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The
Building
Putting
the Convicts to Work
List
of Convicts
Convict
Clothing
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The
Launceston Female Factory opened in November
1834, at the time the George Town Female
Factory was closed, and operated as a female
factory until 1855 when administration of
the institution was handed over to the local
authorities. It then operated as a
gaol from 1855 until early in the 20th century
when it was demolished to make way for the
building of Launceston High School (now
Launceston College).
According
to Bethell in The Story of Port Dalrymple,
prior to the opening of the factory
at Launceston, female prisoners were "imprisoned
in a small hut, watched over by a single
constable" prior to removal, if necessary,
to the factory at George Town. This
arrangement was deemed unsatisfactory by
Commissioner Bigge.
The
factory was built
on an octagonal plan and was originally
designed to house 80-100 women. However,
as with the other female factories, overcrowding
soon became a problem with more than 250
women housed in the factory in 1842.
This made it impossible to separate the
three classes of inmates.
According
to Bethell, in The Story of Port Dalrymple
(p.107):
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The
women in this factory were employed
as laundresses and sempstresses,
and money so earned went to the
upkeep of the factory. Those
who held passes were awaiting
hiring as domestic or farm-servants,
and from time to time advertisements
appeared in the public press,
giving the numbers available for
employment at different places.
Many
of these women, when assigned,
found good employment, lived decently
and were married. There
was, however, a hard core of those
who were irreclaimable.
They were known as the "Flash
Mob" and, if rumour
spoke true, owing to the negligence
of turnkeys they often slipped
out of the factory at night to
roam the town.
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The Launceston
Female Factory was erected on the block now bounded
by Paterson, Bathurst, Brisbane and Margaret Streets.
The following account of its design appeared in the
Hobart Town Almanack for 1834 (p.97).
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The
building of a female house of correction,
hitherto necessarily but very inconveniently
kept at George-town, has also been nearly
completed. The construction of this
design is particularly deserving of commendation.
The superintendent from the very nature
of the building must of necessity keep a
constant eye on every class of the establishment,
the windows of his quarters being so constructed
as to overlook each division. The
beautifully simple and appropriate style
of the chapel is especially worthy of notice.
Each class of prisoners can attend divine
service without the possibility of communication.
The octagon is forty feet in diameter lighted
by a lantern, and the effect will certainly
be very imposing with a full congregation.
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Putting the Convicts to
Work
The following
account of the soon-to-be-opened Launceston Female
Factory was reported in The Launceston Advertiser
on Thursday, 6 March 1834 (p.3 col.2). It stressed
the need to provide the female convicts with useful
occupation whilst imprisoned.
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A
Correspondent, who is not ambitious of appearing
in print, suggests the propriety of having
the women, who may be fated to be inmates
of the New Factory, employed in some useful
occupations: the suggestion is a good
one, and is, we believe, acted upon in Hobart
Town. We should think indeed, that
it must have formed part of the plan contemplated
by Government, the regular employment of
women confined in our "factory;"
in such a manner as would not only be a
convenience to the public, but would form
a source of revenue might tend to defray
the expenses of its maintenance. Such
of the women as could not work with their
needle might devote themselves to
the useful arts of the laundry: all
could be employed; all might, we imagine,
be made to support themselves.
But,
in a moral point of view, it is sincerely
to be trusted that the Government will see
that the Launceston Factory be not a duplicate
of the infamous establishment at
George Town.
In that sink of iniquity, there appears
to have been no ruling principle but that
of punishment; reformation being
lost sight of. The women were sentenced
by Magistrates for misconduct "to
the Factory at George Town;" and
off they went to the Factory at George Town.
The Magistrates were not especially to blame;
for we believe that to be "sentenced
to the Factory" is for the most part
an ulterior proceeding in the routine of
correction, not resorted to until
all else in the way of punishment is found
to be inefficacious. But so it was.
The women were sent to George Town for ungovernable
depravity; to learn more depravity.
It has been a disgrace to those who have
had the ordering of other things.
But let it pass now; the new Factory is
nearly finished; and a wholesome state of
discipline it is hoped will distinguish
its future governance. In which there
will be nothing so effectual as keeping
its inmates at work; for when the
hands are not employed the head is.
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List of
Convicts
A
list of 501 female convicts known
to have spent some time at Launceston Female Factory—either
serving a sentence, awaiting assignment/hiring
or awaiting confinement—is provided here.
This list has been extracted from the Female
Family Founders Database and is current as
at 7 May 2008. It is by no means
complete and will continue to be added to as our
database grows. Come back regularly for updates.
Convicts
at Launceston Female Factory
(an incomplete list)
Lists
of convicts at:
Cascades
Female Factory
George
Town Female Factory
Hobart
Female Factory
Ross
Female Factory
Convict Clothing
The Superintendent
of Launceston Female Factory sent a memo to B
Bayly Esq. on 11 February 1845 outlining the clothing
issued to female convicts at the establishment
(ref: ML, CY 2283).
| Female
House of Correction
Launceston
February 11th 1845
Memo
The
mode adopted at this Establishment for supplying
the convicts with clothing is the Sup[erintenden]t
makes a demand for what he thinks necessary
for the quarter. The clothing is issued
and required by circumstances and worn by
the convict as long as serviceable. When
unserviceable the clothing is stored and
kept until inspected and condemned by the
Ordnance. Great care is taken that the clothing
is made to last as long as possible by repairs.
The
usual annual allowance to each woman is
viz
Hobart |
Launceston |
|
3 |
2 |
Serge
petticoats |
3 |
2 |
Serge
jackets |
4 |
4 |
Pairs
shoes |
4 |
4 |
Shifts |
3 |
4 |
Aprons |
4 |
4 |
Pair
stockings |
4 |
4 |
Caps |
4 |
5 |
Handkerchiefs |
Which
is generally about the annual requisition.
The usual practice is when women are received
whose sentence is over three months, new
suits are issued them and those under that
period, with old.
Superintendent |
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