Editorials

Editorials Taken from
(DOC's newsletters) The Mail

Assignment and Employment of Convicts

Road gangs and government assignees
Badly behaved convicts (and some skilled labourers) were assigned to road gangs,also called chain gangs or ironed gangs. These gangs were employed by the government on public projects such as the building of roads, bridges, and buildings.

Convict assignment registers are available for 1821 - 1825 at the NSW State Records.
There are two types of registers, the Register of artificers and other labourers and the Register of prisoners who were not artificers and who were assigned. Artificers were skilled people such as blacksmiths, barbers, brickmakers, carpenters, glaziers, hairdressers, painters, sawyers, stone masons, shoemakers and tailors. Both sets of registers give the prisoners name, ship, date of assignment, who assigned to, residence, date and reason for return to government and other comments. The Register of artificers and other labourers also includes occupations. There is an index for these records.

Ironed gangs
Monthly reports of road gangs were produced giving the place stationed, overseer, name and number of convict, ship, job, casualties and discharge. These reports are Road gang reports 1827 - 1830. There is also a list of men in irons at Norfolk Island from 1839 - 1840 and a list of men in irons at Moreton Bay from 1839 - 1840.

Convicts assigned to free settlers
Free settlers or emancipated convicts could have female convicts and well behaved male convicts assigned to them. The free person provided food and clothing as specified by the government in exchange for work. The settlers were not allowed to impose punishments on convicts but had to take any grievances to a magistrate. At first only two convicts could be assigned to each free settler however later wealthy land holders could have many assigned convicts.
In some cases convicts were assigned to their (free) husband or wife. After 1826 all applications for assigned convicts went to the Principle Superintendent of Convicts and from April 1826 convict mechanics were no longer assigned to settlers. Assignment of convicts to free settlers stopped on 1 July 1841. Female convicts were often assigned to the
Female Factories. Female factory Parramatta, index to inmates, 1826 - 1848.

The Mail No 120 May-June 2005

Is this a wrap over the knuckles ?

Secretary's Office Sydney 20 August 1819

Sir, It has been reported to the Governor that the last issue of Salt Pork which has been made from your department to the Convicts in the Service of Government at Sydney, is altogether unfit for the use of Man being in a state of Offensive putudity- His Excellency has also learnt that this Meat is not of the production of this Colony, nor from the supplies sent hither by H.M. Government from England, but of a private import, from New Zealand or Otaheite, and as the Pork from these Islands is well known to be of inferior quality in every Respect, and at all times ill cured, His Excellency cannot forbear the expression of his surprize that you would purchase such Meat without his Authority, which would only be guaranteed under circumstances of extreme want, such as, happily do not at present exist to warrant or justify such Measure- A Measure at the same time fraught with Injury to the Intrests of the Colony, and therefore unwarrantable- I have now to convey to you the Commands of His Excellency the Governor that you give strict orders for the Non-issue of the said putrid, unwholesome Meat, And further that you do not purchace in future any Meat the production of the South Sea Islands, or even of the Pork of this country except such as you may procure fresh, in Order to Salt it down in the Commissariat Stores, or to issue as fresh provisions- His Excellency will hold you personally responsible for the full purchase price of any Meat you may hereafter purchase in violation of the present Instructions

I am Sir Your Humble Servant J. T. Campbell Sec

The Mail No 118 November -December 2004

Around 160,000 people were transported to Australia by the English from 1788 to 1868. Over 80,000 of these convicts were transported to NSW between 1788 and 1850. Around 15% of these convicts were women. Approximately two thirds were English (with a few Scottish and Welsh) the remainder were Irish. Most came from towns or cities and 75% were transported for crimes against property, stealing food or clothing. Sentences of transportation were for 7 years, 14 years or life with a few people sentenced to 10 years.

A convict's indent records their arrival in the colony, many of which are available.

When they arrived in the colony a convict was 'assigned'. Males were often assigned as labourers to private settlers, females being assigned as house servants. After several years of satisfactory service, a convict could apply for a ticket of leave. Those with a seven year term, with good conduct, could get a Ticket of Leave after 4 to 5 years; with a 14 year sentence, from 6 to 8 years; a life sentence meant 10 to 12 years of good behaviour before a Ticket of Leave would be granted. With continued good behaviour a convict could eventually obtain a Certificate of Freedom, a Conditional Pardon or an Absolute Pardon. A convict who did not receive a Pardon during the time of their sentence received a Certificate of Freedom when their sentence was completed.

Assize: Judges from the central court went on circuit throughout the country twice a year to hear cases at the Assizes. Records were kept by the Clerks of the Assize, and have been deposited in the PRO (UK); their Records Information leaflet on Assizes that can be found at www.catalogue.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ researchguidesindex.asp deals with these records, though a number of them have not survived.

Serious cases of crime were dealt with at these courts. Remember, however that what are now viewed as comparatively trivial offences were not so regarded formerly, so many apparently minor offences will be found here. You could be hanged (or at least transported) for theft.

There is little of genealogical value about the accused in the records, except the parish of residence. More, in fact, is given about those who made depositions— names, ages and places of residence. Few details of the circumstances of the crime are given.

Copies of Assize Calendars are often found in CROs (County Record Offices). These are lists of prisoners to be tried with a statement of the charge against them. It is possible that some more colourful details appear in newspaper reports on the Assizes.

The Mail No 117 September - October 2004 Page 9