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The Female Convicts Research Centre promotes interest in the female convicts of Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania), by encouraging and facilitating research.

From 1803 to 1853, 13,500 female convicts were transported to Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania), as punishment for crimes, mainly theft. After serving their sentences they were released into the community. Their transportation left a lasting legacy. The Female Convicts Research Centre encourages research into these female convicts, mainly through its database, website and  seminars.

When you register with the FCRC, you gain access to our database where you will find information entered by our volunteers as we attempt to reconstruct the life course of each female convict.

 

Search the Female Convicts in Van Diemen's Land Database

Research Seminars

Convict System Administration

Convict Institutions

Convict Ships

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Registration

Convict Lives

 

Latest News:

 

FCRC Seminar 2023

Presented in partnership with the School of Humanities, University of Tasmania

Date: Sunday, 7th May 2023

Transported for Life: a lottery?

Just over 780 female convicts sent to Van Diemen’s Land were sentenced to transportation for life. Our next Female Convicts Research Centre seminar will focus on these women. 

Registration will open early February 2023.

Venue to be confirmed.

Program is now available.

 

Save The Date:

FCRC Seminar  Sunday 7th  May, 2023.  Topic: Transported for Life: a lottery?

More information here:

 

Whats new?

Recent Updates

 

View all Blog Posts

 

View all Convict Stories

 

Other Updates:

Convict Image Gallery - Mary Walsh (Earl Grey, 1850); Agnes Turley (Townsend) per Cadet 1848.  (17/08/2022)

Petitions.

Books, Theses & ReportsTasmania v British Empire by Alison Alexander (updated 15/07/2022)

Justice System - An updated web page, replacing the 'Magistrates' page, expanding on the justice system in Van Dieman's Land as it operated during the convict era.  (2/06/2022).

Probation System - Overview and Timeline (contributed by Helen Menard, 20/05/2022).

Seminar Papers - 2021: The Early Years, 1803-1828 most papers are now available along with audio recordings (please contact us for access to audio).

 

Latest News:

FCRC Seminar 2023  Registration is now open

Presented in partnership with the School of Humanities, University of Tasmania

Date: Sunday, 7 May 2023

Transported for Life: a lottery?

Just over 780 female convicts sent to Van Diemen’s Land were sentenced to transportation for life. Our next Female Convicts Research Centre seminar will focus on these women.

Venue: Stanley Burbury Theatre at the University of Tasmania, Sandy Bay

Zoom webinar also available.

Registration information and Seminar Program is now available.

 

Tasmanian Honour Roll of Women

The Tasmanian Honour Roll of Women was established in 2005 by the Tasmanian Government to honour Tasmanian women who have made an outstanding contribution to the State. The Minister for Women, the Hon Jo Palmer MLC, announced the Tasmanian Honour Roll of Women 2023 inductees on 10 March 2023. 

The Female Convicts Research Centre are proud to congratulate three of our comittee members honoured on the 2023 list. Thank-you for your outstanding contribution to the Female Convicts Research Centre over many years:


Awarded for service to cultural heritage; arts and media; community advocacy and inclusion; volunteering

Congratulations, Colette McAlpine, on your well-deserved induction to the Tasmanian Honour Roll of Women 2023. Colette joined the Female Convicts Research Centre in 2006 and has been instrumental in developing a database of women convicts. She took on the task of transcribing and electronically recording the handwritten records of over 13,500 female convicts. Colette is also our Volunteer Co-ordinator working with our many volunteers who contribute their research to FCRC.
Colette McAlpine
 
Awarded for service to cultural heritage; literature
 
Congratulations to Dr Alison Alexander who was inducted into the Tasmanian Honour Roll of Women this week. Alison has been a member of the Female Convicts Research Centre and Convict Women's Press since their inception. Alison is a former President of the FCRC, and is President of the Convict Women’s Press. Alison is also editor and contributing author of several publications by Convict Women's Press.
 Dr Alison Alexander
Awarded for service to volunteering and health
 
Congratulations to Ros Escott on being inducted into the Tasmanian Honour Roll of Women today for service to volunteering and health. Ros is currently the FCRC (and Convict Women's Press) Treasurer and Public Officer and has contributed greatly to the Tasmanian community.
 RossEscott 2023

WE NEED YOUR HELP!

As many of you may already know TROVE is currently fighting for its life! Existing funding for TROVE runs out in July 2023. Ongoing government funding is not guaranteed. Without future financial support TROVE will be unable to develop and expand its services and, at worst, will no longer be a publicly accessible resource. It will cease to exist.

TROVE is an online library database owned by the National Library of Australia working in collaboration with hundreds of partner organisations around Australia including state libraries, government departments, universities, museums, galleries and many professional organisations. These partner organisations also make substantial contributions to the operating costs of TROVE.

For a complete list see https://trove.nla.gov.au/partners/list/all?field_location=All&text=&page=1

Please help us to protect this invaluable resource.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

  • Express your support for retaining funding for TROVE and email the Minister for the Arts  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  • Email your local federal member.
  • Add your name to the petition at Petition · Fully Fund Trove · org
  • Start your own petition.
  • Share this information on social media.

If you want to learn more about the future of TROVE go to the following websites:

Trove Strategy | National Library of Australia (nla.gov.au) at the heading “A Future for Trove”

https://theconversation.com/troves-funding-runs-out-in-july-2023-and-the-national-library-is-threatening-to-pull-the-plug-its-time-for-a-radical-overhaul-197025

https://www.uts.edu.au/news/culture-sport/troves-funding-under-threat.-its-time-overhaul

Thank you for your support.

[Committee of Management for the Female Convicts Research Centre]

Recent Updates

Whats new?

Latest Blogs

View all Blog Posts

 

Latest Convict Stories

View all Convict Stories

 

Other Updates:

Pre-Transportation: The British Justice System in the 18th & 19th Centuries -  A new page for the website, contributed by Helen Menard 18/03/2023.

Freedoms - The Path to Freedom. Page updated and edited by Helen Menard 8/03/2023.

Terms of Access - Additional Policy for accessing and using our website (6/02/2023)

Our Volunteers - Danny Gillespie. (30/01/2023)

Convict Image Gallery - Mary Walsh (Earl Grey, 1850); Agnes Turley (Townsend) per Cadet 1848.  (17/08/2022)

Petitions.

Books, Theses & ReportsTasmania v British Empire by Alison Alexander (updated 15/07/2022)

Justice System - An updated web page, replacing the 'Magistrates' page, expanding on the justice system in Van Dieman's Land as it operated during the convict era.  (2/06/2022).

Probation System - Overview and Timeline (contributed by Helen Menard, 20/05/2022).

Seminar Papers - 2021: The Early Years, 1803-1828 most papers are now available along with audio recordings (please contact us for access to audio).

 

 

Initiatives of the Female Convicts Research Centre Inc.

Female Convicts Research Centre Convict Women's Press Female Convicts Database Edges of Empire Biographical Dictionary

 

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