Depth - the birth of British Australia 1788-1829 Flashcards
Why Botany Bay was chosen
After Cook’s expedition returned in 1771 he knew a vast land was ready to take, which seemed fertile, but failed to consider Aborigine’s
Saw the possibility of growing flax for sail making as Norfolk Island had pine trees which were crucial to ship making.
Prevent any French territorial claim
By the late 1780s, prisons were filled to bursting point with transportation providing a more merciful option to death. The AWI led the Pitt’s gov to opt for this rather than attempting the reform of the prison and justice system.
First Settlers
1788
British convicts under Arthur Phillip – they had been transported 5,000 miles in a journey that took around six months to serve their sentences in a new continent, establishing a new British colony
11 ships sailed into Botany Bay – survived the sail of 252 days with no ships lost and only 69 deaths, discharges or desertions within the fleet which carried over 1,400 people, including convicts, seamen, marines and a small number of civil officials (there is no exact available number of seamen on the journey).
British governors
Arthur Phillip- 1788-1792
William Bligh- 1805-08
Lachlan Maquerie - 1809-21
Thomas Brisbane- 1821-25
Reversed the paternalistic and high-spending approach of Macquarie limiting early pardons and land grants to convicts. Power and wealth under him was consolidated in the hands of the freeborn settlers.
George Arthur (Tasmania)- 1824-36
Devised a system of punishments and rewards for convicts and extended his control over the free settlers of the colony to run a police state, refusing convict labour to any settlers whose actions he disapproved of. Under his governorship, Van Diemen’s Land was as close to a totalitarian state as was ever reached in the British Empire
Governor Phillip’s successes
Preparations for the journey - equipment on the First Fleet was successful as death rate was 3% on outward journey and the colony was able to survive until the 2nd Fleet arrived in 1790. If they left in December 1786 as instructed to by the home secretary rather than having 6 months to prepare it might have failed
2nd colony at Norfolk Island in 1790 - sent almost 300 people as it appeared to be a better chance of survival. In 1790 it was better than Sydney as it had the ‘mutton bird’ until most were eaten in 1830. The removal of the 183 convicts from Sydney Cove meant the rations were just about enough to ensure the survival of the remaining people. But, it became synonymous with extreme hardship and was mostly evacuated in 1807.
Food stores - insisted rations were shared equally – resented by the marines but necessary – food was meagre, but enough to tide everyone over until the 2nd Fleet. No riots over it as it was completely fair, but convict labour had to be cut as rations were too small to sustain manual labour.
Better farmland - settled a colony in Parramatta – appeared more fertile In 1791, the 1st land grant in NSW (Rose Hill) was made so they could crops successfully. Necessary to get men off Gov Store supplies and get them to live off their own land as quickly as possible. By 1792 there were 1,000 acres under public cultivation and 516 under private cultivation.
Governor Phillip weaknesses
Botany Bay and Sydney Cove - lacked fresh water and suitable soil resulting in a rapid move to Port Jackson and into Sydney Cove to survive. Within 6 months, the livestock brought with them had been eaten or disappeared. The thin soil around Sydney Cove did not yield much of a crop. Building was hampered by the difficulty of making bricks and lack of mortar. The settlement existed on supplies they had brought. Traded with the Aboriginal people, whose superior hunting skills meant they could hunt kangaroos, but their meat intake was largely limited to dried supplies.
Left to his initiative - London initially envisaged the colony would be self-sufficient within 4 years and the cost the venture at just over £70,000 with food and clothing in the settlement being the gov’s. All produce grown or profit from the planned flax industry in Norfolk Island (never materialised as the flax proved to be the wrong type) was the gov’s. Phillip had give encouragement to any serving officers who decided to stay although most of the 1st Fleet marines returned, some stayed and were granted land. The development of private land holding did not ease the demands on gov supplies, as former convicts couldn’t farm
2nd Fleet arrival
Devoted to transporting female convicts in 1790 with letters from home acting as a reminder that they had not been forgotten
The store ships arrived two weeks later followed by the rest of the ships ful of suffering and dying convcts - at least a 1/4 died with a further 150 soon after arrival from starvation, scurvy, poor sanitation and diseases. May have been due to the government hiring a private company rather than a officer being in charge
Despite this they dramtically increased the chances of surviva as they brought vital supplies of livestock and crops. Arthur helped these resources last as when the 3rd Fleet arrived in 1791 he sent them to Calcutta to bring rice who they sent a further message home asking for more goods. Philip proceeded to head home in 1792.
The gov appointed a Royal Commission into the affairs of the Second Fleet’s deaths which while there was no prosecutions, with the conditions never being as inhumane again
Irish prisoners
The first Irish prisoners arrived in 1791 forming the largest single group in the colony
Regarded as particularily dangerous by the authroities in the colonies partly due to some being poltiical dissidents in the struggle for freedom from Britain and partly because of the distrsut all Englishment felt for Catholics in the period. Although most commited theft
The Irish stuck together and in 1804 there was an attempted rebellion against the Govenor King that was foiled by the NSW Corps
Attempts to escape
Some flourished in the warmth of the sun while others did not realise the vastness of Australia so intended on walking to China but this practice died off once the colony extended towards the Blue Mountains and the bones of bolters were found on the ground
Others escaped by sea and were either lost at sea or eked out an existence in miserable conditions as beachcombers on the coastlines they ended up on
The Rum Rebellion
1808
Governor Bligh stifled the colony’s rum traffic and accused the corps of corruption and ineptitude.
