The Evolution of Convict History

As I researched my convict ancestors, I came across the image below, which instantly brought back memories of my younger self as a primary school student, captivated by this images in a Queensland Department of Education Social Studies textbook. I remember feeling shocked at what I saw, unaware of my own convict ancestry.

Gin Lane (1751) by William Hogarth
This engraving reflects how the lower classes were often viewed in 18th—and 19th-century England. They were seen as morally degraded and prone to vice. It portrays a chaotic scene of poverty, addiction, and neglect, reinforcing contemporary perceptions of the poor as reckless and socially destructive.

Contemporary Opinions: The Changing Perception of Convicts

When I first began studying Australian history in my university days, I encountered a concept that completely shifted my understanding of the past. It was in my first year, during a lecture on the Eureka Stockade, that the lecturer introduced the idea that history is not a static, unchanging account of events, but rather a field shaped by evolving perspectives and interpretations. This revelation opened my eyes to the complexities of the historical record and made me realize that our understanding of the past is constantly being re-evaluated and rewritten.

For much of Australia’s early history, the dominant narrative surrounding convicts was one of shame and degradation. Convicts were often seen as the dregs of British society, shipped off to the farthest reaches of the empire as punishment for their crimes. This view was deeply ingrained in the national consciousness and shaped how generations of Australians viewed their convict ancestors. This past was hidden.

Among the female convicts, this stigma was even more pronounced. Early perceptions of female convicts were often summed up by the harsh term “damned whores”—a phrase that reflected the societal contempt for these women, who were seen not only as criminals but as morally corrupt and beyond redemption. This label encapsulated the severe gender bias in the penal system, where women were doubly punished, both for their crimes and for failing to conform to the strict moral expectations of the time.

The Lady Juliana's voyage to Australia has gone down in history as one of the most salacious voyages ever, with most woman arriving pregnant. 

Pioneering Historians: Manning Clark and Robert Hughes

Manning Clark, one of Australia’s most influential historians, played a crucial role in reshaping our understanding of Australian history, including the story of convicts. In his seminal work, A History of Australia, Clark portrayed the convict experience as a foundational aspect of the nation’s history. He moved away from the simplistic view of convicts as mere criminals. Instead, he depicted them as individuals who endured great hardships and played a significant role in shaping the Australian identity.

Following in Clark’s footsteps, Robert Hughes’ The Fatal Shore further revolutionized the way Australians viewed their convict past. Hughes’ work was groundbreaking in its detailed and unflinching portrayal of the brutal conditions faced by convicts. He combined vivid storytelling with meticulous research, offering readers a comprehensive and often harrowing account of life in the penal colonies. The Fatal Shore was a bestseller and brought the story of Australia’s convicts to an international audience, solidifying the shift in how convict history was perceived. It was one of my favourite books at the time.

Modern Historians: Expanding the Narrative

In recent years, historians like Babette Smith, Kay Daniels, Grace Karskens, and Deborah Oxley have built upon the foundations laid by Clark and Hughes, further expanding our understanding of convict history. These scholars have brought new perspectives to the fore, particularly in examining the experiences of female convicts and the role of gender in the penal system. They have argued that female convicts were often subjected to harsher scrutiny than their male counterparts. As Daniels notes, “Women were seen as particularly vulnerable to ‘moral corruption,’ and the system was designed to keep them under stricter control.” This meant that any transgressions, real or perceived, were met with severe penalties, reinforcing the idea that women, more so than men, needed constant supervision. Babette Smith, in her work *Defiant Voices*, emphasises how “public punishment and humiliation were tools used to reinforce the stigma of being a convict, particularly for women who were already marginalised.” Losing a Ticket of Leave didn’t just mean a return to servitude—it meant being publicly branded as a failure, ensuring that women like Hannah Brown my material Third Grandmother, faced continual challenges.

Grace Karskens, in The Colony, provides a view of early Sydney, that illustrates how convicts, both male and female, contributed to the development of the colony. Deborah Oxley’s Convict Maids challenges the stereotypes of female convicts, showing how many of them managed to carve out better lives for themselves despite oppressive conditions.

This image is part of Ironclad Sisterhood, a collaborative research project focused on reimagining the lives of convict women in New South Wales. Artificial intelligence has been used to generate images using the descriptions in the database of some of the convict women.

Conclusion: The Power of Historiography

When I think about changing views of convicts, I am struck by how much our understanding of the past has evolved. What began as a simplistic view of convicts as gin-drinking criminals has transformed into a richer, more complex narrative that recognizes their contributions and the harsh realities they faced. The changing perspectives on convict history highlight the importance of historiography in shaping our understanding of the past. It reminds us that history is not just a collection of facts but a dynamic field where interpretations are continually reassessed and revised. It also reminds me of James Baldwin’s observation that History is not the past. It is the present. We carry our history with us. We are our history.

Annotated References

Clark, Manning. A History of Australia. Melbourne University Press, 1962-1987. Manning Clark’s multi-volume work was pivotal in reshaping the narrative of Australia’s history, particularly with his portrayal of the convict experience.

Hughes, Robert. The Fatal Shore: The Epic of Australia's Founding. Alfred A. Knopf, 1986. This book offers a detailed and harrowing account of the conditions faced by convicts in early Australia, and it has been instrumental in changing public perception of Australia's convict past.

Smith, Babette. Defiant Voices: How Australia's Female Convicts Challenged Authority. National Library of Australia, 2018. Smith’s work highlights the resilience of female convicts and challenges traditional narratives of them as passive victims of the penal system.

Daniels, Kay. Convict Women. Allen & Unwin, 1998. This book explores the lives of female convicts in Australia and critically examines the “damned whores” stereotype.

Karskens, Grace. The Colony: A History of Early Sydney. Allen & Unwin, 2009. Karskens provides a comprehensive view of early Sydney, including the contributions of convicts to the development of the colony.

Oxley, Deborah. Convict Maids: The Forced Migration of Women to Australia. Cambridge University Press, 1996. Oxley challenges traditional stereotypes of female convicts and demonstrates how many managed to improve their lives despite the harsh conditions.

Gouldthorpe, Peter. Artist representation of convict women in protest, such as in his illustrations of convict women’s resistance during church, adds a visual dimension to understanding female convict life.

"Ironclad Sisterhood: Reimagining the Lives of Convict Women in New South Wales." Collaborative research project using AI-generated images to represent convict women, based on historical descriptions.