The First Fleet
In 1770, the British Government sent Captain Cook to look for the Great South Land that was believed to exist somewhere in the Pacific Ocean. His orders were that, if it was uninhabited, he should claim it, but if there were people living there he should take possession of those parts of the country that the inhabitants agreed to. Even though Cook encountered Aboriginal people, he claimed the east coast of Australia as a British possession as if the country was uninhabited or terra nullius. This decision was based on a different understanding of land management. Because he saw no fences or other features that indicated land management in European terms, Cook assumed that the land was unused. As a result, Aboriginal peoples did not have the rights to which other conquered people were entitled to under European law at the time.
Watch ABC video describing life in Britain during the 1700s, discuss :
- What was life like in Britain during the late 1700s?
- Why were there so many convicts in cities like London?
- What did the government decide to do with all the convicts?
Task: create a sensory diamante poem about what life would have been like in London at this time, or on the ships during transportation, or ‘life as a convict’ journal entries
- How many ships made up the First Fleet?
- Who travelled with the First Fleet?
- What was transportation’ and why was Australia chosen as a place to transport convicts?
Your task: use this PowerPoint as a guide to identify key dates and events from the First Fleet’s journey to Australia. Add them to the class timeline.
On Wednesday, you’ll be using this website on your own in the computer lab. So pay attention while we practice as a class! Identify the names of the convict ships in the first fleet, then use http://firstfleet.uow.edu.au database to discover:
- How many convicts on the first fleet?
- How many sailors, marines, and officers sailed with them?
- Identify specific convicts by name, age, ship transported on, crime, number of years sentenced to transportation, other relevant information
What do you think it was like when the European’s arrived and made first contact with the Australian Aboriginal people? Consider positive and negative, and how the same events would appear differently from each group’s perspective.
Mary LONG
Was included on contractor’s list by error, and did not sail with First Fleet.
my person is called james barry he was transported on the frenship he was arrested for stealing a lof of bread and was transported for 14 years
NOT Keehan you say? Hmmm, I’m a little suspicious on that….. 😛
John tried on the 10th of December 1783 for stealing something worth 22 shillings and he was sentenced to transportation for 7 years he was about 13 at the time.
Hannah Green was 31 when she sail to Australia on the bout friendship. She had to stay at Australia for 7 years. She left on the 10 of September.
My Prisoner died on the year 1823 and he stole iron grapplings for the value of 10 shillings also his occupation was listed as waterman
Notes: Guilty of return from transportation following the Mercury mutiny.
Report from Dunkirk hulk was “troublesome at times.”
my person was john Harris he was convicted for stealing a spoon Werth 60 shillings he was sentence for life to leave eagled to never return on the boat Scarborough 27 seven years old
John andersone arested 26 may 1784 for assault and stealing 20 shillings he got sent on transport for 7 years on ship scarbourgh and he was about 24
William hares is his name.
he as 24 years old.
he left England on the friendship.
there was 780 convicts found on the first fleet.
he was sentenced 7 years to Australia or to be killed on the spot.
he was arrested and found guilty for assault and highway robbery.
he stole 48 shillings.
Rebecca BOLTON/BOULTON
She was tried at Spilsby, Lincolnshire on 8 May 1784 for stealing clothing of unknown value. She was sentenced to transportation for 7 years and left England on the Prince of Wales aged about 26 at that time (May 1787). Her occupation was listed as servant. She died in 1788
John was tried at Hertford, Hertfordshire on 3 March 1786 for stealing bedding with value of 200 shillings. He was sentenced to transportation for 7 years and let England on the Alexander aged about 45 at that time (May 1787).
Rebecca BOLTON/BOULTON
She was tried at Spilsby, Lincolnshire on 8 May 1784 for stealing clothing of unknown value. She was sentenced to transportation for 7 years and left England on the Prince of Wales aged about 26 at that time (May 1787). Her occupation was listed as servant. She died in 1788.
She was tried at Old Bailey, London 30 August 1786 for stealing lace with a value of 50 shillings. She was sentenced to transportation for 7 years and left England on the prince of wales aged about 20 at that time (May 1787).Her occupation was listed as milliner. She died in 1846.
Esther ABRAHAMS
Esther Abrahams
Esther Abrahams got sent to prince of wales for seven years for stealing lace of the value of 50 shillings.
Elizabeth Anderson was send out of of Old Bailey on January 10th 1787 for stealing a value of 20 shillings. She was sentenctransportation for 7 years and left England on the Lady Penrhyn aged about 32 at that time (May 1787)
JANE BONNER
she was put in old baileys court house for stealing a dress worth 21 shillings and sent to Australia for 7 years she was 22 when she left home she died in 1782
Sarah BELLAMY
Copied name from this website http://firstfleet.uow.edu.au/details.aspx?surname=&gender=F&term=&ship=&age=¬es=&-recid=53
Sarah BELLAMY
She was tried at Worcester, Worcestershire on 9 July 1785 for stealing a purse containing cash and promissory notes with a value of 630 shillings. She was sentenced to transportation for 7 years and left England on the Lady Penrhyn aged about 17 at that time (May 1787). Her occupation was listed as servant or weaver. She died in 1843.She gave birth to a child (son of a seaman) who died on the 29th of February 1788. borea son by james bloodworth in 1790. They become a much respected couple in the community and had 7 more children although four died.
Thomas akers was sentenced for assult and highway robbery.he was sentenced to transportaition for 7 years. he was on the charlotte.he died in 1824.
Jane Bonner
Jane was caught stealing clothing with a value of 21 shillings. She was transported to Australia for 7 years and left England on the Prince of Wales. She was aged about 22 at that time(May 1787) but unfortunately died in 1787.
Susannah ALLEN http://firstfleet.uow.edu.au/details.aspx?surname=&gender=&term=&ship=&age=¬es=&-recid=13
Susannah ALLEN was tried at old Baiely for stealing clothing, worth 10shillings. She got tried on the 18 or April 1787.She also died giving birth to a child by Marine private JOHN Brown.
Mary Bolton,
She was tried at Shrewsbury, Shropshire on the date of the 12th of March 1785 for burglary with a value of 61 shillings. She was sentenced to transportation for 7 years having been originally sentenced to death. She left England on the Lady Penrhyn at the age of 29.She was a servant and had to work a fare bit.
I really like all the information about the first fleet but I don’t think they should have to go to Australia for that.It’s not that much money.
I agree – the punishment seems a little too harsh for the crime.