How many convicts were transported to Australia between 1788 and 1868?
Approximately 162,000 to 164,000 convicts were transported from Great Britain and Ireland to Australia between 1788 and 1868, arriving on 806 ships across the full period.
Questions about Convicts in Australia
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Why did Britain start transporting convicts to Australia?
Transportation to Australia began after the American Revolutionary War ended convict shipments to North America, leaving British prisons and makeshift prison hulks severely overcrowded. The British Government chose Australia partly to prevent French colonial expansion in the region, and James Cook's 1770 charting of the east coast made it the most practical destination.
What crimes were most convicts transported to Australia for?
Thieves comprised 80 percent of all transportees, mostly convicted of petty theft. Rape and murder became transportable offences in the 1830s, but since they were also punishable by death, comparatively few convicts were transported for those crimes.
When did the last convict ship arrive in Australia?
The last convict ship to arrive in Australia was the Hougoumont, which left Britain in 1867 and arrived in Western Australia on the 10th of January 1868. Transportation to the eastern colonies had ended earlier, with the St. Vincent arriving in 1853 marking the close of transportation to Tasmania.
Who were the political prisoners transported to Australia?
Approximately 3,600 political prisoners were transported to Australia, including the First Scottish Martyrs in 1794, Irish rebels following uprisings in 1798, 1803-1848 and 1868, the Tolpuddle Martyrs in 1834, and Chartists in 1842. William Cuffay, a prominent Black London Chartist leader, was transported in 1848 after being convicted of preparing acts of arson as a signal for an armed uprising.
What happened to convicts after they served their sentences in Australia?
After completing their sentences, typically seven years, convicts received a Certificate of Freedom and could remain in Australia as free settlers or return to Britain. Most stayed, and some rose to prominent positions; Andrew Thompson, transported at 18 in 1791, became the largest private employer in the colony and in 1810 was the first ex-convict appointed as magistrate. By 2007, an estimated four million Australians were related to transported convicts.