So you think you
may have a few convict skeletons in the family
closet?
You are one of the lucky ones!!
What was once considered a shameful association
to be covered up at all costs is now, for most
with Australian ancestry, a source of pride.
Convict ancestry, if discovered in your family
tree, can open up a whole new world for the
novice genealogist.
Documentation, generally, has valuable
additions to what you may find from a birth,
death or marriage certificate. Details, in
particular distinguishing physical
characteristics, are noted on certain records.
Court reports, if discovered, will also be the
source of a
wealth of information on that 'infamous'
ancestor. And let's be fair on these people,
they were not all murderers, rapists and
professional burglars. Many were 'transported'
for petty crimes such as stealing a loaf of
bread or a handkerchief. Life was harsh back
then, and if you were poor it was often a
choice of steal or starve.
Transportation was 7 years for the stealing of
goods worth less than a shilling (about $50 in
todays value), and then upwards to 14 years or
life for other crimes. The 'System', as it was
called, lasted for 90 years and in that time
approximately 165,000 men and women and,
incredibly, *children, were sent to Australia
from Britain. Once their time was served they
could return to their homeland or, as was the
case with most, get their Ticket of Leave and
be absorbed into the colonial society as free
citizens. Many, in fact, did go
on to become leading members of the community
and well respected.
One in five of those transported were women
and, unlike the men, it was usually on the
first offence that this punishment was meted
out.
WHY?
The question inevitably arises - why was the
'System' necessary in the first place? For the
answer to that we need to understand what life
was like back then in Britain, and a good place
to start is the city of London. The largest
city, London was representative of many cities
all over Britain at that time, only worse
because of its size and rapid population
increase.
Between 1750 and 1850 the population tripled.
This explosion was fueled by the 'Enclosure
System" which forced many people off the land.
The Lord of the Manor owned all that the
peasants produced - houses, animals, food and
in return they were allowed to work their own
strip of land. As populations increased, there
were less strips to go around until eventually
all the land was combined and 'enclosed' by
fences or hedges and farmed as one piece of
land.
In the cities poverty was rife and in
consequence so was crime. There was a belief at
the time in a criminal class from which it was
thought the criminal 'mentality' could be
passed on to others. Initially these
'criminals' were sent to **America and the
Caribbean until
the American Revolution. Up till then free
settlers bought these indentured labourers, so
unlike the Australian 'experiment' this
solution had more economic merit, because as
soon as the felons stepped ashore they ceased
costing England a farthing.
Prisons were hopelessly overcrowded in Britain,
therefore, prisoners had to be placed in
'hulks', which were old rotting ships moored at
the docks. Extra prisoners were arriving at the
rate of 1000 per year so this 'solution' was
quickly becoming unmanageable. Australia solved
the problem beautifully as a destination for
transportees. The overcrowded prisons were
freed up and there was virtually unlimited
labour for the new colony.
The 'experiment' failed in respect of the hoped
for 'purification' of Britain because the
problem lay within the society, not the
criminal. It did succeed however, in colonising
Australia much quicker than would have happened
otherwise.
*The youngest boy was John Hudson, aged 9.
Elizabeth Hayward, at 13, was the youngest
girl.
**Over 60 years, 40000 men and women from Great
Britain and Ireland were transported.
Wayne Thomas has a website to help beginners
with their 'family mystery' at www.new2-geaneology.com
Article Source:
http://www.searchwhateveraustralia.com.au/articles.html |