Female convicts began arriving in Van Diemen's Land (VDL) in 1803 with Lieutenant Bowen's party. However, the first transport to arrive with female convicts directly from the United Kingdom, the Morley, did not arrive in Hobart until 29 August 1820.
It was about this time that some female convicts started being housed in convict institutions. The last female convicts transported to Australia arrived at Hobart on the Duchess of Northumberland on 21 April 1853.
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1803 |
Sept |
Three female convicts arrive in VDL with Lieutenant Bowen's party to Risdon Cove: one was Mary Lawler (per Atlas, 1802). |
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1804 |
Nov |
Female convicts arrive in VDL with Lieutenant-Colonel Paterson's party to Port Dalrymple, including Ann Simmonds |
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1805 |
Feb |
Female convicts transported to Sydney on the Experiment 1804, arrive in VDL on the Sophia. |
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1810 |
23 female convicts in VDL (population 1321) |
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| 1812 |
Major Geils appointed Commandant of the settlement of Hobart Town; and Dr Bowden, Surgeon. Major Gordon appointed Commondant of Port Dalrymple, or Launceston |
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1813 |
Feb |
Governor Davey arrived 200 female convicts arrive from Sydney on the Kangaroo |
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1814 |
Nearly 60 female Irish convicts transported to Sydney on the Catherine arrive in VDL on the Kangaroo |
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| 1815 | Court of Civil Jurisdiction, and Deputy Judge Advocate, appointed. | |
| 1817 |
Governor Sorell arrived, Colonel Davey sailed, Government House, Hobart Town completed |
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| 1816 | Post Office Hobart Town established | |
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1818 |
Lieutenant-Governor Sorell proposes building a female factory at Pittwater; Governor Macquarie refuses; suggests recalcitrant female convicts to be sent to Parramatta Female Factory (when built) |
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| 1819 |
Supreme Court first held in Hobart Town Civil Court, called the Lieutenant-Governor’s Court, consisting of Deputy Judge Advocate Abbott and two respectable inhabitants appointed by the Governor from time to time. No appeal from its decision, which in money cases was limited to £50. All higher or criminal cases sent to Sydney for trial. 1820. Magistrates. —Eight; one being the Commandant, Launceston; one Chaplain; two Commissaries; one Police Magistrate; three private gentlemen,—the Governor, Judge, and Deputy Judge Advocate |
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1820 |
The first female convict transport, Morley, arrives at Hobart directly from the United Kingdom |
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Lieutenant-Governor Sorell again proposes building a female factory at Hobart |
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Commissioner Bigge investigates the state of the colonies |
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pre-1821 |
Refractory female convicts held in a single room at the Hobart Town Gaol on the corner of Murray and Macquarie Streets |
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1821 |
Hobart Town Female Factory built in Hobart Town Gaol precinct, separated from the Gaol by a brick wall |
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Parramatta Female Factory in New South Wales completed |
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1822 |
George Town Female Factory begins operation in a lumber yard |
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1823 |
Elizabeth Fry proposes a new Female Factory be built in Hobart |
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| 1824 | May |
Lieutenant Governor George Arthur arrives in VDL following Governor William Sorell's retirement. |
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1824 |
Lowes Rum Distillery built at Cascades |
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| 1825 | Jun | Van Diemen's Land becomes independent of the Government of New South Wales by King's Orders in Council. Lieutenant General Ralph Darling, to be Captain and Governor-in-Chief of VDL and its Dependencies, and John Lewes Pedder, Esq. appointed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. |
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1826 |
Investigation into conditions at Hobart Town Female Factory |
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1827 |
Colonial Government purchases Cascades site from Lowes Rum Distillery for £2760 |
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1828 |
Dec |
Conversions to Lowes Rum Distillery completed and female convicts transferred to Cascades Female Factory from Hobart Town Female Factory |
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Kings/Queen's Orphanage begins operation |
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1829 |
Jan |
Last of the 100 female convicts transferred from Hobart Town Female Factory to Cascades Female Factory |
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Jan |
Rules and Regulations for the Management of the House of Correction for Females at the Factory promulgated by Governor Arthur |
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Feb |
Riot at the Cascades Female Factory |
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Feb |
Hobart Town Female Factory converted to a bond store |
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1834 |
George Town Female Factory closes |
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1837 |
Molesworth Committee of Enquiry set up |
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1838 |
Cascades Nursery relocated from Cascades Female Factory to a small house in Liverpool Street, Hobart; Mrs Slee matron |
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1840 |
