The British penal system

To understand how convicts came to be transported we need to take a quick look at the British Penal system.  

Before the 18th century there were virtually no prisons in Britain. Imprisonment was not considered a punishment, but a holding place for those awaiting trial or punishment, or even debtors who were not clear of their debt. In the 18th century around 200 crimes were considered serious enough to be punishable by death. Varying from serious crimes such as treason or murder, but also what we consider minor offences like petty theft, such as stealing a bit of food.

In the 1600-1700’s many families lived in poverty and the gaols were soon overcrowded. A solution to this problem was to let debtors be discharged of their debt on certain conditions. Though this didn’t help and a new solution had to be brought in; serious offenders who were not hanged were to be transported to penal colonies in America. As the death penalty became more and more unpopular, this form of punishment, introduced in 1718 by an Act of Parliament, was seen as a more humane punishment rather than execution.

After the American Revolution in 1776-1783 Britain lost their colony in North America, and were forced to look elsewhere to transport convicts. In the mean time the need for more holding space grew rapidly and prison hulks were taken into use. These were old warships moored along the Thames and other places such as Plymouth. Here convicts would be housed until they were deported to what was yet an unknown area.

Eventually, in January 1787 it was announced that Lord Sydney had agreed to send convicts to New South Wales, in Australia. On May 13th 1787 the first fleet set out from Portsmouth and endeavoured upon a 15.000 mile long voyage. After eight months at sea the ships arrived in Botany Bay on January 18th 1788.

- Lise, NKI Nettstudent