The Providence departed Woolwich on 13 June 1821 with 103 female convicts, 17 free women and children at the expense of the government to join male relatives and a number of free settlers emigrating with their families. The ship touched at Port Praya (Cape Verde Islands) and Rio de Janeiro, and the voyage took 187 days to reach Hobart Town, Van Diemen’s Land on 18 December 1821. Fifty-four women were landed and the ship continued with the remaining female convicts to Port Jackson, New South Wales, arriving on 7 January 1822.^[i]

The Cascades Female Factory Historic Site is temporarily closing its doors on Wednesday 26 May 2021 in order to begin construction on a NEW History and Interpretation Centre.  An entirely new experience, the History and Interpretation Centre will be a world-class facility that emotionally connects you to the stories of triumph and tragedy of Australia's convict women and their children.  Construction by Hansen Yuncken will commence in early June, with a view to reopening to the public in December later this year.

The design of the History and Interpretation Centre was the result of an international design competition held in 2017.  Tasmanian firm, Liminal Studio, in conjunction with Snøhetta and Rush Wright, were selected as winners of the competition with the jury commending their design for its sympathetic approach to the heritage context and for its potential to engage the visitors and heighten their experience of the place, its history and significance.

This project was made possible thanks to the support and commitment of the Tasmanian and Commonwealth governments, and are incredibly grateful to have received $3 million grant funding from the Tasmanian State Government and just over $2 million from the Commonwealth.

They are deeply committed to ensuring our heritage is not only protected for future generations but that the stories of the women convicts and their children are told and better understood. 

Port Arthur Historic Site Management Authority will be keeping you, the community and visitors informed throughout the project with updates on their website, newsletters, and Facebook page.

The fascinating story of Norah Cobbett marks a great achievement for our prolific story writer Don Bradmore. This latest contribution is the 50th story Don has written for FCRC. In each of the stories on the lives of our female convicts Don has woven a background of historical context which gives the reader a glimpse into 19th century life in Van Diemen’s Land.   Norah Cobbett, a convict described as both notorious and charismatic, is immortalized, with her husband Jorgen Jorgenson (self-proclaimed King of Iceland), in the carvings on the famous convict-built Ross bridge.  Norah's life story, like that of many other convict women, has previously been overshadowed by the tales of her adventurous husband, who was very much involved in VDL’s ‘Black Wars’.  Now Don’s work has shone a spotlight on her short and troubled life.

Don’s stories for the FCRC have featured meticulous research on diverse topics such as opiate use on babies. The women he portrays cover the spectrum of convict experience, from those who became successful businesswomen, to those who married and settled down to raise a family and those whose troubled circumstances prompted a descent into intoxication and dereliction.  One of Don's stories features a memorable convict woman who gained her freedom by saving her husband from being killed by a bushranger  - and also captured the bushranger!  Many thanks to Don and our wonderful team of transcribers and volunteers, who contribute the threads that get woven into these great stories.  We look forward to many more stories from Don.   You can read Norah's story and many more here.

Norah Cobbett immortalised on the convict-built Ross Bridge, Macquarie River, Ross, Tasmania.

Source:  Debra Cadogan-Cowper

Port Arthur Historic Site Management Authority are glad to announce that the publication Transcribing Tasmanian Convict Records by Susan Hood is now available for purchasing on Kindle/Amazon.

The book has been updated and the new electronic version of this helpful resource will make transcribing Tasmanian convict records a more efficient experience and reach to more audiences in need.

The link to purchase and download the e-book is http://amzn.to/2M61tX7.

Tasmania has the most thorough and complete set of records of transported convicts in the world, in the custodianship of the Tasmanian Archives. Now digitized and indexed, these records are a data source for intense academic research and family historians.  This excellent guide by Susan Hood will assist anyone who has attempted to decipher and interpret Tasmanian convict records.