Did you have a criminal in the family, an ancestor who was caught on the wrong side of the law? If you have ever had any suspicions about the illicit activities of your relatives, or are fascinated by the history of crime and punishment, this is the book for you
From the arrival of the First Fleet in 1787, bringing almost 1,500 convicts and marines to establish a penal colony, to the end of transportation in 1868, approximately 165,000 criminals were sent from Britain to Australia as publishment for a range of crimes, most often for theft
Why is it that Australians are still misled by myths and half-truths about their convict heritage? Why are so many families surprised still to find a convict ancestor in their family tree? And why did an entire society collude to cover up its past? Australia's Birthstain is a controversial, yet intelligent volume that traces the stories of hundreds of convicts over the 80 years of convict transportation to Australia, painting a colourful picture of their crimes in Britain and their lives in the colonies
