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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, 13,500 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:
National Volunteer Week 2022Thank you to our volunteers. |
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In National Volunteer Week, the Female Convicts Research Centre – a not-for-profit organisation run entirely by volunteers – wishes to thank all those dedicated volunteers from around the world who give so generously of their time and make such a valuable contribution to female convict research. A special thank-you to our committee: Alison Alexander; Colette McAlpine; Elaine Crawford; Ros Escott; Wendy Donnelly; Victoria Hadley; Jane Hofto; Patsy Jones and Amanda Johnson. We could not do it without you. Dr Dianne Snowden AM President, Female Convicts Research Centre Inc |
200th Anniversary of the arrival in VDL of the convict transport ship Mary Anne 1822.
On the 2nd May 200 years ago the Mary Anne arrived in Hobart Town. Forty-five female convicts were disembarked before the ship continued to Port Jackson, New South Wales, with the remaining sixty-two convicts and passengers. A memorial 'The voyage of the Mary Anne 1(2) 1822' has been written by Rhonda Arthur. Read about some of the interesting convict women from the Mary Anne on our Blog page here.
‘a set of more abandoned characters never were sent out of the country’
Statesman (London) 11 December 1821, p3
Save The Date:
Seminar 2023: More information coming soon
Recent Updates
Blogs:
- The voyage of the Mary Anne 1(2) 1822 - 200th Anniversary
- FROM THE SHADOWS Launch of statues
- 200 year anniversary of arrival of the Providence in Hobart Town
- Special Recognition for FCRC Committee Members
- Peter MacFie, Tasmanian Historian, Writer and Musician
- Norah Cobbett's story marks Fifty great Female Convict Stories from Don.
- From the Shadows: Installation of their first statue, 'Martha Gregory'.
- Transcribing Tasmanian Convict Records by Susan Hood
View all Blog Posts
Convict Stories:
- HEMBLEN, Elizabeth (Royal Admiral 1842) by James Cosgrave
- ASHLEY, Sarah (Margaret 1843). By Helen Menard.
- FARQUHARSON, Elizabeth (Arab 1836). By Don Alcock.
- WOODCOCK, Elizabeth (Angelina 1844). By Helen Menard.
- BIDWELL, Elizabeth (Emma Eugenia 1846). By Geoff Jarvis.
- LAIRD, Mary (Woodbridge, 1843). By Don Alcock.
- HARRINGTON, Martha (Royal Admiral 1842). By Helen Ménard.
View all Convict Stories
Other Updates:
Probation System - Overview and Timeline (contributed by Helen Menard, 20/05/2022).
Petitions - Bridget McMahon, Anne Forbes per Earl Grey, 1850, Catherine Flaherty/Flynn per Duke of Cornwall 1850, Mary Orr per Kinnear 1848, Bridget Nolan per Lord Auckland 1848. (Contributed by Colleen Arulappu 11/05/2022.)
Convict Image Gallery - Ellen Miles (Gilbert Henderson 1840), Ellen Curley Fitzgerald (Martin Luther 1852)
Seminar Papers - 2021: The Early Years, 1803-1828 most papers are now available along with audio recordings (please contact us for access to audio).