Reading James Boyce’s Van Diemen’s Land: Reflections on a Penal Colony
While visiting Tasmania, I picked up a copy of Van Diemen’s Land by James Boyce—directly from the author at Hobart’s Salamanca Market. His book offers a clear and compelling account of Tasmania’s early years as a penal colony. It explores the colony’s convict system, environmental impact, and the dispossession of Aboriginal Tasmanians, prompting reflection on how these themes connect with my own family history research.
A Cargo of Women: A Window into the Lives of Female Convicts
Over the holidays, I read Babette Smith’s A Cargo of Women, a powerful account of female convicts transported to New South Wales. The book sheds light on their struggles, and as I read, I couldn’t help but draw parallels to my ancestor, Hannah Brown. Their stories reveal much about the lives of convict women and their role in shaping history.