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Political prisoners made up a small proportion of convicts. They arrived in waves corresponding to political unrest in Britain and Ireland. They included the First Scottish Martyrs in 1794; British Naval Mutineers (from the Nore Mutiny) in 1797 and 1801; Irish rebels in 1798, 1803, 1848 and 1868; Scots Rebels (1820); Yorkshire Rebels (1820 and 1822); leaders of the Merthyr Tydfil rising of 1831; The Tolpuddle Martyrs (1834); Swing Rioters and Machine Breakers (1828–1833); Upper Canada rebellion/Lower Canada Rebellion (1839) and Chartists (1842).[12] Cessation of transportation With increasing numbers of free settlers entering New South Wales and Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania) by the mid-1830s, opposition to the transportation of felons into the colonies grew. The most influential spokesmen were newspaper proprietors who were also members of the Independent Congregation Church such as John Fairfax in Sydney and the Reverend John West in Launceston, who argued against convicts both as competition to honest free labourers and as the source of crime and vice within the colony. The anti-transportation movement was seldom concerned with the inhumanity of the system, but rather the hated stain it was believed to inflict on the free (non-emancipist) middle classes. Transportation to New South Wales ended in 1840, by which time some 150,000 convicts had been sent to the colonies. The sending of convicts to Brisbane in its Moreton Bay district had ceased the previous year, and administration of Norfolk Island was later transferred to Van Diemen's Land. The continuation of transportation to Van Diemen's Land saw the rise of a well-coordinated anti- transportation movement, especially following a severe economic depression in the early 1840s. Transportation was temporarily suspended in 1846 but soon revived with overcrowding of British gaols and clamour for the availability of transportation as a deterrent. By the late 1840s most convicts being sent to Van Diemen's Land (plus those to Victoria) were designated as "exiles" and were free to work for pay while under sentence. In 1850 the Australasian Anti-Transportation League was formed to lobby for the permanent cessation of transportation, its aims being furthered by the commencement of the Australian gold rushes the following year. The last convict ship to be sent from England, the St. Vincent, arrived in 1853, and on 10 August 1853 Jubilee festivals in Hobart and Launceston celebrated 50 years of European settlement with the official end of transportation. Transportation continued in small numbers to Western Australia. The last convict ship to arrive in Western Australia, the Hougoumont, left Britain in 1867 and arrived in Western Australia on 10 January 1868. In all, about 164,000 convicts were transported to the Australian colonies between 1788 and 1868 on board 806 ships. Convicts were made up of English and Welsh (70%), Irish (24%), Scottish (5%) and the remaining 1% from the British outposts in India and Canada, Maoris from New Zealand, Chinese from Hong Kong and slaves from the Caribbean. Only South Australia and the Northern Territory had never accepted convicts directly from England but they still accepted ex-convicts from the other states. Many convicts were allowed to travel as far as New Zealand to make a new life after being given limited freedom, even if they were not allowed to return home to England. At this time the Australian population was approximately 1 million and the colonies could now sustain themselves without the need for convict labour.[13] Notable convicts transported to Australia Esther Abrahams – British Jew, who was one of the Jewish convicts (about 1,000 in all) and common law wife of a leader of the Rum Rebellion. Samuel Barsby – first convict to be flogged[14] Joseph Backler - transported for passing forged cheques, became a colonial painter Billy Blue – black Jamaican, established a ferry service James Blackburn – Famous for contribution to Australian architecture and civil engineering William Bland – naval surgeon transported for killing a man in a duel; he prospered and was involved in philanthropy, and had a seat in the legislative assembly.[15] Mary Bryant – famous escapee William Buckley – famously escaped and lived with Aboriginal people for many years John Cadman – had been a publican, as a convict became Superintendent of Boats in Sydney; Cadmans Cottage is a cottage granted to him. Martin Cash – Famous escapee and bushranger William Chopin – a convict whose work in prison hospitals in Western Australia grounded him in chemistry; on receiving a ticket of leave he was appointed chemist at the Colonial Hospital, but preferred to open his own chemist shop. He was later convicted as an abortionist. Daniel Connor – successful merchant. Daniel Cooper – successful merchant. William Cuffay (convict and tailor) – Black London Chartist leader who became an important workers' rights leader in Hobart. John Davies – co-founded The Mercury newspaper. Margaret Dawson – First Fleeter, "founding mother" John Eyre – painter and engraver William Field – notable Tasmanian businessman and landowner Francis Greenway – famous Australian architect William Henry Groom – successful auctioneer and politician, served in the inaugural Australian Parliament. Laurence Hynes Halloran – founded Sydney Grammar School. William Hutchinson – public servant and pastoralist. John Irving – doctor transported on First Fleet, was the first convict to receive an absolute pardon. Mark Jeffrey – wrote famous autobiography Jørgen Jørgensen – eccentric Danish adventurer influenced by revolutionary ideas who declared himself ruler of Iceland, later became a spy in Britain. Henry Kable – First Fleet convict, arrived with wife and son (Susannah Holmes, also a convict, and Henry) filed 1st lawsuit in Australia, became wealthy businessman Lawrence Kavenagh – notorious bushranger John (Red) Kelly – Irish convict & father of bushranger Ned Kelly Solomon Levey – wealthy merchant, endowed Sydney Grammar School. Simeon Lord – pioneer merchant and magistrate in Australia Nathaniel Lucas – one of first convicts on Norfolk Island, where he became Master carpenter, later farmed successfully, built windmills, and was Superintendent of carpenters in Sydney. John Mitchel – Irish nationalist Francis "Frank the Poet" McNamara – composer of various oral convict ballads, including The Convict's Tour to Hell John Mortlock – former marine Thomas Muir – convicted of sedition for advocating parliamentary reform; escaped from N.S.W and after many vicissitudes made his way to revolutionary France. Isaac Nichols – entrepreneur, first Postmaster Kevin Izod O'Doherty – Medical student, Young Irelander who was transported for treason. Robert Palin – once in Australia, committed further crimes, and managed to be executed for a non-capital offence Alexander Pearce – cannibal escapee Joseph Potaskie – first Polish Jew to come to Australia. William Smith O'Brien – famous Irish revolutionary; sent to Van Diemen's Land in 1849 after leading a rebellion in Tipperary John Boyle O'Reilly – Famous escapee and writer; author of The Moondyne William Redfern – one of the few surgeon convicts Mary Reibey – operated a fleet of ships James Ruse – successful farmer Henry Savery – Australia's first novelist; author of Quintus Servinton Robert Sidaway – opened Australia's first theatre James Squire – English Romanichal (Romany) – First Fleet convict and Australia's first brewer and cultivator of hops. William Sykes – historically interesting because he left a brief diary and a bundle of letters. John Tawell – served his sentence, became a prosperous chemist, returned to England after 15 years, and after some time murdered a mistress, for which he was hanged. Samuel Terry – wealthy merchant and philanthropist. James Hardy Vaux – author of Australia's first full length autobiography and dictionary. Mary Wade – Youngest female convict transported to Australia (11 years of age) who had 21 children and at the time of her death had over 300 living descendants. Joseph Wild – explorer Solomon Wiseman – merchant and operated ferry on Hawkesbury River hence town name Wisemans Ferry. |
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