Convicts lived in their own homes in an area known as ‘The Rocks’ , some with their families. But it wasn’t just convicts living in the village; local Aboriginal people lived there too. They camped near the convict houses, fished on the harbour, traded goods and food with townsfolk and brought news from further away.
What were the living conditions like for convicts on the First Fleet?
On board ship conditions were harsh. The convicts spent much of their time below decks, with a bucket for water and a bucket for waste, which was carried away on deck to dispose of. Despite this, the cramped conditions meant disease could spread very quickly and dysentery and cholera were common.
What were convict houses like?
Assigned convicts slept outside on the ground, in tents, or in a shed or barn. Many settlers had a slab hut made from wattle and daub with a bark roof and a parget wooden chimney . ... Many of the large houses of the landed gentry were built by convicts from sandstone that was quarried from local sites.
What did convicts do in Australia?
Convicts were a source of labour to build roads, bridges, courthouses, hospitals and other public buildings, or to work on government farms , while educated convicts may have been given jobs such as record-keeping for the government administration. Female convicts, on the other hand, were generally employed as domestic ...
What did the convicts do on the First Fleet?
Down at the edge of Sydney Harbour, convicts built boats and made rope and sails for ships . Other convicts transported water and food stores, or loaded and unloaded ships that had arrived from other parts of the world.
Who was the most famous convict?
- Francis Greenway. Francis Greenway arrived in Sydney in 1814. ...
- Mary Wade. The youngest ever convict to be transported to Australia at the age of 11. ...
- John ‘Red’ Kelly. John Kelly was sent to Tasmania for seven years for stealing two pigs, apparently. ...
- Mary Bryant. ...
- Frank the Poet.
What punishments did convicts get?
Throughout the convict era, ‘flogging’ (whipping) convicts with a cat-o’-nine-tails was a common punishment for convicts who broke the rules. In Australia today, flogging a prisoner with a whip or keeping them locked in a dark cell for a long period of time is not an acceptable form of punishment.
What did convicts eat on the ships?
Convicts Food
Convicts ate bread,hardtack,salted beef or pork,peas,oatmeal,butter,cheese . They also ate rise,fruit,vegetables.
Where did the convicts sleep?
Convicts slept in hammocks that were folded away each morning. Each ward had a large wooden tub that served as a communal toilet. The convicts had to carefully carry these tubs outside daily to be emptied and cleaned. Each of the wards held up to 60 men.
What did convicts do in their free time?
Convicts played cards or games like chess or draughts that required different sorts of tokens , many of which were handmade. These might have been carved from animal bones (perhaps saved from dinner) or pieces of ceramic and wood they found, or cast in lead.
How did convicts get their freedom?
Pardons were generally given to convicts with life sentences and shortened the sentence by granting freedom. There were two types of pardons: conditional and absolute. Conditional pardons required that freed convicts remain in the colony whereas absolute pardons allowed freed convicts to return to the UK.
What crimes did convicts commit to get sent to Australia?
Those who were taken to Australia had committed a range of different crimes including theft, assault, robbery and fraud . As part of their punishment they were sentenced to penal transportation for seven years, fourteen years or even life, despite the crimes that they had committed being generally low-grade.
What was convict life like in Australia?
Convicts lived in their own homes in an area known as ‘The Rocks’, some with their families. But it wasn’t just convicts living in the village; local Aboriginal people lived there too. They camped near the convict houses, fished on the harbour, traded goods and food with townsfolk and brought news from further away.
How many died on the First Fleet?
The eleven ships which arrived on 26 January 1788 are known as the First Fleet. They carried around 1400 convicts, soldiers and free people. The journey from England to Australia took 252 days and there were around 48 deaths on the voyage.
How many babies were born on the First Fleet?
Convict transport
It is estimated there were about 50 children on the First Fleet when it arrived at Botany Bay. Over 20 children were born at sea during the eight-month voyage.
How many Convicts died on the First Fleet?
The ships departed with an estimated 775 convicts (582 men and 193 women), as well as officers, marines, their wives and children, and provisions and agricultural implements. After 43 convicts had died during the eight-month trip, 732 landed at Sydney Cove.
