Welcome!
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The Female Convicts Research Centre promotes interest in the female convicts of Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania), by encouraging and facilitating research. From 1803 to 1853, 12,500 female convicts were transported to Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania), as punishment for crimes, mainly theft. After serving their sentences they were released into the community. Their transportation left a lasting legacy. The Female Convicts Research Centre encourages research into these female convicts, mainly through its database, website and seminars. When you register with the FCRC, you gain access to our database where you will find information entered by our volunteers as we attempt to reconstruct the life course of each female convict. We update this website and our database regularly and sometimes daily, as our volunteer transcribers continue to provide new information. Please bookmark this page and return soon.
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Latest News:
No current news.
Latest Blogs:
- Family and Community Historical Research Society
- Our Criminal Ancestors
- Clements Hall Local History Group
- The Morley's arrival in Hobart Town 200 years ago.
- Scottish Genealogy Research
- The Local Historian. Journal of the British Association of Local History
- Liverpool & South West Lancashire Family History Society
- Convict women who called Cascades Female Factory home lived 'cold and bleak' life
View all Blog Posts
Save The Dates:
| 2020 | Cancelled | FCRC's 2020 Seminar |
| 2021 | 2nd May | FCRC's 2021 Seminar: The Early Years. |
Recent Updates
Convict Stories:
- NOTTINGHAM, Jane per Duchess of Northumberland 1853. By Don Bradmore (10/09/2020)
- SURRIDGE, Elizabeth per Baretto Junior 1850. By Don Bradmore (2/09/2020).
- CHAMBERLAIN, Rachel per Mary Ann 1822. By Don Bradmore (15/08/2020)
- FENTON, Sarah per Mary Ann 1822. By Don Bradmore (15/08/2020).
- HORE, Mary per Duchess of Northumberland 1853. By Don Bradmore (9/08/2020)
- ACTON, Mary per Tory 1845. By Judith Cross (29/07/2020).
- KING, Ann per Elizabeth Henrietta 1817. By Don Bradmore (21/06/2020).
Convict Ships:
- Ships - Stately 1849 - Transcript of Surgeons Journal Sick List and Medical Notes (Transcribed by Colleen Arulappu 25/09/2020).
- Ships -Alexander 1816 - Ship's Muster List from the Alexander, 1816 into Sydney, cross-matched against the Kangaroo's Muster List into Hobart. (transcription by Rhonda Arthur 21/09/2020).
- Ships - Sir Robert Seppings 1852 - Transcript of Surgeons Journal Medical Notes (transcribed by Colleen Arulappu 13/09/2020), and an updated General Remarks section (transcribed by Geoff Court with minor editing by Colleen Arulappu 13/09/2020). The journal has an extensive list of names in the Sick List section There are over three hundred entries for the women on the voyage to Hobart and a small list of male patients who were on the vessel from Norfolk Island to Hobart. Very sad medically detailed entries for several children who died.
- Ships - Sea Queen 1846 - Transcript of Surgeon's Journal (transcribed by Colleen Arulappu 16/08/2020).
Surgeon T W Jewell. The surgeon included only a few but informative notes about his patients. Ann Beck, described as a pilferer, was listed as having “mania” and spent most of the voyage in a strait jacket or cell. Further notes on her condition were included in in the General Remarks. One woman suffered with a prolapsed uterus but there were not enough pessaries in the Hospital and temporary alternatives had to be used.
- Ships - Morley 1820. The Morley arrived in Van Diemen's Land 200 years ago on August 29th 1820. Read The Voyage of the Morley by Rhonda Arthur, transcripts and editing based on the journal of Thomas Reid surgeon, R.N. (5/08/2020)
- Convict Ship Punishments - A new page describing punishment and discipline onboard the convict ships into Van Diemen's Land.
Other Updates:
- Petitions - Harriet Martin per Tory 1845 (transcription courtesy of Rhonda Arthur 22/09/2020)
- Punishments - Bread & Water (15/09/2020), Hair Cut or Shaved (4/09/2020), Death Sentence and Stocks (9/08/2020)
- Petitions - Bridget Hayes per Lord Auckland 1849; Ann Ledger per Australasia 1849 (Courtesy of Rhonda Arthur 25/07/2020).
- Petitions - Isabella (Bell) Rooney per Tasmania 1845. (Courtesy of Colleen Arulappu 11/07/2020)