Notorious Strumpets tells the story of each of the 1600 convict women sent to
Van Diemen's Land (now known as Tasmania) in the first three decades of European
settlement. The title comes from the description given to the convict Julia
Mullins by Surgeon Matthew Burnside. At the end of the voyage from England to
Hobart, a clearly exasperated Burnside wrote:
'She is a notorious Strumpet and a most dangerous Girl ... The trouble
which she gave me in unaccountable, repeatedly I have been obliged to put
her into Irons and confined her in the Coal-Hold ... Hard labour or solitary
confinement ought to be assigned to her ...'
Notorious Strumpets was first published by Angus and Robertson in 1990 as a
large book. It has long-since been out of print. Now republished in electronic
format, it includes more than 1600 fully searchable biographies, a gallery of
maps, pictures and documents from the period, as well as a 'highlights' section
which points out some of the more fascinating, unusual and extreme events
uncovered in compiling there biographies.
Readable using Adobe Acrobat, the CD gives the user the ability to search the
CD, by name, ship or any other word. The information listed for each (most)
convicts is phenomenal: not only do you get the name, native place, trade,
literacy, height, age, complexion, head size, colour of hair, colour of eyes,
size of eyebrows, size of nose, size of mouth, as well as any other
distinguishing features, but then a chronology of 'colonial experiences' - this
obviously varies from entry to entry (but is fascinating in itself).
Contents:
Introduction
Convict Life
- Introduction
- Origins
- Bound for Sullivan's Cove: The Voyage
- The Colonial Experience
- Elizabeth Smith: A 'Typical' Convict Woman
- Less Than Typical: Some Husbands and Families of Fame and Notoriety
- Highlights and Lowlights in the Lives of the Convict Women of VDL
- Table 1: Women Transported to Australia 1788-1853
- Table 2: Women Sent from NSW to VDL 1803-1820
- Table 3: State of the Female Houses of Correction at Hobart, George Town
and Launceston 1832 and 1834
The Convicts
Understanding the Biographies
Convict Women Who Arrived via Sydney
- Convict women who arrived via Sydney:
- Lady Penrhyn (1788)
- Bellona (1793)
- Surprize (1794)
- Marquis Conrwallis (1796)
- Minerva (1800)
- Speedy (1800)
- Anne (1801)
- Earl Cornwallis (1801)
- Nile (1801)
- Hercules (1802)
- Atlas (1802)
- HMS Glatton (1803)
- Rolla (1803)
- Experiment (1804)
- Tellicherry (1806)
- William Pitt (1806)
- Alexander (1806)
- Sydney Cove (1807)
- Speke (1808)
- Aeolus (1809)
- Experiment (1809)
- Indispensable (1809)
- Canada (1810)
- Providence (1811)
- Friends (1811)
- Minstrel (1812)
- Archduke Charles (1813)
- Wanstead (1814)
- Catherine (1814)
- Broxbornebury (1814)
- Northampton (1815)
- Francis & Eliza (1815)
- Mary Anne (1816)
- Alexander (1816)
- Lord Melville (1817)
- Canada (1817)
- Friendship (1818)
- Maria (1818)
- Elizabeth (1818)
- Lord Wellington (1820)
- Janus (1820)
- Morley (1820)
- John Bull (1821)
- Providence (1821)
- Lord Sidmouth (1823)
- Brothers (1824)
- Grenada (1825)
- Mariner (1825)
- Midas (1825)
- Princess Charlotte (1827)
- Elizabeth (1828)
- City of Edinburgh (1828)
Convict Women Transported Direct from England to Hobart Town:
- Morley (1820)
- Providence (1821)
- Mary Anne (1822)
- Lord Sidmouth (1823)
- Mary (1823)
- Brothers (1824)
- Henry (1825)
- Midas (1825)
- Providence (1826)
- Sir Charles Forbes (1827)
- Persian (1827)
- Sovereign (1827)
- Mermaid (1828)
- Borneo (1828)
- Harmony (1829)
- Lady of the Lake (1829)
Women Who Came Free of Were Born in the Colonies
Supplementary List
Name Index
Gallery
- Map of Van Diemen's Land
- General Map of the Districts Visited by the Lands Commissioners
- Hobart City, Map No. 89
- Hobart City, Map No. 85
- Plan of Launceston, Map No. 199
- Hobart Town from New Town Road
- The Female Factors from Proctor's Quarry
- The Black Snake Inn
- Hobarton from the Hotel
- Conduct Register (1)
- Conduct Register (2)
- Conduct Register (3)
- Conduct Register (4)
- Description (1)
- Description (2)
- Hobart Town Gazette (1)
- Hobart Town Gazette (2)
- Deposition from William Gangell Seeking Return on his Wife
Documents
- Letter from Elizabeth Payne to her Husband
- The Murder of Susan Corfield
- The Execution of Mary McLauchlan
- Rules and Regulations on Board the Convict transport 'Lord Sidmouth"
- Rules and Regulations for the Management of the House of Correction for
Females
- An Act for Regulation the Police in Hobart Town and Launceston and
Removing and Preventing Nuisances and Obstructions
The Authors
Reviews
Bibliography
Acknowledgments
