By Liam Collins 4F

◦ In 1787 to 1788 Captain Arthur Phillip lead over 500 convicts to Australia to start a new penal colony. It was a hard life being a convict and there were no exceptions. Convicts always got either a disease or a sickness onboard.

◦ John Hudson was tried at the Old Bailey in London on the 10 th of December ◦ John’s birth date was not recorded but we know that he was nine years old when he committed a crime. ◦ John committed the crime of stealing clothing with the value of 22 shillings. ◦ In 1787, when John was 13 years old he was transported from England to Australia on the Friendship.

◦ Eleven ships in the First Fleet. ◦ The Friendship, the Prince of Wales, the Charlotte, the Scarborough, the Lady of Penrlyn, the Sirius, the Fish Burn, the Golden Grove, the Alexander, the Borrow Dale and the Endevour. ◦ The Convicts lived in the deepest part of the ship.

Convicts got a small ration of food per week while on the ship and on arrival. Woman and children convicts didn't get as much food.

◦ Convicts wore untidy clothes. ◦ Washed their clothes once a week. ◦ Men wore cotton shirts, waistcoats, trousers and a jacket. ◦ Woman wore a plain dress and a jacket. ◦ Shoes and socks were never perfect.

◦ Convicts that were educated could sign their signature. ◦ If convicts were educated there was a chance they could get a certificate of freedom.

◦ The First Fleet had a big impact on Australia and how it came to be. ◦ The convicts’ journey to Australia was under the decks in an unpleasant environment. ◦ Without exception, the convicts had a difficult life.

b=wi b=wi kids_fact_sheets/a_day_in_the_life_of_a_co nvict kids_fact_sheets/a_day_in_the_life_of_a_co nvict myclasses/Class, myclasses/Class,