The arrest of John Macarthur in 1808, a former corps, over a violation of port regulations led to the corps invading the Gov House placing Bligh under arrest, and taking over the administration of the colony until Macquarie became governor.
This meant for 18 months there was no governor of NSW making the colony vulnerable because of Bligh and the corps being too extreme.
Later in 1818 the corps was recalled to England and Bligh vindicated; Johnston was dismissed from service in 1811, and Macarthur could not return to NSW, for fear of facing charges, until 1817.
Lachlan Macquarie changing the colony
Significant - Removed the NSW corps in 1809 as a result of the Rum Rebellion (Necessary for a smooth development of the colony). Previously they had significant powers and were assigned up to 10 male and 3 females as farm labour which was far more than free convicts received - controlled the colonies alcohol import with rum being a form of payment until silver was introduced in 1812. They were transferred to garrison duty on the Isle of Guernsey with the leaders not being punished as the British gov realised Bligh was chiefly responsible
Drastic - The Emancipists and the currency (a freeborn child to a convict) made up the small farms along the Hawkesbury river - resented the Corps stranglehold on the colony wanting them reigned in Macquarie sided with them over the Exclusives causing tensions in his tenure and limiting their tenure. Allowed an emancipist to deliver his wife’s baby and invited 4 to dinner at the governments house - showed convicts could be transformed into citizens and establish convict rights but maintained strong discipline
Partial - More respectable. Past a proclamation against cohabitation without benefit of the clergy (like marriage) which contributed to gradual change over the decades. Marriage improved women’s economic status as they were able to inherit property and business without male control if they passed away. For example, Mary Haydock inherited a shipping and trading business, expanding it extensively. But, she was an exception to the rule with many women being prisoners’ of prisoners
Lachlan Macquarie on convict experience
The need was paramount in the colony till 1810
Needed to work on Gov Farms, build roads and erect gov buildings, assigned to private masters who were in the wool trade and in whaling after the 3rd Fleet but was usually done by freed convicts. Whereas Female convicts worked weaving cloth needed for the clothing worn by domestic servants
Skilled labour was in demand
Macquarie commissioned public buildings designed by the colony’s first architect Francis Greenway
Literate convicts were needed as servants and skilled workers
No free lawyers so George Crossley got to practice but could not plead in court and even advised William Bligh in the Rum Rebellion
Negatives
Punishments were extremely harsh to try to maintain discipline - minor transgressions meant 100 lashes and the gallows were frequently used but rights were protected to an extent as punishments were only carried after court and had basic rights.
Male convicts heavily outnumbered females so many females were raped on the 1st night - those who escaped was because they were in protection of a seaman or marine - their best chance rested on finding a protector
Positives of Lachlan Macquarie’s land grants and the development up the Hawkesbury River
Interpreted Phillip’s system of convict work generously as he often issued early pardons and tickets of leave treating the emancipated convicts as full members of society
The First Select Committee Report into Transportation of Convicts in 1812 broadly supported the liberal interpretation but thought fewer tickets of leave should be granted and opposed pardons but this was turned down by the colonial secretary
Phillip had used Rose Hill for the survival of the colony. Macquarie made the 1st land grants in Hawkesbury were made as early as 1794 and, between 1800-1809, the settlement expanded- easier to transport by water. The land was also fertile and was a good source of oysters which was essential to feeding the growing population. Led to Macquarie founding 5 towns 1810-1811.
Problems with Lachlan Macquarie’s land grants and the development up the Hawkesbury River
Expansion led to conflict with the local Darug band of Aboriginal people
They were pacified by various formal expeditions organised by governors and by a bloody guerrilla conflict in the Hawkesbury region.
In 1816, Macquarie authorised a punitive party against the Aboriginal people in response to attacks on Hawkesbury farmers - 14 were killed.
The Exclusive complained against the liberal attitude to pardons which was and were upheld by the Bigge Report. Despite Hawkesbury farmers supporting Macquarie’s land policies it didn’t counterweight against the Exclusives who resented the land grants to convicts and wished for larger grants to themselves to develop sheep stations by using more convict labour.
Lachlan Macquarie on the growth of Macquarie Towns
The colony was self-sufficient but the profit under Macquarie, was not sent back to London (as planned in 1788) instead it was reinvested into the colony’s infrastructure building roads, schools and churches through architect Greenway which helped develop Sydney into a city.
A set plan- a church, inn and school (needed for the fast-growing population)
Built a hospital in the centre of Sydney at no cost to the colony by awarding the license for trade in liquor to the builders (the Rum Hospital).
Helped cushion the colony through economic depression, droughts, floods and caterpillar plagues by providing employment and income for convicts and ex-convicts
Role of the governors with the Aboriginal people
The Eora
Phillip tried to demonstrate the fairness of British justice by convicts being flogged in the presence of the Aborigines- looked away, showed sympathy for those being punished rather than gratitude - despite his best effort tensions grew
Van Diemen’s Land
Earlier governors had issued proclamations telling settlers not to persecute them but Arthur gave guns creating armed bushmen
A proclamation was passed by Arthur in 1828 after settler hysteria restricting Aborigines to Settled Districts in the north-east of the island- failed (couldn’t read). The policy of relocating them away from farmlands failed; the last Tasmanian Aboriginal person died in 1876.
