See more
According to detailed ship journals, most of the female convicts had never even travelled on a rowboat, let alone a large ship before, so most … See more
Records of the lives of convict women living in Tasmania are well-preserved, while those documenting the lives of their counterparts in Sydney have been destroyed. According … See more
Many of the convict women’s descendants that Deborah interviewed for her book suffered from what they called the ‘convict stain’, which described the social ostracising that came … See more
During her research Deborah came across countless stories that she says exemplify the human spirit. “They were ordinary women who found … See more
Explore further
Convict women in Australia - Wikipedia
Convict women in Australia were British prisoners whom the government increasingly sent out during the era of transportation (1787–1868) in order to develop the penal outpost of New South Wales (now a state of Australia) into a viable colony.
The women would be employed in 'factories' (equivalent of the English workhouse) but often had to find their own accommodation, and would be under great pressure to pay for it with sexual se…Wikipedia · Text under CC-BY-SA license- Estimated Reading Time: 10 mins
Searches you might like
Whores, damned whores and female convicts: Why our …
WEBJan 10, 2012 · Whores, damned whores and female convicts: Why our history does early Australian colonial women a grave injustice. …
- Estimated Reading Time: 7 mins
Female convicts | National Library of Australia
WEBNational. Detailed narratives of the lives of the approximately 200 female convicts born outside the British Isles who were transported to Australia. This publication is split into three parts: Part 1: The Indian Ocean, Part …
Female Convicts Research Centre
WEBThe Female Convicts Research Centre encourages research into these female convicts, mainly through its database, website and seminars. When you register with the FCRC, …
Parramatta Female Factory – The Female Factory Online
WEBThe Parramatta Female Factory is the largest and oldest surviving convict women’s site in Australia. Built between 1818 and 1821, the Female Factory operated between January 1821 and c. 1848 as a refuge for …
What Australia’s convict past reveals about women, …
WEBJul 18, 2018 · Wikimedia. What Australia’s convict past reveals about women, men, marriage and work. Published: July 18, 2018 3:29pm EDT. Success for women often comes at a cost. Award-winning,...
WEBwomen convicts as commodities for servicing the sexual needs of males in Australia. It was deemed necessary by both the local and the British authorities to have a supply of …
Why more women are doing time in Australia
WEBJul 30, 2021 · Between 2009 and 2019, Australia’s female prison population increased by 64% in Australia. And while the nation achieved a temporary decline in female prison rates in 2020 for the first time in …
What Australia's convict past reveals about women, men, marriage …
WEBJul 19, 2018 · In a forthcoming paper, for the Review of Economic Studies, Rose Khattar and I show that Australia’s convict past still exercises a strong and pervasive influence …
Skip to content