The Flash Mob gains notoriety in the press |
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1841 |
Board appointed to enquire into and make suggestions about female convict disicipline |
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1842 |
Brickfields Hiring Depot opens in New Town for assignable female convicts |
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Riot at Cascades Female Factory |
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Liverpool Street Nursery relocated to Dynnyrne House |
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1843 |
House in Liverpool Street, Hobart used as a hiring depot |
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Report of the Committee of Inquiry into Female Convict Discipline received |
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Contagious fever epidemic at Liverpool St Hiring Depot; female convicts removed to Colonial Hospital, Hobart |
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Probation system for female convicts instituted; Bowdens appointed |
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1844 |
Probation system begins; Anson Probation Station begins operation with Bowdens in charge |
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1847 |
New regulations regarding the hiring of male and female passholders |
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1848 |
Ross Female Factory opens |
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1849 |
Jan |
Lord Grey gives instructions for the Anson Probation Station to be broken up |
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Jul |
Anson brought down from Prince of Wales Bay to Hobart Town with female convicts on board |
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1850 |
New Town Farm opens as a temporary Probation Station for receiving female convicts on arrival as Anson Probation Station disbanded. |
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Nursery returns from Dynnyrne House to Cascades Female Factory, Yard 4 |
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1851 |
Anson Hulk dismantled |
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New regulations for Cascades Female Factory issued |
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1852 |
Female convicts with children removed from Cascades Female Factory to New Town Farm |
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Nursery relocated from Cascades Female Factory to Brickfields |
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Brickfields Hiring Depot closes; female convicts to be hired from Cascades Female Factory |
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1853 |
The last female convict transport to Australia, the Duchess of Northumberland, arrives at Hobart |
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1854 |
Nursery returns from Brickfields to Cascades Female Factory |
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Nov |
Ross Female Factory closes |
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1855 |
Nursery relocated from Cascades Female Factory to the Infirmary in Liverpool Street, Hobart |
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Launceston Female Factory proclaimed a gaol and transferred to the local authorities (Sheriff's Department) |
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Port Arthur Invalid Depot for men begins operation |
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1856 |
Van Diemen's Land becomes officially known as Tasmania |
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Cascades Female Factory proclaimed a gaol and transferred to the local authorities (Sheriff's Department) |
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1859 |
Brickfields Invalid Depot begins operation for men |
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1865 |
Girls Industrial School begins operation |
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Boarded Out System for fostering children begins |
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1868 |
Launceston Invalid Depot beings operation for both men and women on the site of the old Military Barracks |
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1869 |
Cascades Invalid Depot, for men and women, begins operation on part of the site of Cascades Female Factory |
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Boys Industrial School (Kennerley Boys Home) begins operation |
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Boys Training School (Boys Reformatory) begins operation |
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1874 |
Cascades Invalid Depot stops accommodating women who are moved to the New Town Charitable Instiution |
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1877 |
Cascades Gaol closes and inmates moved to Campbell Street Gaol |
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Port Arthur Invalid Depot closes |
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1879 |
Cascades Invalid Depot closes, the remaining men are moved to the New Town Charitable Institution |
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Kings/Queens Orphanage closes |
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St Joseph's Orphanage begins operation |
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1881 |
Girls Training School (Girls Reformatory) begins operation |
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1882 |
Brickfields Invalid Depot closes |
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1895 |
Launceston Invalid Depot becomes the Launceston Benevolent Asylum for both men and women |
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1898 |
Girls Training School (Girls Reformatory) closes |
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1915 |
Launceston Benevolent Asylum closes |
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1945 |
Girls Industrial School closes |
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1980 |
St Joseph's Orphanage closes |
