Latest News:

The 12th BIENNIAL CONFERENCE of the George Town & District Historical Society Inc.

“THEY CAME FROM FAR & WIDE – Immigration to Northern Tasmania”

It will be held on Sunday 7th November 2021 in the Performing Arts Centre at the Port Dalrymple School, 147-185 Agnes St, George Town with registrations from 8.45 am ready for a 9.15 am start.

Cost:      $35 (includes morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea)

For more information on topics and how to register please contact: Treasurer, George Town & District Historical Society Inc., 73 Low Head Rd, George Town, TAS. 7253,  Phone:  0404 447 216, or go to their website at  www.gtdhs.com

Vandemonians: The Repressed History of Colonial Victoria By Janet McCalman

From award-winning author and historian Janet McCalman, the engrossing tale of Tasmanian convict settlers in colonial Victoria. It was meant to be 'Victoria the Free', uncontaminated by the Convict Stain. Yet they came in their tens of thousands as soon as they were cut free or able to bolt. More than half of all those transported to Van Diemen's Land as convicts would one day settle or spend time in Victoria. There they were demonised as Vandemonians Some could never go straight; a few were the luckiest of gold diggers; a handful founded families with distinguished descendants. Most slipped into obscurity. Burdened by their pasts and their shame, their lives as free men and women, even within their own families, were forever shrouded in secrets and lies. To be published 28th September 2021.  Pre-orders available. Available in paperback or ebook.  Pages: 352 ISBN: 9780522877533   For more information: https://www.mup.com.au/books/vandemonians-paperback-softback

Cascades Female Factory Historic Site is temporarily closing to the public on 26 May

The Cascades Female Factory Historic Site is temporarily closing its doors on Wednesday 26 May 2021 in order to begin construction on a NEW History and Interpretation Centre.  An entirely new experience, the History and Interpretation Centre will be a world-class facility that emotionally connects you to the stories of triumph and tragedy of Australia's convict women and their children.  Construction by Hansen Yuncken will commence in early June, with a view to reopening to the public in December later this year.  Read more...

Latest Publication from Convict Women's Press

Convict Lives: Female Convicts at the New Norfolk Asylum

The latest publication from Convict Women's Press Inc was launched on the 1st May 2021, by Her Excellency Professor the Honourable Kate Warner, AC, Governor of Tasmania. The sixth publication in the series of Convict Lives in Van Diemen’s Land has been edited by Dianne Snowden and Jane Harrington. Initially opening as an invalid hospital in 1829 at New Norfolk, the hospital was shortly renamed the New Norfolk Asylum for the Insane. It housed both convict and free men and women, and its inmates included hundreds of convict women. Recounting the lives of 15 women using archival material and family records, the book’s 22 authors reconstruct the lives of individual convict women, the reasons for their admission and their treatment in the Asylum. The stories highlight there is much more to the life of a convict than a crime, trial and sentence. Seven of the authors are descendants of these women and share family stories of fractured and fragmented lives. Copies of the book can be bought from selected book stores or online through the CWP website at https://www.convictwomenspress.com.au

Recent Updates

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Convict Ships:

Ships - Tory 1848 - Transcript of Surgeon's Journal (Transcribed by Colleen Arulappu 20/08/2021). Charles Smith included brief remarks about each of his patients. His General Remarks described the voyage and he shared his philosophy of the positive effect on the mind when the prisoners were occupied and feeling more cheerful about their prospects ahead. The women on the Tory made 500 shirts during the voyage and were busy with knitting and regular schooling in the morning and evening.

Ships - Earl Grey 1850 -  Transcript of Surgeon's Journal (Transcribed by Colleen Arulappu 7/06/2021). The surgeon wrote up the fatal cases and those of the patients sent to Hospital on arrival. He said that the children who died came from the Union Work Houses in emaciated states and had little hope of surviving illness. The women sent to hospital suffered mostly from Dysentery . In the General Remarks the surgeon noted that bloodletting aggravated the degree of debility of his patients. No post mortems were carried out due to lack of privacy and the prejudice against it by the prisoners.

Other Updates:

Seminar Papers - 2021: The Early Years, 1803-1828 most papers are now available along with audio recordings (please contact us for access to audio). 

Resources: Books: Vandemonians by Janet McCalman (13/08/2021)

Launceston Female Factory -  Image of the Launceston Female Factory from 1914.  Source and permission Tasmanian Archives (Weekly Courier 1914). (Updated 18/06/2021)

Image Gallery - Grace McIntosh per Tasmania 1844;  (source and permission: Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Archives); Helen Brown per Tory 1845; Anastatia Kenny per Martin Luther, Jane Campbell per Waverley,  Isabella McCall per Martin Luther, source PROV. https://vagrantsandmurderesses.com (8/04/2021)

Punishments - Gaol (Imprisonment) (9/10/2021), Separate Treatment, Solitary Confinement (23/09/2021).