George Town - Female Factory
1829 - Food and Clothing
The dress of the Females shall be made of cheap and coarse
materials, and shall consist of a cotton or stuff gown,or
or petticoat,a jacket and apron with a common straw bonnet
of strong texture; and the classes shall be distinguished
as follows,viz:-
The 1st class shall wear the dress without any
distinguishing mark.
The 2nd class by a large yellow C on the left sleeve
of the jacket.
The 3r class by a large yellow C in the centre of the
back of the hacket, one on the rightsleeve, and another
on the back part of the petticoat.
Each female is to be furnished with clean linen every week, viz:-
2 Aprons
2 Shifts
2 caps
2 Handkerchiefs and
2 pair of stockings
The diet of the several Classes shall be as follows:-
Breakfast, 1/4lb of Bread and a pint of Gruel.
Dinner 1/4lb of Bread and a pint of Soup
Supper 1/4lb of Bread and a pint of Soup.
The soup to be made in the proportion of 25lbs. of meat to every
100 quarts of Soup, and to be thickend with vegetables and peas,
or barley as may be most convenient.
[Oct 12 1829]
Launceston - Female Factory
December 28th 1829. LA
Persons willing to tender to build a Female Factory at Launceston,
are to send in their tenders to C.G.Moodie, on or before the 26th
Jan , the plan and specifications to be seen at the Commandant's
Office.
Launceston or Hobart? - Female Factory
1833. The Female Factory is in a very advanced
state towards completion. It is a fine building - well put
together. Much credit is due to the contractor for the
superior manner in which it is being erected
1837 - Female factory
This establishment we hear, continues to be wholly useless.
The female convicts hold it in the utmost contempt as a place
of punishment. Something really must be done to check the
growing disgust with which convict labour is regarded - especially
now that the Colonists are to bear the whole of the Police
Expenditure.
Launceston - Female Factory
1842 - Sept - Superintendant - Robert Pearson
Under Colonial Sentence - 6
Solitary Confinement - 10
Confined by order of the magistrates - 97
nursing children - 10
sented to the wash tub - 9
servants ,cooks and etc - 4
in the hospital - 13
women assignable in Launceston - 63
women assignable in the country - 0
total number of wmen - 212
children under 1 year of age - 36
children under 2 years of age - 4
children under 3 years of age - 0
children above 2 years - 1
total number of children - 4
1842 - Sept Inquest
Another inquest was held on Tuesday,at the Court House,
on the body of a child which died at the Factory on that
morning.
The nurse who attended the deceased stated that the child
was apparently in a good state of health until Sunday,when
she was taken with a cough, several children in the factory
were affected in a smiliar manner.
Dr Maddox proved that death was occasioned by inflamation of
the lungs, which he attributed to the prevalence of the
southerly winds for the last few days.
There were upwards of thirty children taken with Catarrh in
the factory on Saturday night. Other witnessess were called
who proved that the deceased had regular attendance, and the
the usual remedies were had recourse to.
Verdict. died by the Visitation of God
1842- Oct Factory Riot
Great disturbances have lately taken place amongst the factory
women. On Thursday last, they revolted and took possession of
the establishment. The sSuperintendant and his assistants were
set at defiance, and the whole place was in such an uproar as
was never heard since the confusion of tongues in the tower of Babel!
The place was put under siege, but the insurgents were proff against
the pangs of hunger, and after twenty four hours had elapsed, appeared
as resolute and determined as ever. Several constables attempted to
enter the room where they were confined, but were quickly compelled
to retreat. At last it was found necessary to obtain about thirty men
from the prisoner's barracks, who aided by an equal number of
constables made a breach through the wall and came to close quarters
with their Amazonion captives.
The women fought like demons - and who can doubt it? but they were
finally overcome by superior strength and compelled to catipulate.
Seven of the ringleaders were confined and ironed in gaol, these
have since been despatched to Hobart Town in the Lady Franklyn
On Wednesday morning, another insurrection broke out, during which we
understand Dr Maddox was slightly wounded.
The whole concern is in a state of disorganization and the wonder is,
that it has not been oftener.
Feb 1843 - Fire
The inamtes of the Female Factory were greatly alarmed on Saturday
by cries of fire. It appears that some of the young ladies had been
occupying their leisure hours, in endeavouring to smoke out the bugs
when some of the bedding accidentally caught fire, and created great
consternation. Although the occurrence was purely accidental, much
serious mischief might have resulted had blankets been a more flammable
material. Fotunately, however, the damage sustained, was confined to
the destructin of a few bed clothes. Coming after the recent
insurrection reports of an exaggarated description were rapidly
circulated about the town: amongst others, it was rumoured that an
attempt had been made to set fire to the factory, and some people
hastened to the spot expecting to find that building a mass of ruins.
The matter was fully investigated before Captain Gardener on Monday
and Tuesday and some who had been culpable were sented to fourteen
days in confinement.
May 1844. Riot
On Monday last several of the ladies confined in the Female House
of Correction barricaded themselves in one of the rooms of the
building, and refused to let in the constables, who were sent to quell
the disturbance. To the request of the constables to admitted, the
ladies replied that rather than permit such an intrusion upon their
chosen sanctum, they would immolate themselves in the ruins of the
bulding.
The constables,however, at last succeeded in storming their position and
capturing the fair amazons.
Three of the ringleaders have been forwarded to Hobart Town, to be dealt
with by the Comptroller-General.
and a week or two later
On Sunday last another outbreak occurred among the fair amazons of
the factory. Four of them commenced by creating a disturbance
during the performance of divine worship - they aferwards broke out
of their cells and fastened themselves in the water closet, which
they defended for some time, but were eventually captured and
sentenced to twelve months hard labour.
and yet again -within the fortnight
Another disturbance occurred at this place on Tuesday evening.
