Special Sub-Topic: Transportation Click Here To Play: Transportation

Who was Prime Minister of Britain when the Transportation Act was revived in 1786?

William Pitt. Transportation to America had come to a halt because the United States was now independent. Britain had a rising crime rate and nowhere to keep convicts. Keeping people in prison for long periods was not common in Britain then. As a stop gap measure, hulks or decommissioned troop carriers were used. Conditions on board were appalling. There was a constant fear of typhus spreading into the wider population. Pitt, under intense political pressure, revived transportation. He picked Botany Bay as a penal settlement, having first rejected Gibraltar, Tristan da Cunha and the West African coast.

The first fleet in 1786 carried almost 1,500 people. How many of these were convicts?

700. The youngest was 9, he had stolen clothes and a pistol. The oldest was 82 and she had committed perjury. Incredible times!

Many of the original convicts were described as 'sneaksmen', what does that mean?

Robber. It referred to highwaymen in particular. The most common crime that caused the offender to be transported was theft, sometimes for very trivial items, e.g. a pair of shoes. Perhaps the modern "sneakthief" comes from this word.

How long did that first voyage take?

251 days. The ships in the fleet arrived at different times. The first of two ships to arrive in 251 days was the 'Alexander'. 'The Lady Juliana' took 309 days while one ship never arrived at all, she was wrecked when she hit an iceberg.

Did the fleet remain at Botany Bay?

n. Captain Phillip thought the harbour was unsuitable. He sailed north to what is now Sydney, one of the greatest natural harbours in the world.

What did 'Assignment' mean to a prisoner when he/she arrived?

Work. 10% of prisoners worked on government farms and public works. The remainder worked for free settlers who had gone to Australia and received grants of land.

Could a settler punish a prisoner?

y. A court order had to be obtained first, but I'm sure there was no problem getting one. The most common punishment was the 'cat o' nine tails'. The number of lashes ranged from 25 to 300! I cannot imagine anyone surviving that number of lashes.

Where were female prisoners sent on arrival?

Female Factory. The first female factory was built at Parramatta in 1804. They worked there and some also lived there. The ratio of men to women was 6:1, so men lined up when female prisoners arrived. If a man dropped a scarf/handkerchief in front of a woman and she picked it up, then marriage was instant. Given that ratio having a husband was a very good idea.

What type of prisoners were sent to Norfolk Island?

The worst. This was for the worst offenders and the regime there was brutal. Tasmania had one of the first juvenile prisons in the world at Point Puer. Boys between 9-18 got a basic education and as a result had a much better chance of making something of themselves than if they had remained in Europe.

When a prisoner got a 'ticket of leave', was s/he free to go home to the original home?

n. This meant s/he could work for wages and live more or less as a free person. Once the sentence was served then inducements were offered to keep the person in Australia. Most accepted very gratefully, they had a future there but not at home. They could not afford to go home in any case.