Twenty of the most active of the inmates in the recent disturbances
have been shipped off for Hobart inthe Government brig Tamar
July 1844 - Factory Marriages
The manner in which after his Excellency has approved of the marriage
of female prisoners,they are permitted to go at large, during the
interval of his Excellency's sanction having been obtained and
their actual marriage is not only very susceptible of, but calls
loudly for, aleration and improvement.
If they have any friends in the town, or elsewhere, who will recieve
them,they are permitted to depart as soon as his Excellency's
has approved their marriage. At first sight there appears nothing
particuarly alarming in such indulgence being allowed the, when
they are so soon to enter the holy state of matrimony, and reside
under the protection of their husbands.
By many,we believe, such indulgence is not abused; but by others,
we have a positive knowledge that it is.
The parties with whom they are permitted to live, until the wedding-
day arrives, have no control over them: nor do they wish to have
and therefore,if a woman thus waiting to be married is at all badly
inclined, she has "room and verge enough" for indulging her
propensities.
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Hobart Town - Female Factory
1826 - June Conditions
The Government Gazette of last week states that nearly
one hundred women are confined in the Factory, and that
they are worse than uselessly crowded and immured therein.
We were long since aware of this circumstance; and intended
to have noticed it accordingly. Wholly unoccupied as these
females are, thereby putting the Crown to a considerable
experience, is it not practicable to find a remedy ,so
that they may be beneficially employed ? We know of no other,
than to encourage matrimony by every possible means. We
are convinced that there are many industrious farming men
in the interior, who could not only be strongly recommended
but by being married, would in consequence become additionally
useful to their employers. The British Government are aware
of this fact, and are in consequence sending out a greater
number of female prisoners.
{CT June 2nd 1826}
1826 June Insubordination
We regret to announce, that during the last week, much
insubordination has existed amongst the women confined
in the Female Factory. On Saturday, in consequence of
some alarming threats as to the Superintendent and his
wife {Mr & Mrs Drabble},MR Hone and Mr Bedford,attended by
Mr Kerbey and other peace officers, instituted an enquiry
into the proceedings to which we have alluded to, the result of
which was, that four of the most outrageous of these female
offenders were sent to the gaol in handcuffs, where they are
now confined in one of the cells. We are sorry to learn, that
this example failed of producing any saultary effect; for on
Tuesday a most desperate attempt at escape was made by these
wretched women, who succeeded in removing several of the bricks
from the wall of the building,adjoining Macquarie street. On
Mr Bedford again visiting the factory, he was attacked in a most
outrageous manner, and we believe subjected to some personal
ill treatment. A constable is now stationed at the outside of the
factory wall with a drawn cutless, who being so stationed excited
much curiosity in all passengers. The injudicious imprisonment
of near one hundred women in so limited a space, and employed
in a manner worse that useless, has been and is, the subject of
universal comment. Surely some means of employing these might be
found, equally advantageously to the Government and to themselves.
We are satisfied that many of them would become good servants,
and perhaps eventually good wives to men of their own class in life,
if proper means were adopted for their employment.
At all events, no possible good can arise from thus immuring
together, in so small a space, the good and the bad - the profligate
and the unfortunate - the industrious and the dissolute.
We understand that it is now proposed to line the walls of this
miserable place with thick boards, to prevent future access to the
bricks, and attempts at escape.
We consider the Female Factory [so improperly called] is
without the means of employing and classifying the women ,a greater
evil than good in the Colony. In New South Wales unfortunate women
thus circumstanced become primary objects of the attention of
the government.
{CT June 16 1826}
1826 June Women Encouraged to Marry
The Factory.
We propose in our next, to offer to our Readers some remarks
upon this worse than useless Establishment. In the mean time
we rejoice to announce to our Readers, that the Governor-in-Chief
at Sydney has adopted an entire new system in regard to the female
prisoners, entirely according with what we have in this Journal
on more than one occasion strongly recommended.
In future, every possible encouragement is to be afforded to
matrimonial alliances. No female prisoner,let her be in whose
employ she may,is to be prevented from marrying; and a general
distribution is to be made of the females in the Factory,whenever
their services may be required,without the applicants having to
undergo the ceremonials, which,after General Macquarie's departure,
a more mock-moral and less advantageous policy was never
brought into adoption.
This is as it should be. We trust the example, so wisely set in the
sister Colony [NSW] may be immediately acted upon here.
{CT 7/7/26}
1827 Building purchased for new factory.
The distillery,belonging to Messrs T.Y Lowes and Co has been
purchased by Government,at the price of £2000,for the purpose of
forming an Asylum for female prisoners on their landing from England,
or a Factory on a better principle than the old on e,which,we
understand, is to be thrown into the gaol,for its further enlargement.
We must obseve that we think the above place has been most
injudiciuosly chosen for the purpose required, on account of its
low and damp situation.
However, we hope that its interam management will be somewhat
different from that of the present factory.
{src:CT.,Jan 12 1827}
The Board of Survey has been sitting and that on the report of
the Colonial Architect, who has examined the premises, the Government
has refused to ratify the purchase lately made of Messrs T.Y Lowe & Co,
of the Distillery for a Female Factory
(src:CT Feb 9 1827)
1842 - Sept - Superintendant - John Hutchinson.
Under colonial sentence - 42,
Solitary confinement - 53,
Nursing children - 7
Nurses,Laundress,Servants,Cooka and&: - 12
In the Sick Ward - 18
Lying-In women - 2
Number in the First Class - 75
Number in the 2nd Class - 130
Number in the 3rd Class - 140
Number sentenced to the wash tub - 115
Total number of women - 593.
Children under one year of age - 7
Children under two years of age - 0
Total number of children = 7
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